chippy
11-12-2005, 10:31 AM
The weights clanked together, and Chip grunted as he ground out another rep, before dropping them to the floor. "Good job..." his teammate, Mark Ellis said, "You keep that up and you'll get 20 jacks for sure..."
Chip grinned. He had hit 16 home runs his rookie season, two years ago, and upped it to 18 last year. "If I hit 20, or 2... doesn't matter to me. I just want to win..."
The Oakland A's had won their division last year with a 104-58 record. Unfortunately, they were beaten 3-1, by the Yankees in the AL Division Series. The awesome pitching that had carried the A's that season had, while not downright failed, had given up several 2-out base hits that had driven in runs for the hated Bronx Bombers. Plus, Chip not included, the A's had not hit the ball well at all... which all added up to a quick, unceremonial exit from the playoffs.
"What do you think of Billy's deals this winter?" he asked Ellis, the team's 2nd baseman and leadoff hitter to Chip's shortstop and #2 hitter. The tablesetters were teammates, roommates on the road, and good friends.
Mark shrugged, "One thing... Billy knows what he's doing. And think about it, he traded Redman, who wasn't gonna resign, anyway, and released Dye, who wasn't worth the money we were paying him. He signed Nick Neubarger, who I think can really be something. He's 7 years younger than Mark Redman, and he's a hell of a lot cheaper..."
"Yeah... but Rod Beck?" Chip asked, "I mean, I know he has the pedigree... but does he have anything left in the tank?"
Ellis shrugged, "He's not gonna be the closer... just help set up... and he knows HOW to close if we need him to..."
The second baseman laughed, "I've been here 4 years, and this is your 3rd coming up. You know the Oakland A's have to do things differently than other teams do. Moneyball... remember?"
"Yeah, yeah... I remember..." Chip said, laughing, "I just wanna win, Ells... I wanna be the poor man's Derek Jeter. And before you say anything... no... I'm not saying I'm as good as DJ. I never will be. What I AM saying... is I want people to get as sick of seeing me in the playoffs every year as they are of him..."
Mark nodded, then glanced behind Chip, "Well, I know SOMEONE who isn't sick of seeing you..."
Before Chip could turn around, a soft pair of hands covered his eyes, "Guess who?" a playful voice sounded in his ear...
He grinned, "I told you never to come up to me in public..." he said in a stage whisper, "Mandy will start to wonder if something's going on..."
The hands left his eyes and one slapped him on the shoulder, "Goofball..." actress/singer Mandy Moore said, grinning as she leaned in for a quick kiss, "How's the workout going?"
"Pretty good... gotta get ready for next year..." Chip replied, slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.
"You'll be fine..." Mandy said confidently, "You ready to go?"
"I guess..." Chip looked at Mark, "See you tomorrow?"
Ellis nodded, "Every day... season will be here before you know it..."
Chip sighed, "Yep... this year we're gettin' rings..."
Mandy raised an eyebrow, "What about me? Do I get a ring, too?" she asked, smiling coyly...
Chip grinned, "You never know..."
Once more Mandy slapped his shoulder, "Goofball..."
Chip grinned. He had hit 16 home runs his rookie season, two years ago, and upped it to 18 last year. "If I hit 20, or 2... doesn't matter to me. I just want to win..."
The Oakland A's had won their division last year with a 104-58 record. Unfortunately, they were beaten 3-1, by the Yankees in the AL Division Series. The awesome pitching that had carried the A's that season had, while not downright failed, had given up several 2-out base hits that had driven in runs for the hated Bronx Bombers. Plus, Chip not included, the A's had not hit the ball well at all... which all added up to a quick, unceremonial exit from the playoffs.
"What do you think of Billy's deals this winter?" he asked Ellis, the team's 2nd baseman and leadoff hitter to Chip's shortstop and #2 hitter. The tablesetters were teammates, roommates on the road, and good friends.
Mark shrugged, "One thing... Billy knows what he's doing. And think about it, he traded Redman, who wasn't gonna resign, anyway, and released Dye, who wasn't worth the money we were paying him. He signed Nick Neubarger, who I think can really be something. He's 7 years younger than Mark Redman, and he's a hell of a lot cheaper..."
"Yeah... but Rod Beck?" Chip asked, "I mean, I know he has the pedigree... but does he have anything left in the tank?"
Ellis shrugged, "He's not gonna be the closer... just help set up... and he knows HOW to close if we need him to..."
The second baseman laughed, "I've been here 4 years, and this is your 3rd coming up. You know the Oakland A's have to do things differently than other teams do. Moneyball... remember?"
"Yeah, yeah... I remember..." Chip said, laughing, "I just wanna win, Ells... I wanna be the poor man's Derek Jeter. And before you say anything... no... I'm not saying I'm as good as DJ. I never will be. What I AM saying... is I want people to get as sick of seeing me in the playoffs every year as they are of him..."
Mark nodded, then glanced behind Chip, "Well, I know SOMEONE who isn't sick of seeing you..."
Before Chip could turn around, a soft pair of hands covered his eyes, "Guess who?" a playful voice sounded in his ear...
He grinned, "I told you never to come up to me in public..." he said in a stage whisper, "Mandy will start to wonder if something's going on..."
The hands left his eyes and one slapped him on the shoulder, "Goofball..." actress/singer Mandy Moore said, grinning as she leaned in for a quick kiss, "How's the workout going?"
"Pretty good... gotta get ready for next year..." Chip replied, slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.
"You'll be fine..." Mandy said confidently, "You ready to go?"
"I guess..." Chip looked at Mark, "See you tomorrow?"
Ellis nodded, "Every day... season will be here before you know it..."
Chip sighed, "Yep... this year we're gettin' rings..."
Mandy raised an eyebrow, "What about me? Do I get a ring, too?" she asked, smiling coyly...
Chip grinned, "You never know..."
Once more Mandy slapped his shoulder, "Goofball..."