Change Up by Derek Jeter

Author:Derek Jeter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Chapter Nine

SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT

“I know I could do it, if I could only get another shot,” Dave said glumly.

He, Derek, and Vijay, along with half a dozen other kids from Mount Royal Townhouses, were playing ball on “Derek Jeter’s Hill,” the grassy slope where the kids always gathered after school.

“I don’t know why you even want to pitch,” Vijay said as he took the ball for his turn on the mound. “I hate pitching. I don’t know why Coach made me do it that time.”

“You’d like it if you were better at it,” Dave said.

“What do you mean? I stink at it!”

“See? That’s what I’m saying!” said Dave. “You’re proving my point.”

Turning to Derek, who had on the team’s catcher’s gear, Dave said, “I wish your dad would give me another chance. Do you think he ever will?”

Derek shrugged. “I have no idea.”

“Couldn’t you ask him for me? I’ll bet he’d listen to you.”

“You’d lose that bet. My dad makes up his own mind about things. And he’s been pretty clear about me not interfering with his coaching decisions.”

Intervening on Dave’s behalf was out of the realm of possibility. He hadn’t told Dave that he’d already asked once, and been shut right down.

“Hey, you guys!” their friend Josh yelled from the outfield. “How ’bout it? We’re waiting!”

“Hang on one second!” Derek shouted back. “I’m sure he’ll give you another shot eventually,” he assured Dave, although he was really far from sure.

Derek could see that what he’d said didn’t make Dave any happier.

“The thing is, I want to make sure I come through if I do get another chance,” Dave said. “Do you think you could help me figure out what I’m doing wrong?”

Derek thought of his mom’s words: “How can you yourself make sure your team plays up to its potential?”

“Sure,” he said. “How about if we stay around for half an hour after the other kids go home? We could work on your delivery and your grip—you know, just the two of us?”

Dave’s face lit up with hope. “Really? Sounds perfect!”

“Will that be okay with Chase, though?”

Dave’s driver and guardian was always nearby, hanging out by the fancy Mercedes that was almost as big as a limo. He kept a close eye on all of Dave’s social activities.

“I’ll ask him,” Dave said. “But, hey, he’s our coach too. How can he say no?”

Sure enough, Chase agreed to an extra half hour of play before driving Dave home to do his homework and have supper.

Derek asked Vijay to stop at the Jeter house and let his parents know he’d be a little late getting home.

“If they say no, come back and tell me,” he said.

“Okay, Chief!”

“Chief?”

“Well, I would call you ‘Coach,’ because now you are going to coach Dave, but we already have two coaches, so it would be too confusing.”

“Whatever,” Derek said, laughing. Vijay never failed to crack him up. Turning to Dave and handing him the ball, he said, “Pitch to me.”

Dave went out to the tree root that served as the mound.

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