Love from Left Field by Megan Ryder Page A

possible.”
    A faint hint of approval crossed his face. “You’ve succeeded, for the most part. Cutting anything on the operating side won’t get you anywhere near where you need to be for financial security. Any further cuts there might actually hurt more than it helps.”
    “Thank you.”
    “That being said, you’re still in trouble. Your issue is not operating costs but revenue. In other words, you have no revenue.”
    Her head dropped at the truth in his words. “I know. We need more attendance.”
    “Honestly, I can’t see you getting more attendance with the team, you know. Do you listen to the sports talk shows? Your team is projected back in the cellar. Despite being in the playoffs last season, too many players leaving have your fans assuming it’s all over. You have a major problem with fan expectations. They have no faith in you or trust that your team will ever win a game much less lead the league.”
    “And wins matter.”
    “Wins are everything. We’re in this business for the series, not for popcorn and bobble heads. Fans don’t care about anything other than rooting for a winner. And the Knights are not winners.”
    She winced at his words, like knives stabbing her repeatedly. She sighed. He was right. But how could they fix it?

Chapter Ten
    M iranda studied the list of players and their associated statistics, the result of several days of research and discussion. Several sets of eyes bored holes in her. She glanced up at Cole, Jason, Lucas, and the wonder twins, her statisticians whose names she still didn’t know. Two young men with spectacles and the distracted look of people who spent their time hunched over keyboards and talking numbers, never really seeing other people or emerging from their data cave. Cole and Lucas assured her they were very good at their jobs and she was lucky to have them. Too bad they spoke a foreign language that she really never understood, despite passing statistics in college. They made her feel stupid and she was done with that feeling.
    She laid the papers down. “So, bottom line it for me. Who do you recommend?”
    Four sets of eyes blinked at her for a moment, then three voices started speaking at once. Of course, it was too much to hope for consensus. She held up her hand, already wishing for aspirin.
    “Okay, let’s start on our options. Moreno, current catcher. Knows the team and our way of doing things.”
    “I vote for him. He’s been working with these guys and knows the team.” Sam Monteleone’s voice shot out from the speakerphone, shouting as if he wanted to be heard from Florida spring training.
    “He’s been struggling with passed balls all spring, Sam. Can his knees really handle the whole season?” Cole countered, eyes scanning a document in front of him. “We want more ground balls which mean lower pitches and possibly more movement, leading to more passed balls.”
    “His pitch framing is on the low end, not stealing pitches for our guys. With lower pitches, we’ll need strong framing.” One of the stats guys spoke and the other nodded. “We recommend Prosser.”
    “Prosser?” Sam snapped, scorn evident in his voice. “He’s a backup in Minnesota. We already discarded him weeks ago.”
    “My father discarded him. I didn’t. Make the case.” She pointed to the stats duo.
    “Excellent framing. Used to ground ball pitchers and even knuckle ballers. Guided a couple of young guys in Minnesota.”
    “And cheap. Minnesota can’t keep him past this year and they know it. He’s too good for back up and they have a young guy in front of him and behind him. He doesn’t fit their model and they have needs.” Cole spoke up while Sam snorted.
    “Can we fill their needs?” She asked.
    Cole shrugged. “Depends what we’re willing to give up. They’d like Moreno, believe it or not. He can play first and DH for them. We don’t need a DH in the National League, not often enough at least.”
    “Why isn’t Moreno our first