"In the big picture, I'd like to own several minor-league clubs," he says. "This is my career. I'm here every single night. Walking the stands, talking to people. I can see myself doing this for the next 30 years. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to own a major-league team one day."
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At this moment, as he stands on the mound at Enron Field, with two outs and two strikes on the Cardinals' Ray Lankford, Jason Green represents the major-league aspirations of all of Round Rock.
Morgan Ensberg watches TV in the clubhouse, sipping a cup of coffee. Green was his teammate two weeks ago. Now he's what Ensberg hopes to be. The fans stand stock-still, clutching pizzas and beers and souvenirs. Green lets them feel big-time while holding on to their small-town values. Green lets Reid Ryan feel that much closer to his father's legacy. He lets Jackie Moore feel the pride of a mission fulfilled. He lets Jerrey Thurston feel like he still has hope.
All Green is hoping for right now is to make it through the inning. His biggest challenge has always been composure. A few years back, assistant GM Purpura pulled Green aside and advised him on the merits of keeping his emotions in check. Green even went so far as to Magic-Marker "FUCKING COMPOSURE" beneath the brim of all his caps. From time to time he would take off his cap and stare at the words just to settle down.
But all the emotions of this day are too much for him to handle. This day has been 18 years in the making. Green's breath gets shorter. His legs get weaker. He forgets entirely about the letters under the brim of his cap.
"I've worked my whole life for this," Green would say later. "When you see it right there, you just want to reach out and grab it. Now I've grabbed it. I'm in the mix. So it's time to take advantage of being here. If I keep my composure and keep going at it, if I just try and get guys out, I'll be successful."
The ball leaves Green's hand at 90-plus miles per hour. Lankford can't see it. Strike three. The crowd at Enron Field shouts appreciatively. The crowd at Round Rock cheers madly.
"I go home every night and say to myself, "I was at the big-league game tonight -- and I wasn't in the stands,' " Green says. "I was pitching in the game, or sitting in the bullpen with all those guys. I still every night say to myself, "Holy smokes, look where you are.' Maybe it will take a couple years before I realize, hey, I belong here."
Epilogue: Jason Green struggled in the second inning of his major-league debut, giving up a single and three walks before being removed with two outs in the ninth. He was sent back down to Triple-A New Orleans when Tony McKnight was recalled, then came back up to Houston a week later when Jay Powell went on the disabled list. Through August 23 he had appeared in eight games, with a record of 1-1. His ERA was 7.94 over 11.1 innings, allowing ten hits, 13 walks and ten strikeouts. The walks were his main problem -- opponents were batting only .238 against him.
Morgan Ensberg was hitting .301 through 128 games for Round Rock, with 25 home runs and 81 RBIs. Keith Ginter was hitting .348 with 26 HR and 90 RBIs. Proving that career backups have a place in the game, Jerrey Thurston was called up to Triple-A New Orleans.
The Houston Astros had won ten of their last 13 games but were still 54-76, making them the second-worst team in major-league baseball.
