On his 29^th birthday Fred Sorley had just gotten home from a full day at work supermarket and came home to just go to bed.  When his phone rang, Fred thought who it could be calling me right now, forgetting it was his birthday.  Fred answered the phone and his life was forever changed.  Who was it?  It was Fred’s old high school baseball coach.  He had called to wish Fred a happy birthday and give him the best gift he could ever want a chance to pitch professionally again.

“I didn’t want to answer that phone, but I saw a number that was local, so I figured I should answer it.  I knew it couldn’t be a bill collector as I owe nobody money.  On the other end it was coach Rick and he wanted to wish me a happy birthday.  I had completely forgotten it was my birthday, but then again, I was just super busy managing the supermarket.  He then asked me if I was still in-shape and I told him that I was never in-shape, but I told him I did still throw a ball now and again.  He offered to coach me for a few months in an independent league and then maybe enter PEBAverse in off-season.  I told him sure, figuring if it doesn’t work out, I still have an everyday job,” said Fred Sorley.

“I called Fred because I was coaching in an independent league and my staff was struggling, but even at their best, I thought to myself, my ex-high-school pitcher was better than any of them on their best day.  Fred had a forkball that was devastating and when he told me he could still throw it, I was sold.  I told him all I could offer him was a chance, but at least it was a chance,” said coach Rick.

Well what happened next was a lot of work by Fred to get back into game shape.  On December 12, 2027, Fred entered the PEBAverse as a free agent.  While a few teams looked at Fred no one decided to sign him and he decided that while baseball was fun, he just wasn’t meant to make a living at it and the supermarket it was.  Then on 7/18/2028 again Fred’s phone rang, but this time from a number in West Virginia.  Not knowing many people from WV, Fred was tempted to let it go to voicemail, but on the 4^th ring answered it.  On the other line was GM Abcarian calling.

“I called Fred directly because he had no agent listed. Maybe that is why he lasted as a free agent until July, but once had that number I was not going to let him go.  When I asked him what his vision was for his baseball career, he was very realistic.  He said that he would love to pitch in PEBA, but being away from the game so long, he may just be a 4-A player now.  I offered him an $11,000 signing bonus and a spot in the rotation in AA to start with a promise to be promoted to AAA if he performed,” GM Abcarian said.

Fred’s AA career lasted 5 games and 6 innings.  Management decided that they wanted him to get a few appearances out of the pen to get acclimated to competitive baseball again.  In those games he showed that he could handle his own and got promoted to AAA.  That’s when his magic started.  In 7 starts, he won 5 games, had an ERA of 1.81 in 49.2 innings.  During that he only walked 7 guys and gave up a paltry 35 hits.  That run has cemented a spot going forward for Sorley.

“I am super happy at the chance I got.  I know I am not a household name and hopefully at some point soon, I can be pitching in the PEBA.  I know that my chances of playing with West Virginia might be slimmer than some other teams, I will always be grateful to West Virginia for giving me a chance to follow a childhood dream,” Fred said.

This season may look like he is having a bad season with a much higher ERA (4.76), but if you take away the one bad game, his ERA is under 3.5.  His peripherals look good and he is known as a leader in the clubhouse and a very adaptable guy too.  Will his time in the majors come?  This reporter thinks sooner than later, but it might have to be through a trade.