“Rique tells me that you’re helping him with his bat.”
“Yes. He has a good swing but an eye that needs work.” He also needed patience but that would take more time to teach.
“I like that you’ve stepped up and that you’re willing to help where needed.”
“It’s all part of being a team.”
“I have the sense that people will gravitate to you. You have a good work ethic, you’re serious but personable, and you have the leadership qualities I’m looking for. And that’s in addition to your batting skills. You have the power to elevate us to another level. My only concern is your acclimation to this new environment. I’ve seen others fail at making the adjustments needed, and I want to make sure you’re not one of them. If there is anything, I can do to make the shift easier, let me know. My door is always open.”
“I have learned to take things in stride, to be resilient. I don’t let much affect my game. And I am not enamored by things. I don’t need cars, clothes, or women to know who I am.”
No matter what team one played for, here or there, there were players who needed the adoration of the masses in order to feel good about themselves. His mother had raised him better than that and his grandfather had taught him what it meant to be a man.
Mac nodded before explaining, “One of the questions Larsen asked me before offering me the job was about my approach to coaching. What I told him is that I take a holistic and humanistic one. I want each player to be well-rounded but that’s hard to achieve sometimes. Routine and convention can take a toll, but it’s my intention to bring a way of life to the team. I have a family that’s important to me, was as important to me as the game. I have outside interests that compensate for the tedium of a season, and a home where I can unwind and relax. I want to create the kind of environment where every player can live his best life. On and off the field. The most beneficial way to do that is to show that it’s possible.”
“In Cuba, the team is everything. It is one way the state can prove that it is flourishing. That will be one of the adjustments I must make, but I think it might be a good one.”
“You can expect my wife, Galen, and me to open our home to the team, for barbecues, family get-togethers, and celebrations. I expect every Greenie to do community service, find a cause and invest in it. Not only monetarily but with personal appearances and hands-on activities. Allie’s office handles that piece, and she does a great job at maintaining a high-profile presence in the city. We may not get the media attention of our rival team, but we give back as much as they do.”
“I will speak to Alicia and ask where I can put my time.”
“You won’t have much of that when spring training camp starts, but once the season officially opens and we’re back in our home park, there’ll be plenty of opportunity for you to spread yourself around. Do you have any questions for me?”
“You’ve covered all that is important. I am looking forward to working for you.”
“As I told Rique, you’ll be working with me. If we all do our jobs, we’ll be able to celebrate a World Series win this year. It’s way past time.”
“Maybe for you as well?”
He laughed. “That would be the icing on the cake.”
Mateo knew the Greenliners hadn’t won a series since the 1930s. Alicia had explained all about the Bambino curse, the Cubs’ dry spell, and how the Red Sox and Chicago Cubs had broken them. They were next in line.
Mac rose and Mateo followed his lead, walking back out to the vestibule, where another man had just arrived.
“Mateo Alvarez meet Ramon Batista. He plays at our training center in Puerto Rico and is one of our top prospects.”
The two men shook hands, speaking to each other in Spanish, before Casey escorted Mateo to the door.
“Rique is waiting in the car. He said to send you out when you were done.”
“Thanks.” He hesitated before leaving, wanting to ask if she knew about him and Alicia. With her father knowing, he’d give good odds that she did, as well, one way or another. Instead, he dipped his head and said, “Maybe I’ll see you again soon.”
She stopped him, her hand on his sleeve. “She’s been hurt. Have some patience.”
He smiled. “I have the patience of a saint. If that’s all it will take…”
But he doubted it. It would take that and a whole lot more to keep his wife from divorcing him before he could win her over. He just didn’t know what it would entail yet. He’d have to keep peeling away her layers, hoping he could steal a little bit of her heart along the way. He’d been serious when he’d told her that he wasn’t going to ignore the universe’s intervention into their lives.
As soon as he squeezed himself into Rique’s car, he said, “I like him.”
“I do, as well. He’s more down-to-earth than Farina, more approachable. I asked him if we could pick up our practice sessions on Monday. He told me he’d check with Casey, make sure she blocked off some time, and he’s going to talk to Leo. He’s staying on as infield coach.”
“That is good to hear. We won’t have to figure out what a new coach expects from us.”
“Yeah, and I don’t have to bust my ass again, trying to prove I’m ready to bring it. Once was enough. You want to grab some lunch?”
“Why not. I’m not expecting Allie to be back for hours. This is one thing I miss about home. There’s always a friend to call to do things with.”
“You can always call me.”
“Don’t you have a trip to
