Daniel Murphy was in the Port St. Lucie locker room. His eyes were closed and he was in a deep meditation, envisioning a perfect swing, perfect contact, and a line drive hit to the opposite field to drive in the game winning run. He was distracted from his meditation by a disturbing sound.
Someone was crying.
Concerned, Daniel got up from his locker and soon discovered where the sound was coming from. A group of players were huddled outside of Terry Collins‘ office. The terrible sound was coming from inside.
“What’s going on?” Daniel asked.
“It’s Terry,” David said.
“I’ve never heard him so upset,” said Ike Davis.
“Esto es terrible!” said Johan Santana.
It indeed was terrible. Daniel knew what he had to do. He raced back to his locker and quickly looked around to make sure no one was looking. He reached inside his gym bag and hidden at the bottom, he pulled out his orange and blue superhero costume.
“My manager needs me,” he said.
In a flash, he was changed, and he sped off in the direction of Terry Collins‘ office, his cape with the large number 28 training behind him.
“It’s him!” said Ruben Tejada when Daniel arrived. “It’s the Superhero again!”
The team all let out a cheer, for they all remembered how the mysterious stranger had previously saved the bubble gum from the minion of the Evil Empire.
“Can you help our manager?” Bobby Parnell asked.
“Stand aside, fastballer,” Daniel said. “Let me handle this.”
And so Daniel did.
He knocked on the door of Terry Collins’ office. “Come in,” Terry said between sniffles.
“It’s you!” Terry said when he saw the masked superhero in the doorway. “Oh, help me, please help me! I don’t know what to do!”
“What seems to be the problem, Mr. Collins?” Daniel asked.
“I’m in the last year of my contract! Michael Bourn signed elsewhere yesterday and today Frank Francisco hurt his elbow! How will I ever win enough games to keep my job?” Terry Collins started sobbing all over again.
“Now, now,” Daniel said. “It will be okay. Just let it all out.”
So Terry did. He sobbed harder than ever before.
“I think you need a hug,” Daniel said. The masked man opened his arms wide and gave Terry Collins the biggest hug in the whole wide world. “Now doesn’t that make you feel better?” Daniel asked.
“Why, yes. Yes it does.” Terry Collins said. “Thank you, Superhero! I don’t know what I would have done without you!”
“No need to thank me,” Daniel Murphy said. “Just glad to be of service.” He reached into his cape. “How about a lollipop?”
Terry Collins gave him a big smile. “Cherry flavored. My favorite. Thank you.”
Daniel gave him a nod and before Terry Collins could get a better look at him, he sped off. The rest of the players started to disperse. As they were leaving, a non-roster invitee said to a passing clubhouse attendant, “We were sure lucky the Superhero was here today.”
“Yes, we were,” the attendant said. “Very lucky indeed.”
