Strike.
One out.
- Strike three. - No way.
- I got it. - I got it.
Get your heads in the game!
You're gonna let him kill the kid?
Check out Sugar.
He put on 20 pounds, and now he's going for 20 more.
All muscle, dude. Rock solid.
Right... solid bones!
Eat slowly, kid. It's not going anywhere!
If you hustled as hard as him, you'd be hungry too.
- I got it. I got it. - I got it.
- Fly ball. - Fly ball.
- Line drive. - Line drive.
- Ground ball. - Ground ball.
- Home run. - Home run.
Home run.
What about this kid?
Salvador Torres? He's been with us for about a week.
Good potential. Raw talent.
We gonna sign him?
Soon, I hope. I'm talking to his agent. They got two other offers.
From two other teams for about a hundred.
He's good.
What about him?
Miguel Santos?
Great arm. We signed him two year ago for 15.
Good deal. He throw any junk?
Sugar, show him your curve.
Not bad. Mind if I try something?
Please, go ahead.
Do you mind? May I?
Give him the ball.
It's a spike curve.
Gives you more rotation, more movement.
You try.
This way.
Yeah. Just like that. Come on, let's go.
Throw it!
It's okay, son. These things take time. You'll figure it out.
He'll be all right.
- Your performance... - Your performance...
- In the mound... - In the mound...
- Is not... - Is not...
- As good... - As good...
- As last year. - As last year.
- What is the problem? - What is the problem?
- I don't know. - I don't know.
- Maybe my mechanic. - Maybe my mechanic.
- I want to give you a chance. - I want to give you a chance.
- It's up to you. - It's up to you.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- I'll do my best. - I'll do my best.
- Have a good weekend. - You too.
Sugar! Give me a ball!
Hey, what's up?
- I got one! - I got one!
- Hi, Sis. - Hello.
- Any newss about the States? - Is that all you want to hear about?
Hi, Grandma. Looking beautiful today.
What's up? How's the TV?
Erica won't let me watch baseball.
Not during Amercan IdoI.
Hello, Miguel. Do you have any good newss for your mother?
Yes...
You're going to the States?
Not yet, Mom.
But I learned how to throw a spike curve.
A spike curve...
What's that?
I'm still working out the mechanics!
When are you going to finish this?
Soon. It's just hard to find the time.
It's pretty.
I'm trying to match the chairs my dad made, but I can't get it right.
I think it's perfect.
When I'm done, I'll make you one just like it.
And the rest of the house? When will it be done?
A month, maybe two...
Do you know we just did it where my mom's kitchen is gonna be?
Don't tell me that!
Why not? Next time we can do it in Grandma's bedroom.
Or we could do it on the roof?
I hope you make it to the States.
You hope? Baby, there's nobody better than me.
Okay, then...
how about...
I know you'll make it.
Now we're talking.
And the first thing I'm going to do when I get there...
I'm going to buy a Cadillac.
And I'll drive it through the ocean and bring you back with me.
You can't drive a Cadillac on water.
Sure you can. In the U.S. they build all kinds of cars.
Ones that drive on water.
You're crazy.
I can take you to New York.
There's snow there in Yankee Stadium.
Want to see me play in Yankee Stadium?
It doesn't snow during the baseball season, silly.
So we'll go for Christmas.
Promise?
Sure. Next Christmas...
we'll cross the sea in my Cadillac car-boat. Done.
You really are crazy.
She was hot. But I liked my hair too much.
I liked it too, Javi.
If you liked your hair so much, why did you cut it?
I wanted a different look.
Or a different girl.
Hey, stop playing...
This arm is worth a million dollars.
He's right! That arm's worth money.
May God bless the golden arm!
You call that flabby rubber band an arm?
Oh, Miguel!
Dude, this arm throwss a 95. What does yours throw?
Well, I threw 98 in Double-A in Portland.
-98? - That's right.
Then why are you at the streetlights...
selling cell phone chargers?
And the one you sold me doesn't even work.
Many of you are thinking about your families.
Your girlfriends.
Your siblings.
Your grandparents.
I know a lot of you are feeling the pressure.
But I'm going to tell you something very important.
Forget about it all.
The only thing you've got to think about is yourselves.
Put all your energy into your game...
into your development as a ballplayer.
Forget about evertyhing else.
And just play.
You want to succeed?
You've got to be like a racehorse, focused on your final goal.
Because everything...
absolutely everything depends on you.
Berroa. When you finish, go to Alvarez's office.
Hey, Sugar, they made me an offer.
Congratulations. What did they offer you?
A hundred fifteen.
But my agent takes like forty of it.
How much did you sign for?
Oh, you know. About the same.
Did you get any other offers?
The Yankees and Seattle, but not as much.
Well, just don't get cocky. Nobody likes a dickhead on the team.
Welcome to the team.
So, why do they call you Sugar?
Well, I'm swseet with the ladies.
But mostly I've got the sweetest knuckle curve there is.
Bullshit! You just learned that the other day.
They call him Sugar because he eats so much dessert!
He's just jealous.
Dude, we got you a little going away present.
You should go to the Dodgers.
I heard they're looking for first basemen.
To hell with that shit.
The coaches are even tougher over there.
No more curfews.
No more trainers telling me what to do and how to do it.
I feel good like this, man.
Forget about it.
"No hats inside the building, son!"
"Cut your meat with the knife, but eat it with the fork!"
"Never put the meat in your mouth with the knife!"
"Or you'll chop off your tongue!"
"Ten o'clock! Lights out!"
Line drive.
- Line drive. - Line drive.
Fly ball.
- Fly ball. - Fly ball.
Home run.
- Home run. - Home run.
I got it. I got it.
- I got it. I got it. - I got it. I got it.
Take me out to the ball game
Take me out to the crpwd
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack
I don't care if I never get back
Let me root, root, root for the home team
If they don't win it's a shame
For it's one, two...
Have fun last night?
Feel better now?
Let's go.
Okay, okay.
Here we go, here we go!
Okay, Sugar, let's do this!
Strike one.
Strike two.
Three. Strike three.
Strike three.
Hey, wipe that smile off your face.
Salvador, warm up. You're pitching the next inning.
Let's go.
Just when I was starting to like you.
You go and do something stupid.
What have you got to say for yourselves?
Alfonso was with us too.
Don't give me excuses.
Your behavior is unacceptable.
You need to understand. You've still got a long way to go.
First, you've got to make it to the minor leagues.
Rookie ball. Single-A, Double-A...
Triple-A.
All that before you even set foot in the majors.
So you had better watch what you do.
Because nobody's going to take this shit...
from a pair of Dominican rookies...
when you get to the U.S.
You've been invited to spring training.
Congratulations.
You've got a call. He says it's important.
This was your father's. I want you to take it with you.
God has given you a marvelous gift.
And God willing, you'll do great things with it.
Miguelito! Don't ever forget your Uncle Angel.
Lupe! Your cousin Lupe!
I'm Omayra.
Your cousin. Lupe.
Lola! Your Aunt Lola!
Remember we went skinny-dipping at the Malecón...
When?
You were like eight and terrified of goats.
My nephew.
Your neighbor Ana.
You cried and cried... You were such a baby, man.
What's your name again?
I'm Omayra. Your cousin.
Your Uncle Jefe!
Uncle Angel.
I grew up around here.
Don't give me any shit. I taught you everything you know, hear?
Hey, Frank, what's up?
I'm proud of you, kid. Your father would be, too.
Thanks. I owse it all to you.
Not all of it.
Just forty percent.
I spent the best years of my life playing in the U.S.
Remember... Life gives you lots of opportunities.
Baseball only gives you one.
When it comes, take advantage of it as much as you can. Enjoy it.
How's the new curve?
It's sweet.
Here.
What's this for?
For your autograph.
I'm kidding, you arrogant prick.
That's so you'll write to your family.
And to me, too, if you feel like it.
So where's that boyfriend of yours?
Which one?
That ugly kid you've got.
Fernando!
He's out there dancing with Sofia.
With who?
With Sofia.
You know, Sis... I'm very proud of you.
I know you're going to do great things, too.
We all know it.
I'm going to miss you.
Come on. Let's go dance.
No, you go. I'll come later.
And tell Fernando to watch it with my girl...
unless he wants problems with me, okay?
Ladies and gentlemen, from the flight deck.
Still apparently about 110 miles from the Phoenix airport.
Estimating an on-time arrival at the gate.
Check this out.
Did you look in the fridge?
To the States.
To the States. We've arrived!
To the States!
What's up, Jorge!
Never, never, never drink from the hotel minibar.
That stuff is really expensive.
You want beer? Buy it at the store.
You want to see titties?
There are magazines for that.
Don't use the pay-per-view in the hotel.
Okay, you boys ready?
- French toast, please? - Okay. Who's next?
- French toast. - French toast.
All right, let's go.
Go. Go, go, go.
Brad Johnson.
Just out of college. They signed him for a million dollars.
There's a lot of guys like that. Don't let it intimidate you.
Everyone knowss Dominicans rule the game.
What's this about Dominicans ruling the game?
I think he was talking about the Venezuelans.
Are these your brothers?
Are you telling me all Dominicans look the same?
Exactly.
Miguel and Marcos. Up from Boca Chica.
Ed and Orlando.
I left these fools behind when I moved up to Double-A.
- But you couldn't hang in Wichita. - I hurt my knee, asshole.
But I'm healthy now. You'll see.
Fifty bucks you're back in Iowa next month.
Fifty bucks that next month...
you're still an asshole.
Now you just remember that until you reach the top,
there's always guys above you hustling to keep you down here
and guys below you pushing to take yourjobs.
Now we got 75 pitchers in this camp for less than 50 positions come April 3rd.
You do the math.
You're all gonna work hard.
Bring over Leonard.
Welcome to America, son.
Today I pitched to Gus Leonard.
You strike him out?
Yes...
Liar.
- You don't believe me? - No.
OK, but... I got one strike at least.
So, do you like it there?
It's different.
The food here is really swseet.
But I thought you liked swseet things.
All the players are really good.
But not like you.
No, of course not.
But they're pretty good.
I miss you.
I miss you, too.
Time, Ump.
Come on, let's see what you got.
Come on.
Let's go.
Strike.
That's it right there!
Let's go! One more!
Yeah, man.
Good catch.
Thanks, man.
I just got lucky.
French toast, right?
No. Egg.
- Egg, please. - Eggs?
No problem. How'd you like 'em?
Yes.
Okay...
Scrambled, over easy, sunny side up?
French toast.
No eggs?
You sure?
French toast, please.
All right, honey. French toast it is.
This is scrambled.
Scrambled.
This is over easy.
Over easy.
Okay, this one's a little trickier, okay?
- Sunny... - Sunny...
- Side... - Side...
- Up. - Up.
Sunny side up. On the house.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
They're sending Antonio back.
And you guys?
We're staying here. Rookie ball.
Go take a look at the list.
We're not together?
Straight to Single-A with Jorge.
Congratulations.
Where's I-A?
A lot of the ball players have stayed at our house.
We've had Dominicans and Venezuelan boys.
A Colombian and even one from Panama.
Last year we had a boy, Junior Sanchez. Nice boy.
Decent glove, but he couldn't bunt to save his life.
Two out of twelve in sacrifice situations.
Yeah. He cost us at least two victories.
Oh, Earl, that's generous. I'd say four or five.
Okay, Miguel. You put your things down and I'll show you around.
This is the kitchen.
You can help yourself to anything you'd like.
If there are special foods you'd like to eat,
just write them down on the grocery list right here.
Oh, and this drawer here is a little funny.
You have to be careful or it'll...
This is the washer and the dryer.
For your clothes.
You put the soap in here.
"Soup. "
And this one is just hot air.
The bathroom.
This is your new cuarto. Bedroom.
You do with it as you please. Except no girls.
Chicas. No chicas.
No drinking. No cervezas in the casa.
- No chicas in the bedroom. - I already told him that one.
Okay. What about a quiet time?
Oh, right.
There's no real curfew, but you must be quiet after 10:00.
Diez. After diez.
-10:00. - Yeah.
Okay.
That's all we ask.
It's ourjob to keep you healthy and focused on baseball.
And we take pride in that.
Everyone is so proud, Miguelito. It's all we talk about.
Did you get the money?
Of course.
And Victor, can he start construction of the house again?
I'll be sending money every two weeks now.
We just paid him. He's coming next week.
Did you get something for yourself like I said?
Me? What do I need?
- Don't say that, Mom... - Why?
You didn't get anything?
Well, maybe a pair of shoes, but I am not telling.
Good for you, Mom.
Miguel. Time for dinner.
I have to go, Mom. The lady's calling me.
Smells like dinner.
Don't forget who your real mother is.
Are you going to prefer her cooking to mine now?
Impossible, Mom.
We love you. We miss you. Strike one out for me, okay?
I love you. Bye.
Dear God.
Thank you for this meal we're about to eat
and for blessing us with our new guest.
Thank you for guiding him safely on his journey
from the Dominican Republic to Bridgetown.
And finally, Lord, please look kindly on our Swing this season.
May all of the players stay healthy and...
Well, why not?
If there's anything you can do to help us win another championship,
we'll take that, too.
- Amen. - Amen.
So, Miguel, do you eat meatloaf back home?
I already told you, Michael, he doesn't speak any English.
I know, but I'm just curious to know what he thinks of the meatloaf.
Well, what do you care, you didn't cook it.
I doubt they have meatloaf in the Dominican Republic, dear.
Well, I'll bet they have something similar. They probably just have another name for it.
I like. Thank you.
Very good, Miguel.
De nada to you, mi amigo. De nada to you.
C'mon, let's find you a suit.
I can't afford a suit.
I didn't say buy a suit. I said find a suit.
So when you make it to the big leagues, you'll know what looks good.
Like it?
Hot damn! That's what's up, bro!
It's cool?
Man, you look like an all-star.
Starting pitcher for American League
from Kansas City, Miguel Sugar Santos.
What about you? You try one.
Me? Nah... I'm all washed up.
C'mon, man. Don't say that.
Hey.
Very nice.
Dude, you have no idea. Just wait till we go to Big Muddy's.
Big Muddy's?
You have to be 21 to drink there.
This is my old license. They won't know the difference.
Are you crazy?
Who's going to believe I'm this ugly fool?
You wish you were this good-looking.
Believe me. They won't know the difference.
Hey, Santos. You're right over there.
What up, flaco?
Dude, I was totally psyched when I saw your name on the squad.
Yeah, okay.
Hey, good times.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.
You're listening to "Swing Time" on WKBl.
Welcome to another exciting season of Swing baseball.
As always, we've got some new faces that we'll get to see tonight,
including Brad Johnson, the highly touted second baseman out of Stanford.
He'll make his pro debut.
It's a great night for Swing baseball
and a great night for a bite and a brew after the game at Harlow's,
your local pub and proud sponsor.
Oh, say, can you see
By the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed...
Leading off for Wisconsin, the second baseman, Tim Lewis.
Relax, take it easy!
Come on.
That's outside for ball four.
Santos is apparently feeling some butterflies for his first professional outing.
Hailing all the way from the Dominican Republic,
this young man wowsed the organization with his powser in spring training.
But tonight, he's off to a rocky start.
Relax, Sugar.
It's the same game we played back home.
That's all it is. So relax. Let's have some fun, okay?
See? Just like home.
Now batting, right fielder, Luis Encarnación.
Strike.
Line drive, hit in the air to left center field.
That's gonna get down into the gap and go for a double.
Santos has been nearly unhittable through the first six innings tonight.
That's just the second hit he's given up.
Grpund ball towards third.
This is gonna eat up Ramirez and go out into left.
You suck, Ramirez.
One man's gonna score and Santos has given up his first run.
Time.
Fans, join us for our next home game, next Friday night...
Nice game, son. Enjoy this.
Good game, Sugar.
But that wasn't my fault. I can go longer.
Take it easy. It's your first game.
You hear that, son? That's for you.
You think they know how to salsa?
Go for it.
But remember...
just because they dance with you doesn't mean they want anything else.
Not from you, anyway.
What's up?!
Hey, Slim!
What's up, fellowss? Hey, good game, good game.
Flaco, man, what's up with this flaco, huh?
You all call this flaco?
You thought you could lead us...
C'mon, let's go for it.
Let's do it.
Dude, give me my keys. You are not driving my car.
Leaning, leaning
Safe and secure frpm all alarms
Leaning, leaning
Leaning on the everlasting arms
What have I to dread, what have I to fear
Leaning on the everlasting arms
How'd you like the service?
Our church? I hope it wasn't too boring for you.
Did you go to church in the Dominican Republic?
I'm sorry. I don't think...
Well, that's okay.
You understand more than a lot of the folks around here, I bet.
Hey, good luck tonight.
Very bad. Very bad words.
Well, what does it mean?
It's like...
Cocksucker.
- Cocksucker? - Yeah, we say "cocksucker. "
Okay. Cocksucker.
Who is your... favorite player?
Robinson Cano from the Yankees. And you?
- Roberto Clemente. - Who is that?
What?
Man, come on, you don't know about Clemente?
- Dominican? - No, he's Puerto Rican.
Man, this is tragic.
Do you know who Babe Ruth is?
Baby Ruth. The chocolate.
Hey, you like TV on the Radio?
TV what?
Here. Check it out.
"Santos stings Owls with 8 Ks. "
What kind of shoddy journalism is that? They don't even mention me.
At what point in the game did you know you had your best stuff tonight?
When did you realize you were going to be a good pitcher?
I knew since I was very young I would be a good pitcher.
Ten, eleven years old, around then.
Thanks to God, I've had the opportunity to develop my talents.
He knew very early that he was going to pitch good. Eleven years.
That forever, as we pray
proper, that you will never forsake us or never leave us.
We ask this in Jesus' name, amen.
I have in my hands a rulebook.
Hey, Miguel. Come on inside.
My first strikeout.
Oh, Miguel, you're so swseet.
Congratulations. I heard you pitched awesome tonight.
Hey, everyone. This is Miguel.
He's from the Dominican Republic and now he pitches for the Swing.
Hi, Miguel.
What's up, man?
- You want to play? - No, no. Thank you.
No, come on. It's like soccer. Do you play soccer?
No. Baseball.
Well, this is foosball. Foosball.
- Foosball. - Yeah, you got it.
You know, I used to be a pitcher. In the Little Leagues.
I wasn't very good, though.
I heard that the beaches in the Dominican Republic are really beautiful.
All right, guys. Let's get started. Everybody grab a seat.
All right, well, I'm glad you guys could all come.
Last year we didn't have half as many people in our group.
So I think this just goes to show the great job
that we've been doing in spreading the word.
Yeah, this year I want us to work harder.
I know a lot of you guys are studying for the SATs
or preparing for college applications. All of that's very important.
But, we need to remember that our spiritual accomplishments are more important.
What we do in school or for a job,
that's just a small part of who we are.
We're only here by the grace of God,
so let's get out there and share that grace.
No, it's not good.
Because I haven't been playing well.
Well, I'm working hard, but...
I don't know. They might.
Listen, let's talk about this later.
Yeah, so... Tell me about...
He's out.
You all right?
That was a nice play, kid. But how's your foot?
Come on, take it easy, now, don't force it. All right, how's it feel?
I'm okay.
- All right, can he throw a couple? - Go ahead.
All right, come on.
- All right, kid, let's give it a rest. - I'm okay. Please.
Well, I know you're okay, but let's just be sure.
Come on, give me the ball, son.
That's it.
You were pitching so well, Miguel. It's a real shame.
Don't worry about it.
You're gonna bounce right back.
Where'd you say you were from, Brad?
Berkeley.
Oh, different world out there, huh? Do you like to surf?
No. You know, I never tried it.
But maybe I will someday.
What about you, Miguel? What's your family like?
My family?
Yeah, like, who do you live with back home?
I live with my mother, sister, brother, and...
- Grandmother. - And grandmother.
How about your father, Miguel?
My father, he died.
Miguel, honey, I'm so sorry.