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#aaron is not immune to andrew's picked pockets
Andrew: I would like to propose a toast...
The Monsters: *confused but raising their glasses*
Andrew: ...to this gift card I found in Aaron's wallet.
Aaron: You asshole, that was for my date with Katelyn next weekend.
Andrew: *checking the receipt* There is still two bucks left on the card. Be sure to get yourselves something nice to eat. I heard the ice water is delightful.
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c-e-d-dreamer · 7 years
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Happy early Valentine’s Day! This is for @whimsyalice as part of @aftgexchange!!! Yay!!! I wanted to include all your fave ships/characters, so this is more Foxes nonsense than ships! Hope you enjoy! :) 
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It starts on a Monday. The locker room is a cacophony of chattering voices as the Foxes all arrive for afternoon practice, everyone still thrumming with excitement from Friday night’s win. Neil follows the group in and past the lounge. Allison and Renee have their arms linked and heads bowed together as they make their way into the girls’ changing room. Dan and one of the freshman girls are close behind them, not even pausing their lively conversation as they disappear behind the door. Andrew pushes past the door for the men’s changing room, Neil behind him. Matt and Nicky are hot on their heels and arguing about some television show as Neil makes his way to his locker.
“I’m telling you,” Nicky says. “He’s dead.”
“No way!” Matt argues. “He’s gonna pop up next season. You’ll see.”
“Are you sure we watched the same episode?”
“They can’t just kill off a fan favorite like that!”  
Neil tunes them both out and spins the combination into his locker lock. When he pulls the door open, something falls out and clatters to the floor. There’s a moment where Neil’s heart stutters to a painful halt in his chest, his breath clogging up his throat. Somewhere in the back of his mind, memories he’s long buried try to sink their claws back in. He has to close his eyes for a moment before he can focus again. Neil slowly looks down only to find a plastic knife at his feet. He blinks a few times in confusion before reaching down and picking it up. He turns it over in his hand and sees Justin Mattews scrawled in sharpie across the handle. As far as threats go, this one definitely makes the least amount of sense. Neil gives his brain another minute to come up with a possible explanation, but when it comes up blank, he holds the plastic knife out towards Andrew in a silent question.
“Neil! What’re you doing? You’re not supposed to tell anyone who you have!” Nicky exclaims from across the row of lockers.
“Murder season is finally upon us,” Matt says. “Let the chaos begin and may the best person win.”
Neil turns to find that both Nicky and Matt also have a plastic knives in their hands. He glances down at the one nestled in his own palm again, feeling even more confused.
“Um… murder season?” Neil ask.
“It’s this game where—”
“Let’s go, maggots!” Wymack’s voice cuts Matt off from outside the changing room. “If you’re not on my court in five, I’ll drag your asses onto it.”
“We’ll explain it later,” Matt assures before turning back to his locker to get his gear out.
Neil can still feel endless questions swirling around his head and gnawing their way to the forefront of his mind, but he figures they will just have to wait. He shoves the plastic knife into his jeans pocket and turns back to his own locker.
Unfortunately, later ends up being much later. With spring championships right around the corner, Wymack and Dan work the Foxes hard between drills and scrimmages, leaving little time in between for chatting. And once practice ends, Neil needs to be fast out of the locker room for once, so he can head back to campus and catch the tail end of his professor’s office hours.
Practice had helped supress the lingering confusion over the plastic knife and apparent “murder season”, Neil’s mind focused on drills and footwork and helping Dan get the new freshman ready for championships. Once on campus, though, those thoughts are back in a flash. It’s like between morning classes and now, the entire campus has done a 180. He watches a group of girls pass him, arms linked and huddled together like some sort of pack. Across the Green, there’s two guys he recognises as members of the basketball team walking around in nothing but towels wrapped around their waists. Neil’s almost made it to the languages building when there’s a war-cry from his right. He looks over just in time to see a girl jump down from a tree at an unsuspecting student, a plastic knife brandished in her hand. No one else around Neil seems concerned—some students even cheer at the spectacle— so Neil just shakes his head and pushes inside the building.
By the time Neil makes it back to Fox Tower, it’s well into the evening. He takes the elevator up to the third floor only to walk straight into a sheet hanging from the ceiling. He splutters around the fabric and pushes it aside only to be greeted by a dark hallway. After a few blinks, Neil’s eyes adjust, but he still uses the wall to help guide him to his room.
Inside him room, most of the Foxes are scattered about and waiting, Neil remembering belatedly that it’s their turn to host movie night. Renee and Allison have claimed the armchair to curl up in, their legs layered over one another and shoulders pressed together. Kevin is sitting on one edge of the couch and Andrew the other. Matt has taken up space on the floor with his back against the couch, but Dan isn’t beside him. Instead, the team’s captain is perched on Neil’s desk by the window, her eyes occasionally narrowing and sweeping across the room. Before Neil can ask, the door reopens behind him and Nicky and Aaron come striding in. Much like the basketball players on campus, Nicky is wearing only a towel.
Neil doesn’t even know where to begin.
“So this murder season is…?”
“Murder is a game that happens every year on campus,” Dan explains. “Everyone gets a plastic knife with someone’s name written on it. You have to ‘kill’ the person.”
“Basically just poke them and say ‘you’re dead’,” Matt chimes in.
“Once you’re dead, you have to hand over your own knife to your killer. Eventually, one person is left standing alive with all the knives. They win.”
“What exactly do they win?” Neil asks.
“A bottle of top shelf vodka and infinite bragging rights,” Nicky says.
“There are rules, though,” Renee says. “You can’t ‘kill’ someone in their own room or in the dining hall. You also can’t ‘kill’ them when they’re naked.”
“Which is why some people cheat and walk around in a towel so they can drop it at any time and be immune,” Allison adds with an eye roll.
“It’s not cheating. It’s called using my resources,” Nicky argues.
“Whatever you want to call it, it didn’t work. You’re dead.”
Everyone turns to see Aaron pressing a plastic knife into Nicky’s arm, his cousin’s face a mix of shock and appalment.
“Ha! Serves you right!” Allison calls. She quiets down when Renee places a placating hand on her arm, but her expression is still smug.
“Et tu, Brute?” Nicky says, pushing the knife away from his skin.
“Just hand over your knife,” Aaron says.
“So people take this pretty seriously?” Neil asks, turning back to the upperclassman.
“Oh, yeah,” Matt says. “It gets intense. I’m sure you noticed how the soccer team unscrewed all the lightbulbs in the hall.”
“That’s for this murder game?”
“It’s hard to ‘kill’ someone if you can’t see them,” Renee points out.
“It’s part of their strategy,” Matt continues. “Everyone has a different one. Dan is a firm believer in the lone wolf one.”
“Trust no one, kid,” Dan chimes in.
“Or you could be like Renee and Allison who team up every year. Tell each other who’s on their knives and help one another. They actually almost won last year.”
“Stupid fucking Riley,” Allison mutters.
“You have to admit, her plan was quite clever,” Renee says.
“What did she do?” Neil asks.
“Bought off Rocky Foxy,” Nicky, who is apparently done sulking, answers. “Dressed up as the mascot herself and then got both of them after a game.”
“It was actually kind of beautiful,” Matt says, his tone going a bit wistful.
“And it’s why you can trust no one,” Dan adds, giving another suspicious sweep of the room as if emphasizing her point.
“Right…”
Neil decides to retreat to the kitchen after that. He hears the movie start up, and starts rooting around in the fridge for something quick to whip up. He’s just pulling out cheese and butter when Matt comes in, tugging a slightly reluctant Dan behind him.
“Listen,” Matt says, pitching his voice low. “I need both your help.”
“With what?” Neil asks, pulling out a skillet and grabbing the bread.
Matt casts a look over his shoulder before he pulls Dan even closer, crowding Neil in against the stove.
“I got Andrew,” Matt whispers.
Neil is confused until he glances down. There in Matt’s palm is a plastic knife with a now familiar sharpie scrawl, only the name is different. When Neil looks up again, Dan has her lips pressed together and her eyes are wide with pity. She reaches out and gives Matt a gentle pat on the shoulder.
“There’s always next year, babe.”
“No! I refuse to lose. I just need a good plan. That’s why I need you both.”
Dan’s face is a perfect mask of scepticism, one eyebrow raised and mouth pinched at the corner. Matt lets out a sigh at her reaction before turning his pleading eyes on Neil, but the striker merely shrugs and goes about preparing his dinner.
“Aw come on! You’ll help me, Neil. Won’t you? Maybe you could like be the bait or something. Bros before hoes, right?”
“What?”
“Never mind. Why did I think you would get that reference?”
Another sigh falls past Matt’s lips and then silence blankets the kitchen. Neil uses the opportunity to finish making his grilled cheese. By the time he’s grabbed a plate and a glass of water, Matt’s face is still scrunched up in thought and Dan has retreated back to the others. Occasionally, Matt’s eyebrows shoot up and his mouth opens before he shakes his head and goes back to the same expression. Neil gives him a few more minutes to see if the backliner will say anything else before returning to the living room with his food. He’s halfway done before Matt finally returns.
Once Neil is finished, he takes his dishes back to the kitchen, but when he returns, Andrew has abandoned his spot on the couch. Neil takes one glance at the film playing on the television before heading for the door. He feels like he should be more surprised than he is when Matt follows him out. And more surprised still when he pushes open the door to the stairwell open, only to find a member of the soccer team crouched just inside with a plastic knife clutched to his chest. Instead, Neil takes it all in stride and takes the stairs up to the roof. Andrew is in his usual spot perched along the edge, the only light coming from the end of the cigarette balanced between his lips. Neil only casts one last glance behind him at Matt before he heads over to take up his usual spot, accepting the cigarette Andrew holds out to him.
“You even think about it, Boyd, and I’ll push you over the edge,” Andrew says once Neil is seated.
“Right. Yeah. Leaving,” Matt mutters, before the slamming of the roof doors signals his exit.
“You know he has—” Neil starts.
“I know.”
They fall quiet then. The only sound the low hum of students still on campus and the cars from the interstate wafting on the breeze. The smoke from their cigarettes swirls around them, and Andrew is warm and solid at Neil’s shoulder. After a few more minutes, he finds himself pulling the plastic knife from his pocket and thumbing over the name there.
“Planning on participating?” Andrew asks.
“I haven’t decided yet. I think I’d do quite well. This kind of skill set is right up my alley.”
“Survived enough real murder to take on fake murder?”
“Exactly.” Neil turns his cigarette over between his fingers. “I’d split the prize vodka with you.”
Andrew doesn’t say anything, just takes another drag of his cigarette. Neil is content to sit in comfortable silence, so he turns his attention back towards the campus and the twinkling of the street lamps there.
The Foxes were right in that the rest of week descends into chaos as the Murder game takes over PSU. Some students have taken to running across campus at full sprints to avoid being ‘murdered’ while other creep along the halls sideways with their back pressed along the walls so that no one can sneak up on them. Neil isn’t sure why his teachers even bother teaching with the numbers of disruptions during class. One student even ninja rolls into his math class to take out someone. The only place that seems relatively sane is the dining hall, and even there, students huddle anxiously by the doors, afraid to leave the safety of immunity.
And yet there’s something almost calming buried underneath the insanity. Like some sort of normalcy where murder really is only a game. So Neil decides to join in. And he decides to play to win.
Neil uses the break between his morning classes and afternoon practice on Tuesday to track down Justin Mattews, and he’s able to get him right as he’s leaving the fine arts building. His next mark, Rachel Watters, is easier to find, and Neil is able to ‘kill’ her in the café by the library.
On Wednesday, Dan takes out Kevin during morning workouts. She ignores her lone wolf strategy long enough to jump into Matt’s arms in victory and to high five the whole team. Neil has to use his hand to stifle his smile at Kevin’s glower. The rest of the day is filled with more chaos, and by the end, Neil has taken out two basketball players, a Vixen, and a student in his writing class.
Neil takes immense joy when he gets to corner Aaron on Thursday and ‘kill’ him. But at the end of that day’s afternoon practice, Allison and Renee take out Matt and Dan respectively before striding out of the locker room hand in hand.
On Friday, Neil takes out another Vixen after their win at home, and by the time Saturday rolls around, he has a comfortable pile of plastic knives on the dresser in his room.
Neil shakes away the excess ash from his cigarette before he twirls it between his fingers. He and Andrew are once again up on the roof. This night is the coldest it’s been all week, so Neil presses in closer than usual, hoping to leech off some of the goalkeeper’s heat.
“I finally got the knife with Allison’s name on it,” Neil says. “I think it’s getting down to the last few people. I might actually win.”
Andrew hums noncommittedly and takes another drag of his cigarette.
“I’d still share the vodka with you.”
“Or I could just have it all to myself.”
Neil opens his mouth, about to ask what Andrew means, when he feels the press of something against his hand. He looks down to see a plastic knife pressing into his skin. It takes a moment and a couple of shocked blinks before Neil drags his gaze back up. Andrew is gazing right back at him.
“You’re dead.”
“Does this mean you finally fulfilled the percentage of time you want to kill me?” Neil asks, trying to swallow down the teasing lilt that tries to bleed into his tone and hold back the smile tugging at his lips.
“Now you’re at 218%.”
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hsews · 6 years
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As the All-Star Game approaches and potential rosters begin to take shape, one question predominates: How is baseball going to find room for all those worthy pitching candidates? It’s hard enough to choose when almost 30 starters have sub-3.50 ERAs and unheralded closers are putting up staggering numbers (Edwin Diaz and Blake Treinen are two who come to mind). MLB teams are also using a record 4.23 pitchers per game, which means starters are being pulled earlier and more heavy lifting is required of pitchers in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller have made a combined six All-Star teams since 2014 while posting dominant numbers in setup roles. But they’re not alone. David Robertson, Kelvin Herrera, Darren O’Day and Brad Brach are among the other established names in that club. And Tyler Clippard and Pat Neshek each made two All-Star teams while someone else was pocketing the bulk of the saves.
Sometimes the one-representative per-roster rule or a strong three months helps a surprise non-closer make an All-Star Game. Jesse Crain, Aaron Crow, Evan Meek and Jonny Venters (pre-Tommy John surgeries) all fall under this umbrella.
So which factors should the players and the commissioner’s office take into account this year when they assess All-Star pitchers — and more specifically, relievers?
The same three teams are at the top, but which leads the way, and how high did the resurgent Dodgers and Diamondbacks climb?
In a matter of hours this winter, Milwaukee went all-in on a new one-two punch — and it hasn’t taken long for the splurge to pay off.
A good or bad season before hitting the market could be a difference of millions of dollars. See who is (and isn’t) making the most of his contract year.
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“The one thing I would say is, we shouldn’t look at relievers and say the guy with the most saves belongs in the All-Star Game,” said Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell. “I do think it’s important that the relievers you consider are pitching in leverage spots in the game. They just don’t have to have the ‘S’ behind their name.”
Josh Hader, who is averaging almost 18 strikeouts per nine innings for the Brewers, has been so dominant in a multi-inning shutdown role that he’s immune from the debate. If Hader’s fellow players don’t designate him an All-Star, they should be stripped of the vote and required to stand in the box against him one-by-one as punishment.
The relievers listed below — most of whom pitch for National League clubs — generally have great peripherals and lots of holds. They produce in high-leverage situations, strand a large percentage of inherited runners and rank high in relief pitcher WAR. They don’t stand a great chance of making it to Washington, D.C., for the All-Star Game on July 17. But they at least merit a place in the conversation.
Jeremy Jeffress, Brewers
Jeremy Jeffress is tied with teammate Josh Hader with a 1.9 WAR, which is second-best among relievers in baseball this season. Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports
Key stats: Jeffress has a 0.76 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP in 35 appearances. His 1.9 WAR ties him with teammate Josh Hader for second-best among relievers in baseball behind Colorado’s Adam Ottavino.
With 77 strikeouts in his first 38 2/3 innings, Hader is a lock to make his first All-Star team. But is there room on the roster for his main wing man?
As every profile of Jeffress duly notes, he has overcome a checkered history to reach this point. It includes two suspensions (50 games and 100 games) for marijuana use in the minors, a DWI arrest in Texas and medical struggles with juvenile epilepsy. Jeffress did not pitch well in 39 games with the Rangers in 2017. But the Brewers saw enough to reacquire him in a late July trade, and they re-signed him to a one-year, $1.7 million deal with two club options in December.
Jeffress throws a mid-90s fastball, a low-80s curve and a split-finger-change that dives in increments of 90 mph. That repertoire has helped make him one of MLB’s best redemption stories this season.
“A lot is made of how he’s comfortable in Milwaukee and he’s pitched well here, and I think there’s something to that,” Counsell said. “We’ve used him in some very big spots, and I think that brings the best out in him.”
Adam Ottavino, Rockies
Key stats: Ottavino leads the majors with a 2.0 relief pitcher WAR. Opponents have a slash line of .098/.207/.137 against him. He struck out 52 batters in his first 32 2/3 innings.
The Rockies spent a record $106 million on the bullpen during the offseason, and the results have been less than stellar. Bryan Shaw and Jake McGee have been disappointing, and Wade Davis hit a rough patch after a strong start and has logged a 12.15 ERA and a .321 batting average against in June.
With the exception of a three-week trip to the disabled list with an oblique injury, Ottavino has been the rock in Colorado’s pen. His performance is in large part a tribute to an offseason of hard work and introspection. As FanGraphs’ Travis Sawchik detailed in a recent profile, Ottavino rented out a Manhattan storefront and turned it into an experimental learning lab over the winter. He also visited Driveline, a data-driven player-development facility in suburban Seattle, and spent $16,000 for a high-speed camera to help analyze his mechanics. Ottavino tinkered with his pitch mix, as well. He’s throwing his fastball 38 percent of the time this season compared to 50 percent a year ago, and he has filled the void with increased use of his slider and cutter.
“He was really studious about his delivery, from what the Driveline people did and what he did on his own,” said Rockies manager Bud Black. “Release point. Spin rate. Finger pressure. He wanted to build his own personal library by himself, and when he started getting ready for spring training, to put it in motion. He came into the spring as prepared as any time in his career — physically, mentally and fundamentally.”
Dan Winkler, Braves
Key stats: Winkler has 40 strikeouts and eight walks this season. Right-handed hitters are batting .119 (8-for-67) against him, and he has held opponents to a .125 batting average in high-leverage situations.
Winkler’s comeback story doesn’t quite compare to the one crafted by Jonny Venters, who returned to pitch this year in Tampa Bay after three elbow reconstructions. But it’s inspirational nevertheless. He’s a former 20th round draft pick by Colorado and a 2014 Rule 5 pick by Atlanta, and he has overcome a Tommy John surgery and a fractured bone in his left elbow during a frightening sequence in 2016.
“It blows me away that he can throw a baseball after what he’s experienced,” Braves manager Brian Snitker told Steve Hummer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I saw the X-ray and it blows me away even more. It wasn’t pretty. Like a Home Depot ad for hardware.”
A stacked Atlanta contingent might be the biggest obstacle to Winkler’s All-Star bid. Freddie Freeman, Nick Markakis and Ozzie Albies are leading the fan balloting at their positions, and Sean Newcomb and Mike Foltynewicz both rank among the top 10 in starter ERA. As good as Winkler has been, Atlanta closer Arodys Vizcaino is also having a strong season. There’s only room for so many Braves to go to Washington.
Tony Watson, Giants
Key stats: Watson has a 40-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 1.3 WAR — the same as Mariners closer Diaz.
While Shaw, McGee, Tommy Hunter, Neshek and others were cleaning up in free agency, the Giants waited out Watson and signed him to a three-year, guaranteed $9 million deal that could increase to $21 million with escalators and performance bonuses. He has been a godsend for manager Bruce Bochy’s bullpen.
“No fear,” said a scout. “No panic. Flat-line approach. He does a hell of a job pitching on the thumbs and off the cup of the bat. There’s a lot of sneak in his arm action and his delivery. He jumps ahead, stays ahead and puts hitters away. He just throws quality strike after quality strike.”
Watson’s velocity is a career low 92 mph this season, but he has compensated with increased use of his slider and changeup. His 13.6 swinging strike rate is the highest of his career. Bochy told reporters Tuesday that Watson and Sam Dyson are the top candidates to close games for San Francisco while Hunter Strickland sits out six to eight weeks with a self-inflicted broken pinkie on his pitching hand.
Kyle Barraclough, Marlins
Key stats: Barraclough has allowed nine hits in 32 1/3 innings this season. Opponents are 9-for-104 (.087) against him, with a slash line of .087/.220/.173.
The Marlins are probably going to land only one All-Star spot, and it’s likely to go to J.T. Realmuto, who might be the best all-around catcher in baseball this season. But Barraclough has been a bullpen force for a team that doesn’t have many leads to protect.
After more than two years in a setup role, Barraclough took over for Brad Ziegler at closer three weeks ago and has yet to allow a hit in June. He has relied less on his slider and more on his changeup, and he’s thriving even though his fastball velocity is down about 2 mph from two years ago.
Barraclough could be a nice trade chip if the Marlins decide to continue their offseason rebuild in advance of the July 31 non-waiver deadline. He’s not eligible for free agency until 2021, so he is likely to attract a bigger haul of talent than the Royals received from Washington in the Herrera deal.
Archie Bradley and Yoshihisa Hirano, Diamondbacks
Key stats: Other than Hader, Bradley has pitched more high-leverage innings (18 2/3) than any setup man in baseball. Opponents are batting .197 against him. Hirano has limited opponents to a .063 batting average in high-leverage situations. That’s second-best among MLB relievers to Carl Edwards Jr. of the Cubs. Bradley and Hirano have combined with Andrew Chafin and T.J. McFarland to give the Diamondbacks the best bullpen ERA in the majors.
Bradley isn’t quite as dominant as last year, when he was tied for second among relievers with a 3.6 WAR. One possible explanation: He suffered a cracked nail on his right forefinger during the offseason, and he has had to resort to visiting the nail spa regularly to get fake fingernails that make the pain tolerable enough for him to throw his curveball. He remains a workhorse, nevertheless.
Hirano, who saved 156 games over 12 seasons with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan, pronounced himself “honored” to be a Diamondback when he signed a two-year, $6 million free-agent deal with the team in December. He has been a nice fit in the Arizona clubhouse and a challenge for hitters with his deceptive delivery and fastball-splitter combination.
Seranthony Dominguez, Phillies
Key stats: Since his arrival from the minors on May 7, Dominguez has logged a 1.61 ERA and a 0.58 WHIP. Lefties are batting .118 against him, and righties are only slightly less helpless at .146.
The Phillies spent more than $34 million on multiyear deals for Neshek and Hunter during the offseason. Hunter has put up so-so numbers, and Neshek has spent the entire season on the disabled list, while Hector Neris, last year’s closer, was so bad the Phillies recently demoted him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to regain his confidence and faith in his splitter.
The void in the bullpen created an opportunity for Dominguez, the latest find from international scouting director Sal Agostinelli and his industrious group of Latin American talent evaluators. Dominguez’s even temperament, 98 mph fastball and wipeout slider appear to make him optimal closer material. But Phillies manager Gabe Kapler has resisted the temptation to name Dominguez his closer and used him as a shutdown option at various stages of the game. Dominguez recorded more than three outs in eight of his first 18 appearances.
Others of note: Steve Cishek and Edwards Jr., Cubs; Chris Devenski and Hector Rondon, Astros; Kirby Yates and Craig Stammen, Padres; Joe Jimenez, Tigers; Jared Hughes and Amir Garrett, Reds; Jordan Hicks, Cardinals; Edubray Ramos, Phillies; Richard Bleier, Orioles.
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