Offseason Choose Your Own Adventure - A Storm is Coming

Hey, hey, look, it’s the complete story stream here. You know, just in case you are one of the last to hitch a ride on the offseason choice wagon.

Just in case I somehow haven’t beaten it in yet, this is a work of fiction that exists within the head of me. And now all of you as well. Weird. I don’t like this feeling. Get out of my head.

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Alexander Henry’s Office - October 12th, 1:15 PM EST

Henry - “Just so you know, Jason, your place in this organization is assured, regardless of what we do with the manager position. You are a special assistant to me, the General Manager. Nobody has the power to end that relationship except for you or me, and I’m certainly not going to cut you loose, unless you find you want to leave.”

Varitek - “Thanks for that, boss. I would love to tell you about my managerial plans now.”

An annoying buzzer goes off in the office. It almost sounded like a vuvuzela. I guess Alexander Henry, a fan of US soccer, needed to go back to better times, he was still disappointed about the US failing to qualify for the World Cup.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Henry - “I’m sorry, Jason, just one moment.”

Alexander Henry pushed the intercom button.

Henry - “Yes, Susan? What could possibly be more important than having this discussion with the potential future manager of the Red Sox?”

Susan - “It’s Alex Cora sir. He’s on line one for you. He sounded relatively panicked and scared. He said it was important to talk with you as soon as it was possible.”

Henry - “He just left our office like ten minutes ago? What happened? Did someone nearly run him over?”

Susan - “No, I doubt that, I see him right outside the building on the phone, waiting for you to answer. He looks perfectly fine.”

Henry - “Huh... well I’m in the middle of meeting with Jason. It will have to wait until after I’m done here.”

Susan - “This will likely affect the start of the Kapler interview, you understand. He’s going to be rather upset by the constant delays.”

Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images

Henry - “I know, I know... just tell him that we’ve been hit by a ton of punches early on and that we aren’t going down without a fight.”

Susan - “With all due respect sir, that flat out does not make any sense. I’ll just tell him that the Varitek interview is going on far longer than expected and that he’ll be due shortly. So keep the Cora call short.”

Henry - “Understood, thank you, Susan.”

Susan clicks off the intercom, presumably to post on Twitter.

Henry - “I’m terribly sorry about that, Jason. Now, tell me what you think about the direction of the team.”

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Alexander Henry’s Office - October 12th, 1:20 PM EST

Varitek - “... and that’s basically it. What do you think?”

Henry - “I’ll be honest, Jason, that’s a fantastic appraisal of this team. Our main concern with you is your lack of coaching experience, so we might prefer to have you start in the minor leagues. We’ll keep you in consideration for this job, of course, but do give some thought to the idea of starting in the minor leagues.”

Varitek - “I have thought about it, but my preference would be to start in the majors, even if it isn’t as the manager. I’ll keep in touch. Thank you for the interview.”

Henry - “The pleasure was all ours Jason. Now if you don’t mind, I have to get in touch with Alex Cora, he’s been waiting long enough.”

Jason Varitek leaves the office, and Alexander Henry picks up the phone.

Henry - “Alexander Henry here. Is this Alex Cora?”

There was no answer. Henry looked down at the phone. He forgot to choose line one. Henry cursed under his breath over the complications of technology, and regained his composure. Upon pressing line one...

Henry - “Alexander Henry here. Is this Alex Cora?”

Cora - “Yes, hello Mr. Henry. I just wanted to call to talk about something regarding the contract.”

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Henry - “Yes, I understand. I have an interview to conduct in a few moments, so please, let me know in 140 characters or less, ‘what is up?’”

Cora - “I got off the phone with Dave Dombrowski in Detroit. I am more than willing to accept the offer you have put in front of me.”

Henry - “Well this is a shock, what could have possibly changed in 10 minutes?”

Cora - “Not much, I just realized how much I loved the city of Boston. You see this place is near an...”

Suddenly, Alexander Henry’s cellphone buzzed, signifying an important text message. Henry looked at the text as he listened to Cora say how much he loved the Red Sox. It was a text from Susan.

Henry (thinking) - “That’s peculiar.”

Henry opened the text, and it was confirmation of an announcement he had heard rumors of earlier that day. Ron Gardenhire would be the new manager of the Detroit Tigers. Suddenly, the phone call clicked in Henry’s head.

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Henry (thinking) - “Thank you, Susan.”

Cora - “... so you see, after discussing it briefly with my agent, who I told the base terms over the phone, we both decided that it would be the best move for me if I stuck my flag with the Boston Red Sox organization.”

Henry - “Right. Well, I still have that other interview to conduct, but I’ll be in touch with you shortly.”

Cora - “Before you hang up, sir, I will lower the cost on the buyout clause if we can agree to meet right now and get this contract done.”

The vuvuzela sound (seriously, why did Henry decide to go with a vuvuzela) played again.

Henry - “Sorry Alex, one moment. Yes Susan?”

Susan - “It’s Mr. Kapler sir. He’s fed up with waiting and has other plans for this afternoon. He told me if he does not get to meet with you in the next five minutes he’s going to walk out, and there will be no interview at all. I asked him to calm down and offered him a donut, but he saw Alex Cora standing outside the building and for whatever reason this was enough for him to make the ultimatum.”

Kapler (in background) - “I just heard on Twitter that Cora is the favorite for the job, now that Gardenhire got hired in Detroit, and that at present, instead of interviewing me, Alexander Henry is speaking with Cora on the phone!”

Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images

Henry - “Susan, how does he claim to know all of this?”

Susan - “Sir, I don’t think you realize this, but the door is wide open, and he can see you talking on the phone to a man you referred to as ‘Alex Cora’. He also saw you forget how to use your phone. You always have to choose the line after all.”

Henry - “Huh. Wonder how I completely ignored the fact we have an open door.”

Gabe Kapler pokes his head into the office, rather visibly upset over the lack of professionalism on display at the main office.

Kapler - “I like to think I’m a patient, reasonable man, but it doesn’t feel like I’m really a choice here, and that my time is being wasted. I need to know right now what your plans are, otherwise, I’m not sure I wish to be a part of this organization. I need a straight answer, no hiding.”

Cora - “Not to be rude, but I’m here as well. I’d like to know what’s going on since I’m right outside of the office and it looks about ready to rain.”

Sorry for the lack of choices this time. We’re nearing the end of the first “major” storyline, so the lack of choices sort of reflects the finality of it. This poll will end on Tuesday, October 24th, at 10:30 PM EST.