"Hometown Hero In Atlanta" - The Career of Carl Kent

[Frank is the Tank]

Up in Miami Park's announcers booth with MLB Network's Bob Costas and Barry Larkin...

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob Costas

Hello folks! Thank you for tuning in on this MLB Network special as we bring you the Double-A Southern League All-Star Game here in Miami Florida! Here with former MLB Network Analyst Barry Larkin! Now Barry, in this All-Star Game, who is the one player you will be specifically watching?

Quote: Originally Posted by Barry Larkin

Well Bob, first I just want to say thanks for bringing me back here! Anyways, I think I'm speaking for all the viewers at home and in the stadium when I say that the spotlight is on the starting third basemen for the Southern League South All-Star Team, Carl Kent! Not only has his performance been extremely more unrealistic than a video game with 50+ HR's, 140+ RBI's, and an amazing average over .530, but he also has a great story that will be based upon his performance! And Bob, to those who don't know yet, could you please elaborate?

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Of course Barry! Carl has made a huge promise to a close friend of his named Chet Liebovich, and that promise is that he would hit two home runs tonight for him after Chet saved his life in New York following the Future's game where Chet jumped in front of a launched grenade that would amputate his leg on the spot, saving Carl's life!

Quote: Originally Posted by Barry

Sorry Bob, I don't mean to interrupt but this is basically the same situation as in he early 1920's and '30's where Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig promised to hit two home runs for sick kids as well. Now, we know Chet is not a little kid but losing a leg is good enough. Anyways, Bob, if Carl can make his promise, do you think we'll be seeing a future Babe Ruth, or Lou Gehrig in he making?

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Barry, that is a huge question to ask someone, but I'll reply with an even bigger answer. I believe that if Carl can keep up what he's doing in Double-A and put it into the MLB, then I believe that he could be better than the Babe and Iron Horse. Actually, I think he could be the greatest player of all time!

Quote: Originally Posted by Barry

Okay Bob, that is a huge statement to make for a kid like Carl, and someone in the AA level. We don't even know if he'll get there. I mean he did almost die in New York. I pray he doesn't end up like Brian Cole, but lets hope for the best.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Well said Barry, and without further adieu, I'd like to announce that All-Star games first pitch is about to arrive, we'll be right back with the game!

[Frank is the Tank]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

We're back in the bottom of the second where we would have Carl Kent leadoff this half of the inning. The score nothing to nothing through an inning and a half. Carl steps in the box.

As Carl stepped in he looked at Chet and gave him a wink, and stepped into the box. Southern League North All-Star starting pitcher Villanueva would start the wind-up to start the inning, the pitch...Strike one called! A first pitch slider to Kent. Carl stepped out of the box and thought in his head.

Quote: Originally Posted by Carl's Mind

First pitch slider, okay, the next pitch ought to be fastball... Anything other, I'm not swinging.

Carraway stepped on the rubber and awaited Kent to step in the box.. Kent stepped in the box he knew what he wanted to see, and knew it was coming. Carraway began his wind-up, lifted his leg and bought his momentum towards the plate as he released the baseball sliding out of his fingertips, Carl loaded and...

Spoiler

Swung and miss! He threw another slider to Carl. Carl stepped out of the box and shook his head repeatedly, knowing he was wrong, and couldn't think of what could be coming next...

Quote: Originally Posted by Carl's Mind

What the f*** was that? A slider, again? Holy sh*t, what could be coming next? No, f*** it, I'm just going to see the ball and hit the ball. Carraway's scared to throw a fastball anyways, he doesn't want me to hit it, he's going to come right at me with another pitch in the zone...

Carraway started his wind-up for the third time in this AB, and as Carraway released the pitch, Carl triggered to start his swing, and let his hands do the work and went with instinct instead of thought, as the barrel made impact with the ball, Carl knew there was only one outcome..

Spoiler

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Carl unloads on the third pitch slider and hits it deep into the Second Deck in Right Center! Check off the first home run Chet! Remember folks, he's not done yet! He's got one more to go! The score 1-0 South in the bootom of the second.

Carl rounded the bases, knowing he hasn't accomplished the objective he kept a straight face and didn't even bother looking into the crowd where Chet was sitting. When he touched home plate he gave his All-Star teammate, Ryan Ludwick (I was shocked to see him here, too...) a fist bumb and headed into the dugout.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

And were back in the bottom of the fifth with one out, still a 1-0 score from the second inning blast by South's Carl Kent, who is attempting to get his second home run of the game for his buddy, Chet Liebovitch. And speaking of Kent, here he comes walking into the batter's box. The pitcher then, was Carraway, now it's Elias. Elias starts his wind-up, the pitch.. Hit into deep left field! Catricala going back to the warning track! And it is...

Spoiler

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Caught! The baseball God's are teasing us! The ball looked as if it were going to hit the same scoreboard as Stanton in 2012, but suddenly dies in the warning track!

Quote: Originally Posted by Barry

Son of a b*tch! What the f***!

Bob looked at Barry with utter shock and disbelief, Barry opened his eyes real big and realized what he had said on the mic... He got up, put the mic down next to Bob and walked out the room, knowing he won't be coming back.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Ha ha ha, well, we're terribly sorry for those of you that heard that. Barry uhhh.. stubbed his toe and couldn't hold it back. You know, it's an instinct! Can't do anything about it! So, we'll be right back.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob's assistant

Uh, sir, it's only the second out.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Right, but, still I'll be right back while my assistant Cameron, will be doing the play-by-play for the rest of the inning...

Bob handed the mic to the young assistant from Rhode Island, and headed to the booths restroom...

Quote: Originally Posted by Cameron

And the pitch to Ludwick, he hits a flyball to right field, caught for the third out to end the inning. Stay tuned to see if Carl can hit home run number two for Chet.

In other news, Cameron was a natural! Bob heard his assistant do a great job through the thin walls in the bathroom and asked him to join him and take Barry's place for the rest of the game. Cameron couldn't pass up this opportunity and said yes!

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

We're back in the bottom of the eighth in what is a pitcher's game, still 1-0, no runs since Carl Kent's homer in the second.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cameron

And look who's coming to lead off the bottom half of the inning for the South, the one and only Carl Kent, who's 1 for 2 in the game with his home run. Carl steps in the box to face right handed closer from the Jackson Generals, Carson Smith, who has the odds against Carl as he has faced him four times and given up one hit, but that hit was one of Carl's 51 home runs. Lets see what happens.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Well said Cam, and Smith goes from the stretch, and there is 41,243 fans here in Marlins Park, the most this season, waiting to see if Carl can do it, the pitch...

Spoiler

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

Carl hits a screaming line drive into left field! It's going! It's going! Its...

Spoiler

Quote: Originally Posted by Cameron

Foul. Oh man Bob, I thought that was going to be it right there!

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

You got that right, kid! That looked and probably felt like it, too! Man, what a let down. Carl steps in the box again, and Smith, the pitch...

Spoiler

Quote: Originally Posted by Bob

NOW THIS ONE GOES WAY BACK INTO CENTER! OH THIS A NO DOUBTER BY CARL! CARL HAS DONE IT! CHECK OFF HOMER NUMBER TWO FOR THE GAME! THERE IT IS CHET! CHERISH THIS MOMENT! THIS IS FOR YOU!

Carl circled the bases and let out a big smile and raised his fist in the air knowing what he has done, not only for himself, but for Chet. As he crossed home plate, Carl pointed at Chet cheering in the first row right next to their dugout. Kent then hustled over towards Chet and gave him a hug as they Chet teared up. The crowd going wild as all this was occuring, Carl let go and headed into the dugout, but quickly came out and did a curtain call. Following, manager Andy Green congratulated Carl and told him that he would be pulled from the game. Carl would go on to win the Southern League AA All-Star Game MVP award for his performance after going 2/3 with his two solo shots to carry his All-Star Team to a 2-0 win!

After the game, Carl was ambushed by reporters in the locker room but quickly gave them an upset look. The reporters took note of the face Carl gave them and stayed back from Carl to give him his space. Carl answered the questions asked appropriately, and headed out to the limo where Chet would be waiting to take him back to the hotel. Where Chet and Carl would later go to Joe's Stone Crab in Miami to celebrate.

[Bluejaysfan65]

Nice two homer all star game!

[AC]

What difficulty settings are you on?

[Frank is the Tank]

Quote: Originally Posted by ACMilan99

What difficulty settings are you on?

Hall Of Fame Hitting, all sliders are normal [except for pitch speed (up all the way) and solid hits (only down one)].

[AC]

Quote: Originally Posted by Frank is the Tank

Hall Of Fame Hitting, all sliders are normal [except for pitch speed (up all the way) and solid hits (only down one)].

And you're hitting .550. Holy jeebus.

I suggested this to Royals last year, why don't you try playing on the maximum difficulty (stacked HOF sliders) for a couple games just for fun? Royals managed to pull out a W. That would be kinda cool to see.

[Frank is the Tank]

Quote: Originally Posted by ACMilan99

And you're hitting .550. Holy jeebus. I suggested this to Royals last year, why don't you try playing on the maximum difficulty (stacked HOF sliders) for a couple games just for fun? Royals managed to pull out a W. That would be kinda cool to see.

Actually .531, but still hahaha!

And what do you mean when you say stacked? All the way up? Or down?

[AC]

Quote: Originally Posted by Frank is the Tank

Actually .531, but still hahaha! And what do you mean when you say stacked? All the way up? Or down?

The maximum difficulty. So, pitch speed would be all the way up, but contact would be all the way down, for example.