The Good Guys had a very quiet and reflective winter following their setback in the World Series. Mitch had looked haggard and beaten in the post game interviews following the Game Six loss. Between how he felt, and the ongoing troubles with Naomi, there were some who were whispering that perhaps Mitch was going to retire. Time passed, the wounds of battle on the field healed, the front office contacted Mitch in December regarding this status, and he signed a contract for another year. At that point, he was feeling a bit better. Mitch speculated that, at that point, he continued to play baseball because he could still produce decently, and it enabled him to remain in Paradise, doing something he loved, to be close to his three now age of majority children, whom he loved more than life itself.
The situation between Mitch and Naomi had been in a deep freeze for months. They communicated when they had to, slept together at times, and other times didnt, and made love sporadically. They had almost settled into a groove of "After over twenty years, with three grown kids, and a life here, where the hell are we going?" Right now, familiar circumstance prevailed, but, once the decision to retire for either or both of them came, or was forced on them, they both knew they would have to address their issues. For right at that point, they just wanted to focus on resting, and readying themselves for the long upcoming season.
After an up and down spring, the Good Guys opened the season, on a partly cloudy, breezy, Monday. Kate Hudson, of course, got the opening day start, against the New York Mets. Met ace Pedro Martinez opposed Kate. The game was scoreless until the sixth, when Paradise pieced together several hits, and three runs, off Pedro. Kate was sailing along, and manager Sniderman let her stay in, until she ran into trouble in the ninth, allowing a couple of baserunners, and had to be removed. Hayden came in, and saved the day, and the Good Guys had a 3-0 opening day win, to get off to a good start. Gil Bellows pitched on opening day two. Paradise got a quick early run on a solo homer from Mitch. The Mets also scored a run, and the game remained that way until the tenth, when Paradise pushed across the winning run, for a 2-1 victory. Charlize Theron had the ball on Wednesday afternoon. She got hit hard, allowing four runs in five innings. Paradise could not recover, and fell, 4-2, for their first loss of the season.
Thursday was an off day. The couple attended counesling that morning, and the observation by the therapist was this: "You two have hollow looks in your eyes. You've just rested for five months, and you both look without fire. Where is that competetiveness I always see from both of you?" "Our marriage is just plodding along. Maybe we stay together so as not to break our kids hearts. I'm tired of Naomi and her moods. She says she loves me, and yet she gives me the silent treatment, and acts like I'm the worst guy in the world. Maybe this is all it will be, until it just isnt anymore" Mitch said, clearly frustrated.
Atlanta came to town on Friday, for the first night game of the season. Neve Campbell was the starter. Paradise scored five early runs off the Braves, giving Neve a cushion. She gave a quality start, allowing three runs in six innings, and the bullpen did the rest, for a 6-3 victory. Rachel Leigh Cook had the ball on Saturday night. She really didnt pitch a bad game, but was undone by three errors, which allowed three unearned runs to score. The Good Guys could not overcome, and were defeated, 5-4. Kate Hudson opposed John Smoltz on a sunny, dry, 83 degree Paradise Sunday, in front of a sellout. Those expecting to see the usual Hudson-Smoltz pitching classic were disappointed, as Smoltz, suffering from a bit of a sore shoulder, got hammered for two Good Guy homers in the opening inning, by Mitch, and Ed Burns. The Good Guys vaulted out to a 5-0 lead, and Smoltz was finished. Kate did allow two long solo homers, to the powerful Braves, in her seven innings of work, but she also gave up only three other hits, and struck out nine, to come away with a 5-2 win.
Houston visited Paradise on Monday, for the homestand's final series, before the team would hit the road for the first time that year. Gil Bellows pitched on Monday night. He allowed only three runs in six innings, but Paradise did not hit that night, and lost, 3-2. Charlize Theron took the start on Tuesday night. In the early going, she surrendered three runs. Trailing 3-0 in the seventh, however, the Good Guys proceeded to erupt for five runs, on homers by Dawson, and third baseman Michael. Hayden put the Astros away in the ninth, giving the Good Guys the 5-3 triumph. Neve Campbell took the mound, on a sunny, breezy, 85 degree Paradise day, in front of a sellout. Aftter giving a quality start in her first outing, Neve got lit up, allowing four runs in her first inning. The Good Guys were losing, 4-0, for most of the game, until exploding in the sixth, for several hits, and a big homer by Burns, to tie the score at four all. The game moved to the ninth tied, when Mitch came up, and put a dramatic end to the first homestand of the year, by hammering a game winning solo homer, that gave the Good Guys a 5-4 win, and completed a six and three homestand. The team had perservered through the first homestand, even though they were not at their sharpest, and Mitch and Naomi were basically stuck in quicksand, but, as the sellout crowd filed out of the stadium on that Wednesday afternoon roaring after the thrilling Good Guy win, they were happy, which was all that mattered, as the fans support kept the team going.
In the meantime, the team held its first Saturday tickle party of the year, following the loss to the Braves. The featured lee would be a hot blond 18 year old college coed, who had won a contest for prettiest feet, after e-mailing her pictures to the team's website. The coed, Tracy, was tied hands and feet to the bed, in the middle of the fetish club, in a pink bikini. The team couldnt wait to get its hands on her soft ticklish body. Second baseman Russell began the tickle on Tracy's neck with fingers, as her head shifted, and the giggles began:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Moving down, Catcher Barney was next, tickling Tracy on her underarms, sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as she shrieked:HEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! OMG THIS IS SO INTENSE NOOOOO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEEHEEEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHE! Working down, Center Fielder Burns was the next ler, attacking Tracy on her hips, inner thighs, and behind her knees with fingers, as her legs bucked:HHEEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Finally, Mitch positioned himself at Tracy's feet, and tickled them with fingers, feathers, and an electric toothbrush over her soles and toes. Tracy went beserk, wiggling her toes every which way, and screaming with laughter:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHE! OMG THIS IS SO INTENSE! PLEASE NO MORE! IAM SOOOO TICKLISH! NOOOOOOO! HEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEE! Finally, the tickle ended, and Tracy was untied.
On Thursday evening, Mitch was packed to head to Nassau International, for the team flight to JFK airport in New York, and the first road trip of the year. "I'll take you" Naomi said, emerging from the bedroom with her keys.
Mitch nodded, and the couple rode in basic silence during the half hour drive to the airport. When they got to the terminal, Mitch leaned over, kissed Naomi on the cheek, and said "Thank you" "You're welcome, have a good trip" She replied. "Thanks". He said. Nothing else was said, and Mitch exited the car, and headed into the terminal, for the flight to New York.
So, the first homestand of the year was complete. The team had done okay, but the couple was plodding along. Would things improve for them? That answer to come in the continuing story of the Tickle Team From Paradise Island.
The End
The situation between Mitch and Naomi had been in a deep freeze for months. They communicated when they had to, slept together at times, and other times didnt, and made love sporadically. They had almost settled into a groove of "After over twenty years, with three grown kids, and a life here, where the hell are we going?" Right now, familiar circumstance prevailed, but, once the decision to retire for either or both of them came, or was forced on them, they both knew they would have to address their issues. For right at that point, they just wanted to focus on resting, and readying themselves for the long upcoming season.
After an up and down spring, the Good Guys opened the season, on a partly cloudy, breezy, Monday. Kate Hudson, of course, got the opening day start, against the New York Mets. Met ace Pedro Martinez opposed Kate. The game was scoreless until the sixth, when Paradise pieced together several hits, and three runs, off Pedro. Kate was sailing along, and manager Sniderman let her stay in, until she ran into trouble in the ninth, allowing a couple of baserunners, and had to be removed. Hayden came in, and saved the day, and the Good Guys had a 3-0 opening day win, to get off to a good start. Gil Bellows pitched on opening day two. Paradise got a quick early run on a solo homer from Mitch. The Mets also scored a run, and the game remained that way until the tenth, when Paradise pushed across the winning run, for a 2-1 victory. Charlize Theron had the ball on Wednesday afternoon. She got hit hard, allowing four runs in five innings. Paradise could not recover, and fell, 4-2, for their first loss of the season.
Thursday was an off day. The couple attended counesling that morning, and the observation by the therapist was this: "You two have hollow looks in your eyes. You've just rested for five months, and you both look without fire. Where is that competetiveness I always see from both of you?" "Our marriage is just plodding along. Maybe we stay together so as not to break our kids hearts. I'm tired of Naomi and her moods. She says she loves me, and yet she gives me the silent treatment, and acts like I'm the worst guy in the world. Maybe this is all it will be, until it just isnt anymore" Mitch said, clearly frustrated.
Atlanta came to town on Friday, for the first night game of the season. Neve Campbell was the starter. Paradise scored five early runs off the Braves, giving Neve a cushion. She gave a quality start, allowing three runs in six innings, and the bullpen did the rest, for a 6-3 victory. Rachel Leigh Cook had the ball on Saturday night. She really didnt pitch a bad game, but was undone by three errors, which allowed three unearned runs to score. The Good Guys could not overcome, and were defeated, 5-4. Kate Hudson opposed John Smoltz on a sunny, dry, 83 degree Paradise Sunday, in front of a sellout. Those expecting to see the usual Hudson-Smoltz pitching classic were disappointed, as Smoltz, suffering from a bit of a sore shoulder, got hammered for two Good Guy homers in the opening inning, by Mitch, and Ed Burns. The Good Guys vaulted out to a 5-0 lead, and Smoltz was finished. Kate did allow two long solo homers, to the powerful Braves, in her seven innings of work, but she also gave up only three other hits, and struck out nine, to come away with a 5-2 win.
Houston visited Paradise on Monday, for the homestand's final series, before the team would hit the road for the first time that year. Gil Bellows pitched on Monday night. He allowed only three runs in six innings, but Paradise did not hit that night, and lost, 3-2. Charlize Theron took the start on Tuesday night. In the early going, she surrendered three runs. Trailing 3-0 in the seventh, however, the Good Guys proceeded to erupt for five runs, on homers by Dawson, and third baseman Michael. Hayden put the Astros away in the ninth, giving the Good Guys the 5-3 triumph. Neve Campbell took the mound, on a sunny, breezy, 85 degree Paradise day, in front of a sellout. Aftter giving a quality start in her first outing, Neve got lit up, allowing four runs in her first inning. The Good Guys were losing, 4-0, for most of the game, until exploding in the sixth, for several hits, and a big homer by Burns, to tie the score at four all. The game moved to the ninth tied, when Mitch came up, and put a dramatic end to the first homestand of the year, by hammering a game winning solo homer, that gave the Good Guys a 5-4 win, and completed a six and three homestand. The team had perservered through the first homestand, even though they were not at their sharpest, and Mitch and Naomi were basically stuck in quicksand, but, as the sellout crowd filed out of the stadium on that Wednesday afternoon roaring after the thrilling Good Guy win, they were happy, which was all that mattered, as the fans support kept the team going.
In the meantime, the team held its first Saturday tickle party of the year, following the loss to the Braves. The featured lee would be a hot blond 18 year old college coed, who had won a contest for prettiest feet, after e-mailing her pictures to the team's website. The coed, Tracy, was tied hands and feet to the bed, in the middle of the fetish club, in a pink bikini. The team couldnt wait to get its hands on her soft ticklish body. Second baseman Russell began the tickle on Tracy's neck with fingers, as her head shifted, and the giggles began:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Moving down, Catcher Barney was next, tickling Tracy on her underarms, sides, ribs, and belly with fingers, as she shrieked:HEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! OMG THIS IS SO INTENSE NOOOOO! HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEEHEEEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHE! Working down, Center Fielder Burns was the next ler, attacking Tracy on her hips, inner thighs, and behind her knees with fingers, as her legs bucked:HHEEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Finally, Mitch positioned himself at Tracy's feet, and tickled them with fingers, feathers, and an electric toothbrush over her soles and toes. Tracy went beserk, wiggling her toes every which way, and screaming with laughter:HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHE! OMG THIS IS SO INTENSE! PLEASE NO MORE! IAM SOOOO TICKLISH! NOOOOOOO! HEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEE! Finally, the tickle ended, and Tracy was untied.
On Thursday evening, Mitch was packed to head to Nassau International, for the team flight to JFK airport in New York, and the first road trip of the year. "I'll take you" Naomi said, emerging from the bedroom with her keys.
Mitch nodded, and the couple rode in basic silence during the half hour drive to the airport. When they got to the terminal, Mitch leaned over, kissed Naomi on the cheek, and said "Thank you" "You're welcome, have a good trip" She replied. "Thanks". He said. Nothing else was said, and Mitch exited the car, and headed into the terminal, for the flight to New York.
So, the first homestand of the year was complete. The team had done okay, but the couple was plodding along. Would things improve for them? That answer to come in the continuing story of the Tickle Team From Paradise Island.
The End
