SCENE FOUR: EXECUTIVE CONFERENCE ROOM, CUBS’ SPRING TRAINING HEADQUARTERS

Cubs’ president Andy MacPhail is seated at a table along with Jim Hendry and Bird Dog McCracken. Linda walks in and sits down across from Andy.

ANDY MACPHAIL

Look, before we try and figure out how we’re going to handle the media, Jim wants to say something to you, Linda.

JIM HENDRY

I wanted to apologize for…hiding under my desk earlier. It was unprofessional. I’m not sure why I did it. Bird Dog wants to apologize, too.

BIRD DOG MCCRACKEN

I’m sorry, too.

ANDY MACPHAIL

Tell her what you’re sorry for, Bird Dog.

BIRD DOG MCCRACKEN

I’m sorry for pretending to be pooping.

ANDY MACPHAIL

Honestly, my family’s been in baseball for like 100 years and I’ve never heard of anybody pretending to be pooping behind a cactus.

BIRD DOG MCCRACKEN

Oh, you’d be surprised.

ANDY MACPHAIL

OK, Linda, if you feel we need to pursue this any further, you just let me know, OK?

LINDA ZAPATOS

No, I understand.

ANDY MACPHAIL

If you understand these two, you’ve been around too long. Anyway, I talked with the training staff and they honestly feel that Prior’s nerve injury isn’t serious, but he’s going to need to rest to get better and he’ll fall behind in his workouts and probably won’t be ready for opening day.

JIM HENDRY

We heard this stuff last year, too.

ANDY MACPHAIL

Yeah, but this time our trainers actually went to college. They seem to know stuff. With the bunch we had last year I’m surprised we didn’t end up forfeiting the season after a lupus breakout.

LINDA ZAPATOS

Here’s what I’ll do, I’ll call Dave Kaplan and give him the scoop, he believes everything we tell him. God bless that ignoramus.

ANDY MACPHAIL

Linda, you do remember this is the truth this time, right?

LINDA ZAPATOS

Whatever.

ANDY MACPHAIL

OK, put out a release with some quotes from the trainers about the injury and Mark’s tentative rehab schedule. It’s up to him if he wants to do interviews. OK, are we set now?

BIRD DOG MCCRACKEN

No.

ANDY MACPHAIL

What’s wrong with you?

BIRD DOG MCCRACKEN

I think she needs to apologize to me.

LINDA ZAPATOS

For what?

BIRD DOG MCCRACKEN

You know what you said!

LINDA ZAPATOS

About Neifi?

ANDY MACPHAIL

What about Neifi?

JIM HENDRY

Linda said Neifi sucked!

ANDY MACPHAIL

Well, he does, right? I mean come on, it’s Neifi Perez.

JIM HENDRY

You’ve got a point, there.

—CREDITS—

VOICE OVER

Next time on The Front Office.

Brent David attends his first Dusty Baker press conference. A misunderstanding with Kerry Wood results in Brent suffering his first “hazing” of the year. Sparks fly when Carrie and Brent hit the open road.