The Workhorse, Chapter 1, Part 2

In 2003, the next year, he hurt his right arm. He was a lefty pitcher, but he had thrown out his right arm when he swung with it while warming up. He ended up needing surgery but it recovered fairly quickly. And not too soon, because he needed to practice to beat the Matchsticks next week. He was fully healed up and his doctor had granted him the thing he wanted to hear. He was all set to go play for the Blue Orioles!

He used the Striking Gun Arm to defeat a player. It was a modified speed ball. He was determined to complete this game to the finishing throw. He got 3 outs and a ball. The player was determined not to let the Orioles win. He got ready and bragged that Caleb couldn't win this match up. He was determined and grit his teeth. He was a gum chewer as well. He blew a bubble with his bubblegum and Caleb wasn't ready for his strength. The ball was a home run. All three players on the Matchsticks' side got to run straight into home base. That was four points the Orioles had watched fly by and stick to the scoreboard for the Matchsticks, and not them. The score was now 0-27. Caleb was sweating. He was rotated with their other top pitcher, Cody Diamond, and Caleb was relaxing in the outhouse with the boys. And was playing catch and release with himself in no time flat. He was chewing his bubblegum which he also had chewing tobacco inside of and was blowing bubbles to himself and nodding off. He had his arms crossed and was almost considering going out there to see what was up, when the coach, Lee Ellis, told them to rotate. He went out to pitch.

He was facing the Matchsticks' new batter, Thomas Thompson-Rodesyle, who was married to the Orioles' second baseman's cousin, Myriam Webster of Chicago, IL. She was there with them in the dugout. Lee was furious. That wasn't their coach, it was their 2nd basemen. He was standing at 2nd base, the second one on the playing field, at the top of the diamond, across from the catcher. He was angry that his cousin' husband was playing for these guys. He was ready to get them out.

The ball was thrown, a pitch that was called the Matchlooking Cannoball because it looked like it was spinning without moving, and the ball went skyhigh. It shot straight upwards. The batter knew what was coming. He knew the pitch was coming because Caleb always used his right foot that way he used it before he threw this ball all the time before firing this shot. They had studied it countless times. He hit the ball and it went into the air, high above the catcher, who struggled to notice it in the sun's glare. The 2nd baseman was worried. But the catcher ended up catching it easily. It was just like a fly ball. Caleb was on edge. His team still needed to score some points.

They were at 13-27 when it happened. It started to rain. Caleb looked at his watch. They called the game and the players had to leave the field. The game was rescheduled for tomorrow.

They had to play from the same positions. Caleb set back up on the pitchers plate. He threw a wild ball. It skidded into the 3rd baseman's glove, who threw it to first, who caught it and touched the player too late. They had made it to first base. This was a one on the field and no points in the mitt play. Brandon Overlariot was the player from the opposing team on 1st. Brandon was stealing a base in no time flat but was caught, he didn't actually leave the plate, so he was ahead of the game before they knew it and off to second base as his team scored another place mat. This meant Caleb was in a hard situation to handle as a pitcher. He had to watch two players, and pitch out against a third. The two could scram and jam at any time. He was ready for it. He threw the pitch but it was a foul ball. The players had to go back. During a foul play, the people on the plates couldn't be tried as fools. They could go back as they pleased. Caleb thought that was a bit annoying. He threw the ball and scored another strike, another one, and another one, ending the game. It only had 13 seconds left. But this was only in the second half.

In the third and fourth quarters, which were actually the second half, the first one had just gotten over and done with, Caleb got 3 outs and 2 balls, and let three players make it to 3rd and 2nd base, but the third one got them all acquitted with a stick in the mud. They were tried as minors and the major leagues were over and done with. Caleb's team was at bat. He sat and watched as they made the win for the whole team! They celebrated and he was called to the podium, but other players spoke. They said it was a good game, and they were glad to have Caleb back. Cody said he was happy as well.

They celebrated and Cody was re-contracted for $340,000,000 for 3 years, a long time to be sure, but a good place to be.

They trained and in Illinois became known as the world all-stars. They battled Africa and Japan in the Quarter-Finals of the MLB-Ultra Stars cup, which gained them international fame once again. The team had been around since the 1500's. Railroad workers had began it to escape the drudgery of their hard and long days, overdue for a vacation plan, they played baseball and formed the Layerrung Oriole Team, which was composed of only 19 people at the time. Two second basemen, a pitcher, three catchers, and the rest were all outfielders. They needed a batter. Don Rodriguez Gorputten became their hit new superstar. He batted a 0.300 right away in the year 1943. It was a stunning defeat, however, for the other team.