It’s Opening Day for Major League Baseball. So, it’s a great time to grab Murderer’s Row: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel for the Kindle since it’s on sale as the Pastor Stephen Grant Book of the Month. That means the Kindle price at Amazon.com has been slashed from $5.99 to $2.99. By the way, there also are savings on signed copies of Murderer's Row and assorted book sets at https://raykeatingonline.com/t/book-of-the-month. The sale ends on March 31st!
Need more reasons, well consider the following baseball snippets from Murderer's Row:
1. A key character plays in his first professional baseball game...
Dawud Wasem took the sign from Ty Beachamp for a fastball. He wound up and launched his first professional pitch. While registering 97 mph, it also sailed over the heads of Beachamp, the batter and the umpire.
After the ball hit the backstop, Beachamp reached up for a new ball from the umpire. He tossed it to Wasem, and then moved his hands in a slight up-and-down motion that communicated a settle-down message.
In the second row of the stands next to the first base dugout, Melissa said, “He’ll be fine, Tom.”
Maggie was sitting on the other side of Tom, and squeezed his hand.
Three more balls followed, and the leadoff man for the Nassau Gold Coasters was on base.
The next batter laced a hard line drive to left for a single. No outs, and men on first and second. Beachamp called, “Time.” He walked to the mound, and said, “Okay, are we done with that crap?” He offered a slight smile as he placed the ball in Wasem’s glove. “Like I’ve told you before, you’ve got great stuff, and you’ve got the smarts to manage it. Nobody knows better than you that this is just baseball. It’s time to enjoy something simple that I can tell you love.”
Wasem managed to return a small smile, and nodded.
The next pitch was a nasty cutter. The batter swung, and broke his bat. The ball bounced back to the mound. Dawud fielded it, turned, tossed the ball to the shortstop, Jackson Quick, at second, who then fired it to first to complete the double play.
The sellout crowd erupted in approval, with Ambler leading the cheers on her feet.
2. A meeting between Stephen and Jennifer Grant, Mike Vanacore and Melissa Ambler...
As other guests approached, Jennifer looked down at two pugs – one fawn and the other all black – that were quietly sitting at Melissa’s feet. She bent down and petted each on their wrinkled foreheads above their flat faces. “And what are their names?”
Melissa pointed and said, “That’s Trevor and he’s Tony.” Stephen said, “You really are a big Padres’ fan.”
Mike said, “See, I told you.”
Jennifer offered a perplexed look. “What am I missing?” Melissa said, “Stephen’s right. They’re named for Trevor
Hoffman and Tony Gwynn.”
Jennifer replied, “I see now – two Padre greats.”
As Mike and Melissa moved off to greet other guests,
Trevor and Tony dutifully followed Melissa.
3. And a moment with Stephen Grant reflecting on the game...
Stephen Grant inhaled deeply. He loved the aromas of baseball.
Having been mown just a couple of hours earlier, the smell of fresh-cut grass under his feet still lingered.
He raised the glove on his left hand to his face, and took in the bouquet of oil and leather.How long has it been since I was on a baseball field? Had to be the softball team at seminary. Too long.
Growing up in the Cincinnati area, Grant became a big Reds fan, and in addition to golf and archery, he played Little League and high school baseball. After graduating from Valparaiso University, and serving his time in the Navy SEALs and with the CIA, Grant arrived at the seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he organized and managed the seminary softball team.
In fact, the last time he stood in centerfield, as was now the case, Grant was in the vast field at the back of the seminary property. At that time, his friend and fellow seminarian Jacob “Big Jake” Stout joked, “You’re the best we have on our baseball and basketball teams, Stephen. But considering that we’re dominated by short, pudgy guys of German descent, that’s not exactly saying much.”
