Stranger in Right Field (2 page)

Bet he wishes the coach had assigned him to someone other than me
, Alfie thought dismally as he grabbed his glove and headed to right field. He took up his position and tried to put Roberti
out of his mind by starting up the chatter.

“C’mon, Sparrow! Get ’em out—one, two, three!” he called to the Mudders’ pitcher. The
rest of the team picked up the chatter.

Sparrow faced the first batter, Jim Hance. Jim laced the ball down to short. Bus picked it off and sent it to Turtleneck at
first base for an easy out. The second batter flied out. But Ted Jackson drove a sizzler past Sparrow and Bus. He made it
to first.

That was it, though. Adzie Healey popped out to end the inning.

Alfie ran in. When he reached the dugout, he hesitated a long moment before sitting beside Roberti.

“Too bad about your hitting,” Roberti said. “How many years have you been playing baseball?”

Alfie looked quickly at Roberti. Was the question some kind of wisecrack? Was Roberti suggesting that Alfie didn’t look as
though he’d been playing for very long?

But Roberti’s face was curious, not mean.

“I’ve been playing for two years,” Alfie replied. “How about you?”

Roberti gave a small smile. “I have never played before.”

Alfie blinked. More than ever, he wanted to ask how Roberti had gotten onto the Mudders’ team. But he was afraid his question
might offend the newcomer. After, all, Alfie himself had never played before he’d joined the Mudders.

But I had to practice a lot with the guys before I played in my first game
, he remembered.
I wasn’t just handed a uniform
.

They sat silently for a few minutes. Alfie fished around for something to say. “Uh, is that your dad in the stands?” he finally
said. “You know, that guy in the suit?”

Roberti laughed. “Oh, no, that is not my father. That man just takes care of me. He is—”

“Alfie!” Coach Parker interrupted. “Inning’s over! Grab your glove and get out there!”

The Mudders had been put down in order: first Bus, then Rudy Calhoun, and last of all
Sparrow had walked up to the plate only to walk back again without a hit. The score remained 2–0.

Chet Barker led off for the Bulls. He popped up a sky-reaching fly above home plate.

“Take it, Rudy!” T.V. shouted from third base.

Rudy did.

Then Trent Farrell hit one out to right field. Alfie should have caught it easily. But at the last moment, he lost sight of
the ball! It bounced a few feet behind him. He scrambled to pick it up, then heaved it toward second. Luckily, his throw was
right on the money. Trent held at first.

Some good example you’re showing Roberti
, Alfie thought furiously.
You’re catching about as good as he was during practice
.

The inning ended a few minutes later with the Bulls held scoreless. Alfie took a seat on the bench. Roberti excused himself
to get a
drink of water.

A moment later, Alfie felt someone tap him on the shoulder. It was Bus.

“So, what do you think of the new guy?” Bus whispered.

Alfie shrugged. “Okay, I guess. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him much.”

Bus nodded. “Kind of funny, though, isn’t it? How he just showed up out of nowhere wearing a uniform?”

“It’s a little weird,” Alfie agreed. “Especially since he told me he’s never played baseball before. Did you know the coach
asked me to help him out?”

Bus laughed. “
You
? Things are getting even weirder! Unless…” Bus’s voice trailed off.

“Unless what?” Alfie prodded.

“Unless the coach is training Roberti to play in right field. I mean, why else would he have
you
show him anything?”

Alfie stared at the dirt between his shoes. Bus’s words stung, but not because of what
he said about the coach replacing him with Roberti. No, what hurt was that Bus didn’t think anyone could possibly learn anything
about baseball from Alfie Maples!

“I brought you some water, Alfie.” Roberti handed Alfie a paper cup, then sat down beside him.

“Uh, thanks,” Alfie said. Bus raised his eyebrows, but didn’t say a word. They sat in silence, watching the game.

Barry had made it to first, held up there while Turtleneck struck out, then reached second on a single by José. T.V. Adams
was at the plate. Nicky grabbed a bat and hurried to the on-deck circle.

A moment later, T.V. sent a smasher to right field. Barry made it home, José held up
at third, and T.V. stood beaming at second. The score now read Mudders 3, Bulls 0.

Alfie took Nicky’s place in the circle. From there he watched Nicky pop out to first.

“Hit the ball, Alfie!” Alfie could hear Roberti’s voice loud and clear. “That’s right, Alfie, keep it rolling!” Coach Parker
called.

Alfie didn’t hit a home run, but he did connect with the ball for a blooping infield single. He beat the throw to first by
a millisecond. Neither José or T.V. risked advancing.

Bus Mercer came to the plate with the bases loaded. But to everyone’s surprise, he struck out and ended the inning.

Disappointed, Alfie was tempted to make a comment to Bus when he met him in the dugout. But he didn’t.
Bus might not be able to keep his mouth shut
, Alfie thought,
but I can
.

Alfie picked up his glove and saw Roberti gave him a quick smile, then glance at Bus and back at him knowingly. Alfie smiled
back, glad he had held his tongue.

As he ran into the outfield, Alfie found himself remembering his first Mudders game. He had been so scared that he was going
to mess up. Coach Parker had been helpful, but mostly Alfie had had to muddle through and learn as he played. It would have
been nice to know that someone was keeping a special eye on him. Maybe that’s what Coach Parker wanted him to do for Roberti.

The rest of the game sped by quickly. Although the Bulls earned a run, in the end, the Mudders took the game, 3–1.

Alfie joined his teammates shaking the Bulls players’ hands. Roberti stepped into place behind him.

“Good game, good game,” Alfie said as he slapped each hand that passed him. “See you next game, good effort.” He could hear
Roberti echoing him.

By the time they’d reached the end of the line, Alfie had made a decision.

I may not be the best player out there
, he thought,
but the coach must think I know something worth passing on to Roberti. So that’s what I’m going to do
.

And what if he ends up replacing you?
a little voice inside him whispered suddenly.

Alfie pushed the thought aside. He gathered up his stuff and started toward the parking lot. That’s where his mother usually
picked him up after games. Sure enough, the familiar blue sedan was waiting for him.

But it was another car that caught his eye. No, not a car—a limousine! Beside the huge automobile stood the strange man in
the business suit. Striding toward it was none other than Roberti Frantelli.

“I will see you at practice tomorrow, Alfie!” Roberti waved as he climbed into the backseat. The man in the business suit
slipped in after him. Then the car door slammed and the limousine drove away.

Open-mouthed, Alfie watched it go.

“Wow!” a voice beside him said. It was Bus. “Look at the size of that car! Kinda makes you wonder just who that Frantelli
kid is, doesn’t it?”

Alfie nodded dumbly. He couldn’t have been more surprised than if a spaceship had zoomed out of the sky and landed in the
parking lot.

“Better watch out, Alfie,” Bus warned. “A kid like that could get whatever he wants. Including a starting position in right
field!”

That night at dinner, Alfie told his parents all about the mysterious new boy.

“Coach Parker asked me to kind of help him along with the team,” he added.

“That’s quite a compliment,” Mr. Maples said.

Alfie chewed thoughtfully. “
I
guess so.
I
hope I don’t let him down. I—I’m not really the greatest player out there, you know.”

Mrs. Maples ruffled his hair and grinned. “The coach wouldn’t have picked you if you weren’t the right one for the job.”

Alfie thought of Bus’s comment in the
parking lot. “But what if Roberti gets really good, really fast? Maybe Coach Parker will replace me!”

Mr. Maples frowned. “I’d be surprised if Coach Parker would do something like that.”

“You’ll have to trust that the coach will be fair,” Mrs. Maples added.

Alfie nodded. He wanted to believe his parents. But deep inside, he knew that if he helped Roberti, then lost his starting
position, he’d feel awful.

After dinner, Alfie pulled out his favorite stack of geography magazines and started looking through them. Before too long,
he was lost in the photographs of other countries. To him, the people in the pictures looked exotic. Their clothes were like
costumes, and their houses and schools were completely different from what he was used to seeing every day. Even the trees
and plants were strange. Yet he knew that to
these people, he and his surroundings would look just as odd.

I wonder if Roberti is from one of these countries
, he thought.
Maybe that’s why he doesn’t know much about baseball. I think I’ll ask him at practice tomorrow.
.