Chapter 5
Summer Two Years Ago
“Teresa, can you get Ben on the line?” I ask, walking past her desk and into my office overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
New York has been my home all my life. Growing up as a Davenport, all eyes were on me as the next generation to the billion-dollar company, which included hotels, media, real-estate development, and golf resorts around the world.
I chose a different route—baseball.
It pissed my parents off, which was an added bonus to pursuing my dreams. A dream that was cut short when a Tommy John injury ended my pitching career in my twenties.
Instead of joining the family business, I started my own with the money I made playing professionally.
And when the opportunity presented itself to stay in baseball as an owner of a new expansion team, I threw my hat in the ring.
“Ben is on the line,” Teresa’s voice sounds from the speaker on my desk. I answer the call, put it on speaker, and start to pace my office.
“Ben, we need a new Skipper,” I tell the general manager of the Music City Troubadours baseball club—the team I own in Nashville, Tennessee.
At 36, I’m the youngest principal owner in history.
We had the unfortunate luck of the Troubadours’ inaugural season being last year during the pandemic.
It was a bumpy start to say the least. I was hoping after acquiring Preston Fields and Ryan Miller at the trade deadline that our luck would change.
It seems our problems go higher than the current roster. We need a new coach.
“There’s still a chance we make the Wild Card this year,” Ben offers.
“That’s not good enough. This team is too talented to be floundering like this.
We need someone stronger at the helm.” My gut tells me Ben is the right man to have at the GM spot.
He knows the game inside and out and is respected in the league.
That’s the kind of boots-on-the-ground guy I need while I manage things from New York.
“Who do you have in mind?”
“Crenshaw,” I say.
Ben pauses. “Crenshaw? As in Mike Crenshaw? He’s been in Tampa for ages.”
Mike Crenshaw played for the Dodgers before he retired and moved into coaching. He coached me once upon a time, and if anyone can steer the ship in Nashville, it’s him.
I shrug, as if he can see me through the phone. “Word on the street is he’s not very happy there anymore, especially after losing Fields and Miller.”
“I can look into it. See if the rumors are correct, but Grant, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”
“We’ll just have to make him an offer he can’t refuse.
” Just like I did for Fields and Miller.
I knew Fields would take anything to be close to his girlfriend, but he’s a damn good second baseman and a leader on the team.
We paid top dollar for him. And then we sweetened the pot when we reached out to Miller to see if he’d be interested in joining him.
Those two are inseparable and the deal was done before we hung up the phone.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Ben says.
“Tampa’s in New York next week. Let’s set a meeting.”
“A bit premature, don’t you think?”
“Nope. Get it done.” There’s a reason I’m successful. I don’t take no for an answer when it’s something I truly want.
Except when it comes to the one person I truly want. I’ve taken no from her for way too long.