the rookie | andrew benintendi

xvii | three up, three down

Downward spiral.

That was the only way Ari could describe the Red Sox road to the playoffs. It affected everyone; they couldn't hit, and when they were, they couldn't string them together. Pitching wasn't even a problem compared to their inability to score runs.

Going into Game One of the ALDS against the Cleveland Indians, Ari tried to be hopeful. The team had pulled off miraculous things before, why couldn't they do it now? If anything, Ari just wanted to put up a fight; win even one game. She wanted David to go out with something positive.

Her fake positive attitude didn't work, and the Red Sox returned home frustrated and down 2-0 in the series. One more game, one more crushing home loss, and it was over. She didn't want to go out like this; no one did.

Losing in the bottom of the ninth, there was a glimmer of hope. Two runners on, two out, and a close game, and all Ari could manage was a weak fly out. She barely managed to drag herself to first base, knowing that the game was over.

She tried to tune out the sound of Cleveland players cheering. Even with the amount of Cleveland fans in the park, Fenway was oddly, horribly silent. Three up, three down, she thought bitterly.

She trudged into the dugout, keeping her head down even when teammates clapped her on the back. Whatever chance they had of coming back and winning, she had ruined. She changed quickly, blinking back tears as she did so. She didn't want to talk to anyone, the media especially, but she knew she had to. So, she braved it before finally being left alone.

It was then, as she began to leave the clubhouse when David stood in her way. He looked over at her with a sympathetic look.

"I'm not saying goodbye to you," she told him, voice cracking and lip quivering as she tried not to cry. "You're going to be back next season and playing like usual."

"I wish I could," he told her, "but you know how it is."

"It shouldn't be like that," she said as he walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her and engulfing her in a hug.

Though they weren't the closest, Ari couldn't even begin to describe what David meant to her. She looked up to him, not only as a player or leader but as a teammate. He had taught her lessons she would never forget, whether he was intending to or not. David Ortiz was a player that couldn't be replaced.

"Thank you, David," she told him as he pulled away from her, "for everything."

"You shouldn't be thanking me," he said. "I'm just doing my job."

"If what you do is just doing your job, then there are plenty of others that should get fired," she joked, smiling. "You've helped me so much. Though coming up here and trying to prove myself and having people looking down at me, you always believed me, David. Even the small things mean the world to me. I'm sure the others feel the same."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Mookie wouldn't even say goodbye to me. Just, 'see you next year.'"

"I wish that was the case," she said, looking down. "I don't think you'll ever understand what you mean to this organization."

"And no one will ever understand how much this organization means to me."

Ari and Andrew were two of the last players out of the ballpark. The ride home was silent, not because they were mad, but because neither knew what to say. It was that horrible sinking feeling that had lingered in Ari's chest from the moment the game ended. It was frustrating and disappointing.

The off-season was upon them.

Ari sighed, flopping down on the couch in the living room. Andrew sat down next to her, turning the TV on. Ari had left ESPN on, which was playing a clip of David standing on the field at Fenway and tipping his hat to the crowd with tears in his eyes. Andrew changed the channel to the first station he saw, NESN, which happened to be playing the Bruins game. She briefly remembered that it was opening night for them, but she couldn't begin to care too much about it. The loss stung too much.

"At least they're winning," Andrew noted, laughing a bit bitterly.

"Yeah," Ari agreed quietly.

"You played well, really," Andrew told her, focusing on her, though she was focusing on the hockey game. "I can tell you're upset with making the final out." She nodded. "Remember that play? In the fifth inning? That was the best play I've ever seen you make. It was amazing."

Sure, the sprawling play that Ari had made was impressive, as she dived to her left, making a backhand play before spinning on her knee and throwing to first, but it didn't matter to her.

"It wasn't good enough," she argued, wincing slightly as Adam McQuaid was slammed into the boards.

"And that's on all of us, too. It shouldn't have gotten to what it did."

Ari just sighed, choosing to focus on the Bruins, who were winning, rather than their crushing loss. "What are we gonna do?"

"I don't know," he replied. "I was planning on going home, but there's nothing official yet."

"Yeah, me too," she told him. "They were really disappointed they couldn't make it. I'm surprised they haven't called yet, actually."

"We should visit your family for a bit, then visit mine," he suggested.

She looked over at Andrew, shocked by his suggestion. "You want to meet my family?"

"Yeah, of course. I mean, they already know me. It shouldn't be that big of a deal," he explained.

"They're going to be super suspicious, Andrew," she said, "my sister especially."

"Nothing wrong with two teammates meeting each other's families, right?"

Ari opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted when the phone began to ring. She hopped up, walking to answer it. She answered the call, which she found was from her mom, before pressing the speakerphone button.

"Hi, mom," she greeted, a small smile on your face.

"Hi, sweetie. How are you?" she questioned, knowing the loss must be hard on her daughter. Ari had always been very competitive.

"I'm alright," she replied, glancing up at Andrew. "Andrew's here, too."

"Hi, Mrs. Rowe," he greeted, and though it seemed he was trying to be polite, Ari knew he actually didn't know her mom's name.

"Please, call me Erica," she told him, chuckling slightly. "What are you planning to do now?"

"I was planning to come home," Ari explained.

"Yes, you should do that," Erica replied. "I'm sure your father and your sister would be happy to see you. I think she's very excited for you to meet her new boyfriend."

Ari smiled. "Yeah, of course. He seems nice." She looked over at Andrew, reminded that she should probably tell her mom that he was planning to visit. "I have a question for you."

"Go ahead, honey," Erica prompted.

"Andrew," she paused, taking a breath, "he was interested in visiting, too."

The line went silent and Ari and Andrew looked at each other, a little nervous about what was to come. "Of course. Your father and I would really like to meet him."

Ari nodded. "Okay, sounds good. I'll talk to you later, mom. I love you."

"I love you, too, Ari."

Ari hung up before looking at Andrew, who was grinning. "Looks like we're going to Vermont."

-------------------------------

this game was so tragic 

11.28.17