All language subtitles for The.Phenom.2016.YIFY

So what happened?

- There? Right there?
- -Hm-mm. Yup.

The scouting report.

What was that report?

That he's better
than most pitchers
at the plate.

Can't lay down a bunt,
can't throw it hard and inside,

because he's got
some bad speed.

Ah.

And instead of an easy out,

like you would have
with most pitchers,

you actually had to work
for this one.

Hm, maybe
that was exasperating
to you.

After facing all these
good hitters,

you don't even get
an easy out
with the pitcher.

Is this what you do
in here?

I mean, is this, is this
what you do with players,

you review tape?

Is this what we are gonna do
all week?

My instructions were to calm
you down for the playoffs.

Yeah, so are we gonna
just watch a tape or...

No, that's what
we are doing now.

Tomorrow, it'll be different.

Is that okay with you, man?

-Yeah.
-Yeah.

Yeah, you are the coach.

Okay.

Ah.

You remember
anything else specific?

Yeah, I remember
I'm about to throw
five wild pitches and

make a fucking ass
out of myself in front
of the entire world.

Yeah, I remember that.

Oh, I got that.

But do you remember
what you were thinking,

and what you felt
in this moment?

Um...

I, I heard this guy
in the crowd,

he was a vendor.
I heard him yell "coke."

You ever do coke?

No.

What kind of a question
is that?

Just flowing with it.

Just keeping it loose...
All right, let's stick
with this, uh, soda guy.

That must have been
pretty loud for you
to hear it over the crowd.

Yeah, but when I'm focused,
whenever I'm...You know,

I don't even hear
the guy next to me.

He could be saying
something and I won't
even hear him.

But right before this pitch,

I remember
i heard the coke guy,

I heard little noises
in the crowd.

Sandy koufax said
when he lost focus,

he would see the crowd,
not the catcher.

-Koufax said that?
-Uh-huh.

-Really?
-Yeah.

You are not the first
pitcher to have this problem,
you know, man.

Yeah, I know, Howard glass.

- You're not so special.

-I know Howard glass
had this, right?
-Mm.

And he started throwing,
he threw strikes.

Woke up one day,
couldn't throw any strikes,
never threw again.

Ah, a lot of pitchers
struggle with control
when they are young.

Yeah.

-Hey, he killed himself, right?
He hung himself.
-Hm-mm.

You didn't work with him,
did you?

No, not really.

Yeah.

Is there a name
for what he had?

Yeah, there's plenty of names

but I don't subscribe
to any of those.

Why not?

Don't want to legitimize it.

This is a passing
thing for you.

And you give it a name,
it might wanna stick around.

-Yeah?
-Mm.

Mm-hm.

All right.

Well, I think we are about
out of time for today.

Do you have any other question
you want to ask me, though?

Do you prescribe medication
in here?

What's the problem?

I, uh...

I haven't slept
in like three days.

I don't sleep so good,
you know. I mean I can,

but I have these bad dreams,

so I... need something
to knock me out maybe.

Let's try and see
if we can handle that
without meds for now.

-Okay.
-Okay?

All right. Fine.

Also, I'll tell you my memory
is a little bit foggy.

I don't remember
things so well.

Um, you know.

Memory is a funny business.

And sometimes
we fog over the past,

because of damage.

Yeah.

You know,
like in the old movies

when they put vaseline
on the camera lens

to make the faces
prettier and softer,
you know?

Yeah, I'm not damaged.
I mean I, I'm not damaged
at all.

Some things I remember
very clearly.

-You know.
-Okay.

-But some things I don't.
-Okay.

Yeah.

This is a kid who
comes into the game

with six wins, no losses,

for 2.03 era.

A terrific strikeout
to walk ratio

which makes what happened
all the more strange.

Well, yeah.

We have to be a little
concerned with the rookie
at this point, anyway.

I mean,
throwing five wild pitches

in one inning
on national television
to boot.

You know he must be
in a state of shock.

I mean, this is a kid
who's never had any
control issues at all.

You are absolutely
right about that.

The kid is known
for pinpoint accuracy

and, well, frankly
a fast bowler

that the gods
would be jealous of.

The gods being Nolan Ryan
and,

Walter "the big train" Johnson.

You know,
I hope the kid's okay.

Hopper, Rachel cullum
with sport net.

Could you tell us
what happened out there?

Hopper, right here.

That agent who wants
to rep you, Scott...

-Hm-mm.
-He sent me his portfolio
of the house.

He thinks I should move in,
five miles
from Jensen beach.

I asked him to do that.
What do you think?

I can't believe it.
It's a fucking castle.

Well believe it, mom,
'cause it's yours.

Just in your name,
just for you.

Castle makes me nervous, hop.

Don't be nervous,
just enjoy it.
Look at this.

Look at that pool.

You like swimming, right?

No, you like swimming.

Ever since you saw
the little mermaid.

--I'm scared of sharks.

-Sharks in the pool, really?
-At night, yeah.

I'm always terrified
there's gonna be sharks
in a dark pool.

-I know it's not likely.
-It's not likely at all.

But you know what,
you can just turn
the pool lights on.

There's lights all over it.

--Mom.

Just enjoy it.

I'll try, hop.
I really will try.

It's a mansion though, right?

-Yeah.
-It's a fucking mansion.

You like it?

Yeah, they cut the lawn
so nice, too.

You think your baseball coach
is going to get you out of this?

-No, ma'am.
-Good.

'Cause he's not.

I don't play by those rules.

I don't care if you
are the big jock
around here,

you still have to study
when it comes to my class.

Yes, ma'am.

I know those big league
scouts are all over the place.
I see them.

You'll have more money
in a year from now

than I'll have in...
All my lifetimes.

But you and I both know
that does not change
one undeniable fact.

Ma'am?

You know I know your daddy?

You do?

We were at school
here, together.

He was a real piece of work.

An expert at cutting corners.

When there weren't
any corners left,

he'd make circles around her.

I was hoping
he hadn't taught you
that trick.

Well, I'm not trying
to make excuses, Ms. epland,

but sometimes, I find it
a little difficult to balance
baseball and homework.

Now, you listen to me.

When you're gifted
with a talent like you are,

people will say, "wow,

that's pretty nifty."

And they'll tell you
honestly that it can change
your life,

lead you
to inconceivable realms.

But you have to work

at bringing the rest
of your person
up to that level.

If you only do
what comes easy to you,
what you are good at,

you are just
an untrained thoroughbred,

which isn't a race horse,
at all.

It's a wild animal.

I'm using sports metaphor
so that you can understand,

junior.

Yo, what's up, hopper?

Uh, Dorothy was telling us

that you are trying
to decide between college
and being a professional.

Yeah.

I know my college education
is important, but
at the same time...

Mm, nonsense.

I mean, when those colleges
start giving kids a share

of all the money
they are making
off of them.

Then maybe
but as it is,
it's absurd.

I mean, the ncaa's
completely corrupt.

Who's that guy,
at Duke?

The one at Duke
that they are paying
ten million dollars a year

to coach a basketball team.

Coach k, absolutely.

Yeah, these coaches
making a million dollars

while the players
get nothing, it should
be illegal.

And so should
the major league drafts.

All drafts should be illegal.

You want to sign
with the Yankees,

you should be able
to sign with Yankees,
don't you think?

I've never really
thought about it before.

All drafts should be illegal.

I don't think Yankees
would be my first pick.

Why not?

Well, you know,
New York.

All those people,
all that money.

Isn't money important to you?

Yeah, money is important
to me but,

only enough to take care
of my mom

and I don't have to put up
with those steinbrenner kids.

Talk to the socialist.

What's a socialist?

It's a person who believes
in a system where there's
no private property.

Oh, that's not me. No.

I want to buy my mom a house.

Of course.

You're still a ball player,
after all.

I mean you couldn't throw
all those strikes
if you were a complete marxist.

Exactly.

When I grew up,
athletes were political.

They wanted to be like
Muhammad Ali.

Nowadays, you want
to be like Michael jordon.

Hollow billionaire. They're
capitalists. No heart or love
in what they do.

Lebron went back to Cleveland.

There was love in that move.
Kevin love.

Ba-dum-pum

did I tell you the one
about the polar bear
and rabbit?

-Oh, the polar bear
and the rabbi?
-Rabbit.

Uh, uh, hold it.
Lebron, are you ready
for dessert?

I just called you lebron,
didn't I?

Because I love the game.

Oh, hopper, are you ready
for dessert?

- No, you can call me lebron.

You can call me lebron.
I like it.

My parents,
they loved you.

Really?

-I'm not used to talking
like that at dinner at all.
-Yeah?

-What's it like at your house?
-My house? At dinner?

I always sit in front
of the TV.

We eat, we don't
really say anything.

My mom works all the time.

She is in real estate.
My dad he's...

He's away.

Your family is so smart.

You're smart.

You're going to be
a valedictorian

you got all
the Chinese kids beat.

I'm just good at studying,
that's all.

I'm terrible at studying.

My mom says I have add.

How do you focus
when you're on the mound?

I just forget about everything.

Hopper,
come on in for a second.

-Sunflower seed?
-No, thank you.

How is the change up
coming along?

Mm-mm. I don't know.
Sometimes I think
I'm getting it, and then...

Yeah.

There's not really
anything to get.

You just can't blow up,
you know.

Yeah, I guess.

I heard your dad's
coming back this week.

Yup.

Is that what you wanted
to talk to me about?

-Is he going to stay
with you and your mom?
-Yeah, I think so.

-How do you feel about him
coming back?
-I feel great about it.

-Real fucking cocksucker.
-Yeah.

My dad rides me
pretty damn hard.

I know he does.

He rides me hard too.

He tells me all the time
not to watch the pitch count,

'cause it's going
to make you soft.

A dime a dozen.

He's a piece of work,
your pop.

Yeah,
he thinks you are,

he thinks you're slow too

because you didn't take
that third base coaching gig
at fsu.

-That's what he said?
-That's what he said.

You are doing really good.

-Yeah.
-Staying out of trouble.

I'm trying really hard.

And I like Dorothy.
That's a good girl.

-Yeah.
-She's got sturdy head
over her shoulders.

It seems to me you've been
in the pink since you been
with her. A lot better

than with the last one,
i forgot her name
right now.

I think it was something
"d" name.

-Doreen.
-Doreen.

Any girl going to math class,

puts on that much mascara,
she does not like herself
very much.

--Anybody puts on
that kind of mask,

they unintentionally
expose themselves.

Are you listening?

-I can't tell with you
if you are listening.
-I'm listening.

-Are you?
-Yeah, yeah.

This is bananas.

I think your mom
took that picture.

High school yearbook.

I was the yearbook editor.

I found that last night,
going through the garage.

He was a really gifted player,
could have gone pro.

He's sick.

You know, he hit a lot
of doubles, that's what
he says.

He's a doubles hitter.

Doubles?

Double vodka,
double soda.

Senior year he started
showing up to practice
late and tired and high,

new tattoos all the time,
and then by the end
of the season,

he just simply
wasn't showing up at all.

He said he got...

Kicked off the time
for brawling.

There was a bad brawl,
but he never got kicked off
the team.

In fact, I remember
the coaches actually liked it

that he threw punches
in the brawl, because
it's the only time

they'd seen him
with any pep all year.

Didn't even know that was it.
That was it.

That would be his past-time
from then on, fracas.

I got to go, coach.
Dorothy is waiting for me.

Look at me.

Be astute.

If late at night,

trouble comes knocking...

At your door,
do yourself a favor,

stay in bed.

Yeah.

Go say hi to Dorothy.

So, I have another joke.

I went to zoo
the other day.

But there was only a dog.

It was a shih tzu.

Why do you like mayonnaise
on your fries?

Try it, you might like it.

Mm, no, I'll take my chances.

You never take the chance.

Whenever we go out,
you always sit in the corner,

with your back
to the wall,

like you are afraid
of your own shadow.

Like the nutcracker cornered
when the mouse king.

It's the best spot.
You can see everything coming.

If there's a scout
over there, spying on me
then I know it.

And if there's any
trouble coming,
i know it.

But, then you
never get surprised.

Yeah, well,
surprises are overrated.

Hi, y'all.

So.

Hey.

What did coach have to say?

Why do you care
what my coach had to say?

Because I care about you.

Do you have any idea
how much pressure
i am under right now?

I'm only trying to help.

I know, but, I mean,

I'm the number three
ranked prospect
in the country.

Number one pitcher.

You have any idea what kind
of pressure that is?

Well, who do you think

has the best
grade point average
in the school?

There is not nearly
as much as rivalry.

Yeah, but if I want to go
to a great college,

then I need to get
a scholarship.

I'm talking about
millions and millions
of dollars.

I'm talking about being famous.
I'm talking about being
a professional athlete.

You know that a shih tzu
is a toy dog, right?

- What are you talking about?

Shih tzu and a shit zoo.

Come on.

And you are telling
jokes right now?

-It's only baseball.
-I just...

That's the dumbest thing
you've ever said.

It's not just baseball.

You know what? I'm gonna home.
You're hurting my feelings.

You really need to toughen up.

-No, I don't.
-Yeah, you do.

No, I don't need to toughen up,
because that's a stupid goal.

Survival of the fittest.

Yeah, it's called
social darwinism.

And you are scared
that if you can't throw
a ball perfectly, then you...

And you think
everybody's nice.

Okay, well, that's not
how it works.

Everybody is using everybody
all the time. Period.

-You using me?
-Yes, I'm using you.

Of course, I'm using you.
You're using me.
That's how it works.

You are a cute little
odd ball that I pass
my time with.

You think because
you can throw a baseball,

that you are special
in some kind of
real, non-secular way.

-Non-secular, what do you
mean by that?
-Well, it doesn't.

Worshiping these false
American idols,

and people just
buying into this

Harry Potter syndrome,

like wanting to have
a fucking lightning bolt
on their forehead,

do you really believe
in any of that?

Because nobody is more special
than anybody else.

I mean like, duh and...

You know what?
I really wanna go.

How's your arm?

It's fine.

Got some new ink.

Yeah, I was bored.

Must have hurt
getting it that dark, huh?

Pain is just weakness...

...leaving the body, yeah.

Have you grown at all?

I don't think you've grown
even a little bit in the year
since I've seen you.

Inch and a half.

You haven't grown a
inch and a half. Bullshit.

Look at you. You're thin
like a Reed. You don't have
any muscle on you at all.

You know the market's got
the undetectable steroids
again.

You might
wanna check that out.

How's the, how's the great
coach Eddie, yeah?

He still think he's got
all the answers

'cause he had a cup of coffee
at the majors?

Hm? Didn't have what
it takes to stick

so he's been sticking
to everybody else since,
right?

He had what it takes.

Batted 307
before he got injured.

Yeah. Running into a wall.

That's a brainy baby for ya.

Now he's got a job
working in a school,
getting paid diddly squat.

That's a loser's game.

And he plays it 'cause
he likes losing.

Like the...

Freaks on the block
who get their kicks

while getting banged around.
No, thank you.

You tell him, I say hi.

Well, you got here
just in time.

Who's playing?

Fuck that. You just got here
in time to get me a bear.

Take the edge off.

Appreciate it.

-Is mom home?
-Why, you wanna cry
to her?

No, just wondering
if she got home
from work yet.

-You know.
-Hey, sit down.

No, I got homework.

No!
I know you don't have any homework,

little liar face.

Huh, you don't have the
brains for homework.

Get your ass, your scrawny ass
to sit down on the couch.

You don't have any
homework, hey.

You actually want
to make me stand up

and come over there
and sit your scrawny ass down.

Is that what you want?
I don't think so, slim.

I can't believe all these
scouts are buzzing around
a little toothpick like you.

I mean that is full blown
craziness right there.

I threw 98 miles an hour
on Saturday.

-Did you throw
98 miles an hour?
-Ninety-eight miles an hour.

Wow, you must think you're
pretty astonishing.

Huh?

-You can tell me.
It's all right.
-No, sir.

-Well, come on, you can tell me.
It will be our secret.
-No, sir.

You think
you're pretty astonishing,
right?

No, sir.

-You do.
-I don't think
I'm astonishing.

-You think
you are astonishing.
-No, sir.

Yep, listen.

Everything that you've
accomplished,

you owe to me, right.
You know that.

Yes, sir.

Don't "yes, sir" me.
Allright, that pisses me off.

Don't do that.

I saw you smile at that game
on Saturday.

I don't think I was smiling.

Uh, I saw you.

In the photo,
in the newspaper.

You are standing
on the mound, smiling.

So, what happens
when you break a rule?

Hm? What's the rule
number one?

Never show emotion
on the mound.

Hm-mm.

And what do we do
when you break a rule
during a game?

What do we do?

What the fuck!

Huh? What do we do?

Huh? What do we do?

We run wind sprints.

That's right. Now get
your ass outside,
come on.

Please don't make me chase you.
Come on, go!

Go!

Come on,
man, this is a suicide,
not a jog.

Don't make me get up
and chase you.

Don't make me get up
and chase you!

Do not make me get up
and chase you!

Go! Go!

Look, I'm old and I can
run faster than
you motherfucker?

Come on, now!

That's better.

What you boys
doing out here?

- Oh, nothing.
- -What's going on out here?

Get inside, don't disobey me.
It ain't worth it.

Hey, there.

-What's going on out here?
-Nothing.

Where's he going?

He didn't even say hello.

Well, boys got no manners,
what'd you expect?

- Shut the fuck up.

What were you doing
to him out here?

What were you doing
to him out here?

Junior and me
have rules.

And I was remembering
them to him.

Suicides?

The rules don't concern you,
Susan. It ain't your concern.

Okay.

Don't come back here
trying to make things
the way they were.

Me and hop have a certain
way of doing things now

and it doesn't include
suicides.

You've to get accustomed
to that, you hear me?

What? Come here.

Come here.

Hey, hey.

You know what?

We're doing dandy
without you.

So you can either get
with the docket or you
can get out.

Susan, you're starting to sound
a lot like my warden, hal

and even a little bit
more like my parole officer,
Neal.

You all right?
Come here.

You have any love
for your daddy?

You're gonna have to earn
it this time, daddy.

All right, Susan.

I'm still your
fucking husband, right?

I have been getting
a lot of the bullshit
whiny card,

none of the soft stuff.

Whole
fucking world getting
topsy turvy.

Shit.

Hm-mm.

Time, the great destroyer.

Hey.

You want to be the best?

Huh?

What time is it?

Do you want to be the best?

-Yeah, sure.
-All right then.

The time is now.

Get up.

Yeah,
what time is it, seriously?

It's 3:30 am,
it's time to jog.

-I've school in three hours.
-Wake up, dude.

I'm not gonna ask you again.

Okay? I'm tryin' to teach you
about greatness.

I know you're pissed
at me, all right.

But let me tell you
something right now.

We are winning.

You hear me?

Only me, you and the ghosts
of the legends up at this hour.

One of these days,
you're going to be rich.

You are going to be
in some fancy hotel.

Two Egyptian princesses
are going to be fighting over

which one will get
to suck your cock first.

You're gonna lean back,
you're gonna look
at the ceiling and think,

"goddamn,
i love my dad."

Huh? You hear me, son.

You're gonna put your head
on the pillow,

close your eyes,
your dreams will line
up just right.

I shit you not, son,
we are winning right now.

All right,
that's good.
That's good.

Take off your gear
and go catch
some grounders.

Something bothering you, hopper?

Just tired, coach.

What happened to your head?

Ah, it's nothing, coach.

So where is hopper Gibson now?

He is not with the triple-a
minor league club

as he had been
for the most of the season.

He is not on the injured list.

When I asked Atlanta's
gm, David foreman,
where Gibson was,

foreman would only say
that Gibson was taking care
of a personal situation

and would rejoin
the club shortly.

Thank you, Rachel.

Who knows what darkness
lurks in the heart of a man.
His shadow knows.

Here's how hopper Gibson's
stats compare
with Howard glass.

Their numbers
are eerily similar.

When you first
came into the public eye,

uh...

Why did you say
your father's a fisherman
to sports illustrated?

Because it's none
of their business.

I mean what am I supposed
to do?

Am I supposed to air
my dirty laundry in front
of the entire world?

Why would I do that
to my mom?

You know? I mean,

am I suppose to say
he deals eight balls
in si?

Oh, huh.

Still you made up
occupations for your dad.

No, I didn't.

-No?
-No.

Every, he, yeah,
he hung drywall
for a while.

He was a fisherman.
He was a fisherman
for a year.

-Yeah, okay.
-Yeah.

Well, maybe that's how
you like to think of him.

I have no idea.

All I know I'm fucking tired.
That's what I know.

Nice rain.

Clean my car off,
at least that's good.

-You think I'm lying,
don't you?
-No.

We can make the things
be the way we want them
to be in our head

so the pain
isn't too much.

And that's very different
from lying.

That's very different.

My dad always said,
"pain is weakness
leaving the body."

What do you think
of that?

I don't know.
What do you think?

It has it's own warped,
macho truth to it.

My dad was a pretty warped,
macho guy.

Wouldn't even know
we were in the same family
except...

Except for what?

People say that, I mean,
some people say that
i favor him.

We have the same look
in our eye.

What look is that?

Secretive-ness, I guess.

Maybe something's going on,
maybe there's a time-bomb
ticking.

I picture my dad and,

all I see is a shadow.

A person can reject
aspects of themselves
that they don't like

and put that
on to somebody else.

You know, project them.

Things that make them
uncomfortable or things
that feel dangerous,

things that feel

ugly.

But the funny thing is,

there's a lot of positive
things in our shadow
that we need.

- Like what?

Like our instincts,
for one.

Like our animal instincts.

So you want me
to get angry?

You want me to explode?

No, I want you to throw
without thinking about it.

I want you to be
instinctual. I want you
to get out of your way.

Leave yourself alone.
Do you want to explode?

No.

You feel like a time-bomb
sometimes?

No. Of course, not.

Okay. That's good.
I believe that.

Or I guess I was one.

And I didn't even know it.

Open up!

Hopper.

Teresa, you're looking spry.

-Bitch.
-Stop it.

I don't see Dorothy anywhere.

-Does hop look upset to you?
-No, he doesn't look upset.

I wonder if they broke up.
Shit, I hope not.

Coach Eddie better not even
think about taking him
out of the game.

-He looks tired.
-He doesn't look tired,
all right?

He looks lazy like his mother.

Come on, hopper,
challenge this guy.

Huh, don't pussy foot around.
Challenge him!

Coach Eddie,
better not make you
pussy foot these scrubs.

This kid can't hit you!

There you go, there you go.

Christ, big shot, huh?

I guess you are really
that important, huh?

Easy.
I'm just here right now.

You have a good night,
huh, buddy.

You all right?

Yeah, I'm good.

-Arm's fine?
-Yeah.

Just worry about that hitter
right now. That's it.

Yes, coach.

Where's your mind?

It's in the game.

Nothing else should be
of any concern
to you right now.

You got to fuck
all that noise.

We'll deal with whatever
that is after the game.

You can't worry about that stuff
'cause you can't control it.

So, there's no point
worrying about it.

This is it.

The only result is simple.

This is it.

You ever heard
of f. Scott Fitzgerald?

No.

Well, he was a wunderkind,
like yourself. A whiz kid.

So good at his craft,
he didn't even have to think
about what he was doing.

Now, this is about
Fitzgerald, uh...

-Cracking up.
-Hm.

-You're cool
if I read a passage?
-Sure.

Short one?

Okay, uh

"i was him again,

for an instant

I had the good fortune
to share his dreams,

I who have no more
dreams of my own.

And there are still times
when I creep up on him,

surprise him
on an Autumn morning
in New York

or a spring night
in Carolina

when it's so quiet
you can hear a dog
barking in the next county.

But never again, as during
that all too short period,

when he and I were one person,

when the fulfilled future
and the wistful past

were mingled in a single
gorgeous moment,

when life was literally
a dream."

-He's talking about
being old.
-Hm.

Wishing he was young again?

I don't know anything
about that?

Well, he wasn't that old
when he wrote it.

He was still
a pretty young man.

He felt old, he felt
like he wasn't connected
to his younger self any more.

That's the rub.

Probably he's talking about
life being a dream,
I've never experienced that.

-But...
-Never.

Never once, felt any kind
of pleasure, any enjoyment
in your success?

No, never. No. My dad
always told me, "no
emotions on the mound."

-So you can't show
emotions on the mound.
-No.

Were you allowed to show
emotion off the mound?

I was never off the mound.

I was taught,
you are always
on the mound.

-Right.
-Always on the mound.

You are always
suppose to outfox
your opponent.

-Yeah?
-Your opponent.

Your opponent, yeah.

-Whose the opponent
off the mound?
-Everyone.

Everyone outside
of the family.

Yeah.

Must be pretty hard
to talk to me then.

--No, seriously.

Well, sometimes, yeah.
I guess.

-Yeah. Well...
-Sure.

-It's been
a difficult challenge.
-Yeah.

Well.

Do you think your father
had a lot to do

with your success
as a pitcher, hopper?

Hm. I mean, yeah.

You know
when I was a little kid,

I never thought
i was gonna make it
to the majors.

I'd wanna go hang out
with friends,
go to the beach, you know.

But he, he would say,
"no, that's not gonna work.

If you love it,
good things will come."

-So what did you do?
-I loved it.

- Just like that?
- -Just like that.

-Really?
-Yeah. Yeah.

With three relief pitchers
on the dl,

Atlanta looks to be in trouble,
heading into division playoffs
this coming weekend.

One name that has come up
as a possible remedy

is the last wonder boy,
hopper Gibson.

Gibson has spent
the past few months

in the minors
trying to regain control

of his considerable stuff.

In the current vernacular,
the dude's got issues.

It's not that hard.
Come on.

Uh, what do I miss
most about the majors?

Probably the jet planes.

Can't jump a jet plane
with can of freight train,
right, hopper?

What about those geese, hopper?

How do you mean?

I mean, you've watched
them a long time.

Yeah, I don't know.

Watching the geese
was just so...Peaceful.

I prefer watching jet planes.

Well, then you wanna follow
someone who is in the majors.

What can I say?
I'm dedicated.

To car crashes, yeah.

Don't talk about yourself
like that.

You give good quote.

That shit about geese
is nice stuff.

I'm glad you think so.

You have enough
so you don't have to
tag-along in here?

It's only a good quote today.

Tomorrow they'll wrap
a fish in it.

I'll have to come back
for more, fresh.

Sorry, it's exhausting
for me too.

Takes a lot of medicine
to keep up to this pace.

I'm on the redbull, heavy.

After this, I have to go
on Twitter and think
of something

charming/cutting/
provocative/sexy/
informative to tweet.

And then condense it
into pithy anecdotal

making sure not to go
over the heads
of feeble-minded frat boys.

It's a fairly
fucking relentless grind.

Yeah,
i noticed that.

Hm. I'm still
on school schedule, hop.

I don't know
who else to call, sorry.

Wait, wait, wait.

Hold on. I've got
like no signal here.

I'm gonna go out
on the porch, so
I can hear you better.

All right, kiddo, go ahead.

I don't know.
Last week, you know.

I seem to be getting better.

Tonight, I can't find
the plate.

I never know who's
gonna show up,
you know.

Sometimes,
we're who we want to be,

sometimes we're just
some dunderhead chump.

That's the way it goes.
That's okay.

Sometimes your cutter
is hitting,

sometimes it's not.

But there's no need
to, like, elaborate on it,

and beat the shit
out of yourself at that time
at what you do.

You add this extra layer
of anguish by judging yourself
so harshly all thtime.

Yeah.
I just wish I could forget about stuff when I'm out there, you know.

Forget about stuff
from yesterday.

Yesterday can't be done.
You can't just get rid of it.

There's no way
to push it aside, or
dig a hole and bury it.

-You know
what I'm saying, kid?
-Yeah.

How's Dorothy?

I don't know.

I think she thinks
I'm shallow.

You got to be
Paul robeson with her.

She's done with it,
you know.

Who's Paul robeson?

He's an all star
and got black listing.

Like, fuck him right now.

I'm sorry for calling you,
waking you up.
Go back to sleep.

All right?

Who should I make this
out to?

-Uh, fallon.
-Fallon.

How I spell fallon?
Does anyone have a pen?
Do you have a pen?

Thank you.
What is it?

-F-a...
-F-a...

-L-l...
-L-l...

-O-n.
-O-n.

Cool name.

There you go.

-Thank you.
-Yeah.

Sign the ball, please.

-Yeah? Sign it?
-Yeah.

-Please.
-All right.

Thanks. Could you
sign this card, too?

Yeah.

My dad says
you are going to be fine.

Here you go.

He says you're going
to get your control back
in no time at all.

Um, could you show me
your curve-ball grip?

Could you show me
a curve-ball grip?

-Let's see your grip.
-All right, cool.

-So, two seams, two seams,
get it.
-Yeah, there you go.

-All right.
-Something like that?

Yeah, all right,
that's good.

But see the hardest thing
for me to figure out is,

you got to snap this.

-Snap it like that?
-Yeah.

There you go.
You can't throw it
like a fast ball.

Hm-mm, so right around
like that?

- So...
- -Dude!

Are you handing out
instructions now?

- Better go.
-That is fucking scary.

Thanks, hopper.

That's the good thing
about youngsters
though, right?

They are undiscriminating.

You know that word?

Of course, you do.
I learned that word
in the pen.

We had this, priest use
to come by Sunday nights,
you know.

Have a little Bible study.

So I signed right up.
For giggles.

And he used to say that,
"Jesus was undiscriminating.

He loved all of us.

Each and everyone
of us just the same."

You believe that?

- Hm.
- -So?

-How's the arm?
-It's fine.

-As fine?
-Yeah.

-All right.
-What you are doing here?

What do you mean
what am I doing here?
Come on.

I came to say hi.

Well, I'm not pitching today,
so...

I know, I know.
I'm relieved.

You wanna go
get some peanuts?

Come on, let's get
some peanuts.

What are you
doing in California?

I got a job,
buddy of mine...

Okeechobee, hooked me
up with a...

A little deal in Mexico,
at the border.

Job, good one.

What kind of job
is that?

The best kind.

The kind that might be
my last.

You know, set me up
for early retirement,
like your mom.

I saw the house
you bought her.

Lot of carpenters there.

Hittin' it.

Well, I guess the priest
didn't reform you,
did he?

No, sir.

They don't make 'em
like me anymore,

they try
to bring me down.

Well, see with me,
it's a matter
of self respect.

-Yeah, I got to go
do some running.
-No, you don't.

No, you don't.
Come on, now.

I hear you got knocked around
a little bit the other night.

-Yeah.
-You know why?

-Yeah, I know why.
-Why?

-My footing's off.
-Yeah.

I've got professional coaches
to help me with that now.

-Oh, you do?
-Yeah, I do.

Okay. Okay.

They helping you
with your face?

-My face?
-Hm-mm.

Your intimidation stare.

Do you remember anything
that I taught you?

Huh? Bob Gibson?

Dave Stewart.

"The rocket" clemens.

Ferocious?

Bitchin' motherfuckers
would have you out

before you stepped
in the batter's box

with their fucking eyes.

Okay? And look at you,
you're not even
a paper tiger.

You wander over to the mound
with your tail between your legs
like a little puppy.

I was worried
you were gonna piss yourself.

I'll work on my rocket.

Get some hgh
and some steroids
while I'm at it.

Hey, look,
you are joking?

Right? But...

Five, ten years from now,
all that shit's gonna be legal.

You know that, right?
The government can't stop
evolution.

All drugs should be legal.

-Then you'd be out of a job.
-Hm-mm.

I'd still have you as my
full time fucking employment,
hm?

When I delivered you,
you were a perfectly sound
pitcher.

Two years with these
so called experts, and what?
You are all banged up.

You are all, you are all
tangled up.

It's not their fault, dad.

So you say.

-They got a weight room here
in the minors leagues, skinny?
-All right.

-I got to go.
-No, no, listen.

-I'm serious
about the anbolics.
-Yeah. I will.

-I can get you
the undetectable stuff.
-All right.

Get in.

You got to get wet
all at once, then it's
awfully pleasant.

If it's so pleasant,
why aren't you getting in?

Truckers.

I was on my feet all day
waiting on suckers.

That makes me a sucker,
too, huh?

I work at Millie's
a mile away.

Do you see bunions
on my feet?

No,
i don't see any bunions.

Not from this distance,
anyway.

You with the ball club,
hopper?

That's right.

-What position?
-Pitcher.

-Throw fast?
-Very.

Oh, regular Bob feller.

That might be.

My name's Candace,
by the way.

I'm a regular Candace.

What's that mean?

Get it? Regular Bob feller,
regular Candace.

Oh, I got you.

So you're a waitress
around here?

And you live
in the motel?

For the night, at any rate.
My old man's a fucking child.

He ran out of generosity,
even for himself.

Hm.

He tells me he lifted me
out of the gutter,

but I'm pretty sure
I'm still there.

Maybe you know how
it can be with drunks.

Do I have something
on my mouth or something?

You keep staring
at my mouth.

Okay, it's okay.

Here. Watch it
blow you a kiss.

You seem
ill at ease, homeboy.

Yeah... if I

get caught by the coaches
I'm dead.

You'll die satisfied.

Hey, come here.

You're a stud.

Goddang.

Ah.

I could kiss you forever.

You expecting someone?

As a matter of fact,
i am.

Don't be too sore
with me, okay?

Whatever's got a tail
at one end, has teeth
at the other.

What the fuck
are you talking about?

I claimed that
from the nature channel.

- Door's not locked.

It's okay,
it's okay.

- It's okay.

I'm just gonna,
I'm just gonna
take this, okay?

And this.

-Do whatever you want.
-Those are real nice.

Oh, you need
a watch right, baby.

Earrings.

Don't you worry.

Turn over and
lie on your stomach.

My ride's downstairs
in the form of a motorcycle.

I'm going to take
your party favors
and start the engine.

My pal sees you move,
or hears you breathe,

he's gonna blast you
in the back of your head.

So, don't move
or breathe, hopper.

- Are you breathing?
-No.

Well, you can breathe
a little.

Oh, man, sometimes
I'm just plain mean and salty.

Son of a bitch.

I'm sorry that
you're in distress

but, that doesn't change
the way things went down.

-You know.
-Yeah.

I thought I was your
best friend,

and, all of a sudden,
you treated me
like a stalker.

I felt bad for even
calling you.

You don't know
what it's like.

To be what,
like illusturious
you mean?

Are you still
on that trip?

No, I'm not.

-Still trying to be the dude
from the wheaties box?
-No.

The sooner you realize
that we are all just utterly
unique aliens

in this vast universe,

and stop trying to be
some commercial, conditioned,

brain-washed, TV cowboy
version of yourself.

-Yeah, I know. I know.
-The less you're gonna suffer.

I know and that's not...
I was...

I was confused.

I'm sorry.

I can't. I don't know
what else to say.

I go back to new haven soon.

I don't know
what else I can do.

Do you have another
boyfriend waiting for you?

No.

But I have papers and,

teachers...

I can't be here for you
like that anymore.

You're scared
and you need somebody,
maybe anybody.

That's not what it's like.
Okay?

That's not what
it's like. I promise.

Then what is it like,
"talk to me."

It's not fair.

I'm not good at talking
about stuff.

Well, I want to talk.

I'm in love with you, hopper.

Like a lot.

You know.

So, when you do
want to talk,

let me know.

Okay. Now I want you
to throw one right over
the plate, strike.

Okay? Show me
what you've got.

What do you want?
Cheese, Charlie?

-Change up?
-Whatever you want.

-Anything?
-Just throw me
a strike.

--All right?

All right.

What's the most fun
you ever had playing
baseball?

-Fun?
-Hm-mm.

Now, come on,
there must have been
one time. Come on.

Yeah, I guess
there was one time.

When I was five or six,
we used to play in this
abandoned parking lot.

-Did you pitch?
-Yeah, that's the first time
i pitched.

-And that was fun?
-Yeah.

What was so fun
about pitching then?

I don't know. We were just
stupid kids. Nobody expected
anything out of us, you know.

How do you think
you can get pitching
to feel that way again?

I don't know.
That's the big question.

You add millions of dollars
to it and something changes,
i guess.

Probably have to do
hypnosis to make me think

I'm in an abandoned
parking lot or something.

Close your eyes.

-I wasn't serious.
-I am. Now close your eyes.

- Huh.
-No laughing,
come on, man.

See it, hear it,
feel it, smell it.

- Smell it?
-Yeah.

Yeah, you are five years old.

Uh...

Could be a warm day
like this one,

if that's what you remember.

-Seriously?
-Can you see anything?

Can you see anything?

Yeah, I can see it, kinda.

And what you see?

I don't know.

I, uh...

You are, what,
five years old.

Deep, deep breath.

That's it. Take another
deep breath.

Wind up and throw
whenever you want.

Go for it.

- How'd that feel?

Felt good.

How did it look?

Perfect.

-There he is!
-Hopper! Hopper!

Any comment on
your dad's arrest?

How do you feel
his criminal record
being exposed?

Come on, hopper.
It's me, talk to me.

Ladies and gentlemen,
my client has no comment
at this time.

Give me exclusive,
I'll put sugar on it?

Oh, you filthy little girl.

We can't get the public
to be sympathetic to hopper
if they don't know him.

Hey, where are jd salinger
and boo radley staying?
Go there.

Cunt.

Go. Go.

You got to tell me
when the club puts
you in a shitty dump like this.

They didn't put me
in here, I asked to
be put in here.

Huh.

--What's with the get-up?

Ah, fundraising benefit.
I figured I'd go
as the Duke of Earl.

Hm.

You look like hell, hopper.

You have mobley
prescribe you
some sleeping pills.

Well, mobley
doesn't like pills.

-He doesn't like pills, huh?
-No.

-You still like him, though?
-He's all right.

-Those fucking parasites.
-What did they get my dad on?

Drug smuggling.

-It's pretty serious.
-So did we lose any
endorsements?

No, you did not.

Under armour
has contacted me
they want to talk. It's cool.

You did not get
into trouble,
your father did.

Could you not worry
about the companies?
That's my job.

Yeah.

Okay. Sick.

Let's dry you off.

Okay? Let's not
catch a cold on top
of everything else.

I'm gonna stay with you
till things settle down.

It's all right.
You don't need to do that.

-With all your other clients.
-Nonsense.

You wanted to stay here, huh?

We're stuck. We've got
the leeches outside.

All right. I'm gonna order us
dinner from the four seasons,
okay?

Pass me the salt, please.

Thank you. So...

Now that I've shown up,

it's gonna deflect a lot
of negativity away from you.

The press hates me
more than anyone.

When we have the families
come in,

when we are representing
the premium people,

the draft, you know, '
the parents, fathers
and mothers and players,

and they look at me
and they thank me
for what I do,

I don't give a shit
what the press says.

I mean, we got to have
a thick skin in this game.

All of us do.

-Right?
-Right.

Big league team
is calling you up.

Go to la, couple of days.

My dad's in prison
in la.

I thought of that.
You don't have to think
about that.

You gotta try that
with butter. I won't tell.

So, where did they
find Dr. mobley?

Everyone in sports knows him.

He's got a good reputation?

What do you think?
Yeah.

The guy's was on the cover
of time magazine when he
was, like, 22 years old.

He's brilliant.

What was he on the cover
of time magazine for?

He was the first
mental skills coach

hired full time
by the big league club,
at like, 21.

He was a prodigy.
He was like the Bobby fischer
of sports psychology.

Who's Bobby fischer?

No one. No one you need
to think about.

That's a shitty example.

You ever been to any kind of
mental coach or psychologist
before, no?

- No.
-So...

When I got some money,

the first thing I did
was I got a shrink.
Right?

And I went every other day
for five years,

and finally, the guy says
to me, "oh...

You want to kill
your father and fuck
your mother."

I said, "oh, thanks, tyreseus,

that's why people go to shrinks.
Can I have my quarter of
a million dollars back now?"

You know.

But, look, mobley,
he's the man.

He worked
with Howard glass

before people
even understood

that there's such a thing
as sports psychology.

He said he didn't work
with Howard glass.

-Really?
-Yeah.

I mean, you know
these fucking shrinks,

they say one thing
to their patients,

another thing
to their non-patients,

another whole thing
altogether to their wives.

They work in strange
and mysterious ways.

I mean, you and me are friends.
We straight talk to each other,
but shrinks have...

Weird ways.
That's how they are.

Yeah. You sure he worked
with Howard glass?

-Yes.
-Yeah?

When glass died,
mobley dedicated his practice

solely to athletes
who are suffering from

you know, from the yips.

Well, he's the expert
in the field now. Perhaps,
you misheard him.

No, I didn't mishear him.

Hop, I'm telling you,

mobley is the man.

I trust him.
Do you trust me?

-Yeah.
-Then we are all good.

Eat your fancy dinner.

When I threw
with my eyes closed,

I wasn't throwing strikes.

Right? You were just
fucking with me?

No, I'm not just
fucking with you.

Those were strikes, man.

Well,

I guess I really won't know
for sure until it's too late.

Out there, humiliating
myself in front of the entire
universe again

okay. Well.

-What's up, man?
-You didn't tell me anything.

About Howard glass.

When I brought him up,
you just glazed right over it.

Don't you think
i would wanna know
about that?

I didn't want you
to dwell on him.

In that moment, uh...

In that moment, I wanted
to keep the focus
of the sessions

squarely on you.

So, we don't keep
the focus on you?

-No.
-We stay away
from the focus on you.

- Right?

Howard glass
was my patient, yes.
It's true.

And his suicide
affected me greatly.

Altered the course
of my life.

It altered the course
of my practice.

You're a great talker.

But you couldn't
talk him out...

Of killing himself.

No, I couldn't, no.

- Does that haunt you?

There was a time
when I put the blame
on myself, yeah.

But I was...

Young.

And I've learned things
since then.

Um, I know now
what I can and can't do.

I can only talk to you
and listen to you
and be here with you.

I can't go out
the door with you.

Or take the mound
for you.

Or pitch for you,
only you can do that.

-So?
-Are you married?

I'm divorced.

Is there anything else
you want to know?

-She left you?
-Yeah.

-Why did she leave you?
-That's right.

-What?
-Why did she leave you?

Um, I was never home.
I was always working.

And even when I was at home.

Um, see, there's now
a little, kinda...

It's not exactly the truth,
is it?

I mean, I did a lot
of googling on you.

I read the web.
It's out there.

-I got the scoop on you, doc.
-Yeah.

All right, let's hear it then.

Your life,
i mean, you sound like
you have it all together,

but your life is pretty
fucking far from perfect.

I think both of us
have some issues
about being perfect, man.

After he died, you hit
the bottle pretty hard, right?

Yeah.

Arrested for drunken
disorderly conduct.

-Yeah.
-Holy fuckin' shit.

Doc, I mean, she probably
thought she was marrying
a superstar,

and you didn't live up
to those expectations.

Sounds familiar.

--Yeah. Kinda fell short.

Bye-bye magazine covers.

Yup.

That was the best part,
actually.

And I wasn't
all that comfortable
with the attention myself.

Well, try living under
a fucking microscope
today.

-Yeah.
-You know?

They will eat you alive.

They find the smallest
chink in your armor.

Take off the armor.

-Take off the armor.
-Yes.

That's easy for you to say,
because nobody gives a shit
about you anymore.

A lot of people want an
arm that throws a 100 mile
an hour fast ball.

You know what?
They can have the arm.

They really can.
You want the arm?

You can have it.
It's yours.

-No, thank you.
-Oh, come on.
You know you want it.

Who doesn't want an arm
that can throw a fast ball?

Oh, I'm sure.
I'm sure.

Are you sure
you don't want it?

-Oh, I'm sure I don't want it.
-Okay.

-I promise you that.
-Then what do you want?

-What do I want?
-Yes.

-Fuck you, we're not
going there.
-No. Fuck you.

Fuck you, come on.

-Oh, fuck you, fuck you.
-Okay.

That feeling you had
when you were a kid,

playing in the parking lot
with your friends.

That's still available
to you.

That's still available
to you, that still exist.

I swear to god,
it does.

Now you may feel
kinda beat up and fucked up,

and you're siting
in the corner of some
washed-up asshole's office.

But I swear to you,

that feeling
of being and playing,

that still is available
to you.

You thew strikes.

I couldn't bullshit you
about that.

You know it.

So, believe me.

And this overwhelming
suspicion you have of people,

is old, old, old fear...

And you can let go of that now.
Let go of it now.

I compete out of fear.

How am I gonna compete
if I don't have fear?

You wanna compete?

You just said
you wanted...

I doesn't matter what I want,
'cause I have a contract.

And you know what?
I'll tell you something.

They picked the fucking guy.

Because I'm just
an ordinary kid.

I'm just
an ordinary kid.

And maybe that's what
makes you the right kid.

-Can I lie down
for a second?
-Yeah.

So, you ready
for the big game, hm?

Got you coming
out of the pen, huh?

You're going
to save everybody?

I raised you to be a horse,
not to come out of the pen.

So, hero,

what you doing here?

Well, my mental coach
thought it would be
a good idea.

-Your what?
-My mental coach.

Whatever.

-What do you talk about
with him?
-I don't know. Whatever.

Whatever we want to,
I guess.

Really?

What's the,
what's the diagnosis?

Ah, it's complicated.

-Oh, I bet.
-Actually, it's pretty simple.

But, I'd rather not
get into it.

Suit yourself.

We got a shit load
of shrinks around here.

I just never...

Feel like telling
my private life
to some total stranger.

You know frank bullet
never cried to a quack,
right?

-You know who that is?
-Frank bullet?

Yeah.

-He's from the...
-From the movie, "bullet."

-Bullet?
-Yeah.

Anyway, he's a cop, right?
But he's not like some loud
ol' pigs like these fuckers.

Yeah.

They are trying
to reform me.

Yeah, turn me int a...

Modern man.

Modern man to me,
looks an awful lot
like a modern sissy.

So do you have any friends
in here this time?

All my friends are dead.

I had a dream about
your mom last night.

She was the same age
as when we met.

You know, head cheerleader.
That's all she cared about.

You know, but she was,
she was super pretty.

She'd do those tumbles
into jumps, you know.

Stellar shit.

She led her whole team
to this competition in, uh,

Tokyo, Japan.
Did you know that?

-Your mom competed in Japan.
-No.

-You didn't know that?
-No, I didn't.

I mean, I knew
she was cheerleader
but, I didn't know...

-She was the captain, dude.
-Yeah.

-Yeah, regional four champion.
-Yeah.

-Yeah, she didn't
tell you that?
-No.

Well, she was never
the bragging type,
you know.

I'll give her that.

High-school sweethearts.
Die-hard.

Kid, beware.

Well, you know what?

-I started to talk
to Dorothy last night.
-Yeah.

-Yeah, we talked
for five hours.
-Five hours?

-Five hours.
-You're chatty Cathy, huh?

-I guess so.
-You think you love her?

-I think so.
-Hm.

You knew how to do that, huh?
Love somebody.

I need someone. I think,
she doesn't like, she...

-I have to communicate.
-Yeah, right.

-Or she gets pissed.
-Yeah.

Yeah.

So you don't even care,
huh? You just, you let her
wear the pants?

Yeah, sometimes.
I guess.

What are you doing here,
horse, hm?

I mean,

I taught you everything
I know already.

You got my two cents.

But you knew that.

But here you are.

You just come
to see the old man, huh?

Your old man who's not
worth a damn.

I mean, the fact
that you would come
here to see me,

before your big...

It's a big game,
you know.

It is.

I mean...

Show me what you're made of,
why don't you?