Rating: PG
Series/Sequel: Just the beginning...
Pairing: Greg Maddux/Tom Glavine
Disclaimer: These guys really don't belong to me at all. To my knowledge this
has never happened. Just support my delusions, ok? They belong to
themselves, John Sherholtz, Ted Turner, TBS, Bobby Cox, each other (oh.
oops.)...etc.
Summary: Maddux convinces Glavine of something, and they make a deal.
Setting: Just before the All-Star break, the night before Glavine pitched
against Boston.
"You know, that was a really nice thing to do."
"What did I do?"
"You're leading the league in ERA. You won your 250th game on Thursday. If you
wanted to be an All-Star, even Valentine would've taken you."
"I guess."
"Bobby would've taken both of you. Probably a couple more of us, too."
"Yeah, well, if we'd won the goddamn pennant he would've been managing."
"Mets never should've been there."
"Yeah, well, if we'd had the best record in the NL, we could've knocked them
out of contention."
Tom Glavine shrugged. It was history. They were in the middle of a pretty
heated 3-way race now, just a game behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who
would battle Baltimore the next afternoon. "You know, we really need the
game tomorrow."
"Tomorrow's actually today, but whatever."
"I mean, entering the break with a win could be key in a strong second half
start."
"Tommy, don't worry about the game. Don't worry about your arm. You'll be
fine. Boston's a good place for you."
"Yeah, so long as you're not giving up back to back homers to Nixon and
Ramirez. Speaking of my arm, could you not lay on it?"
Greg Maddux shifted his weight. "Sorry. Anyway, that was Karsay, not you, and
I doubt it'll happen again."
"I'll be glad for the break, I'll tell you that much. I didn't want to go to
damn Seattle anyway."
"Me either, which is why Burkett's going. Not that he doesn't deserve it�guy's
gotten no run support this season."
"Neither have I."
"Tommy, when you give up seven runs in the first two innings, you don't
deserve run support."
He didn't agree, as Maddux had expected him to, simply sighed and said, "I
guess I'm getting old, aren't I? Couple years of throwing shit like this,
and then I'll retire silently and drift away. This'll end, won't it?" he
said, gesturing to their positions. The number one starter lay in the arms
of the number four starter. It was the usual road trip arrangement.
Teammates were used to them going over scouting reports late into the
night...as if either of them hadn't already memorized the dossier on every
hitter in the National League. Any that knew what was really going on
weren't saying a word.
"I hope not," Maddux murmured.
"I don't know, Greg, I really do love my family. At home, I don't think I
could..."
"I know. I feel the same. It's so easy here, on the road, when the team is our
family. When we are each other's family."
"In one manner of speaking," Glavine said, kissing the other pitcher.
"Besides, you know you'll never leave the game completely. We'll retire, drop
out of site for awhile, and then you know we'll be back, coaching whatever
we can."
A soft chuckle, "Yeah, you're right. Never quite free from its death grip."
"Tell you what, I'll make a deal with you. If you lose tomorrow, I'll make
this easy for you. We'll quit now, make it easier when the real time
comes. You win, and I will refuse to end this semi-relationship thing
we've had since the year I left Chicago to join the Braves."
"You have a deal, then. Better consummate it, I think."
"Consummate? You mean, like a marriage?"
"Something like that, yeah."
"Good plan." And Maddux changed his position again, kissing Glavine
passionately.
As for the game, well, the final score was 8-0, a Braves victory.