relief pitcher (ben mix)

from Tribute Act 2: Headliners by the garages

original by Coyote Wall (coyotewall.bandcamp.com, @coyote_wall), cover by Benjamin Oliver (benjaminoliver.bandcamp.com, @vagueshrug)

i don’t do it for glory or women or pay
i throw out of spite for the triple a
i throw for the soul of the USA
and i’ll throw till i’m put in the ground

two outs
bottom of twelve
runner on second
lefty from hell

so send me up
so sound the alarm
a ball in my glove
and hate in my arm

grip my weapon between the seams
i don’t have long left on this team

never yield
leave it on the field

i’m playing angry
let fly like a gun
they don’t move a muscle
ump calls ball one

if this were five years ago
i’d be up there in his face
i grind my heel into the dirt
he knows i know my place

every face in the dugout a mask of death
i curse them all with my dying breath

never yield
leave it on the field

ball two ball three
and my shoulder starts to crack
fire down my arm
vision fades to black

in the dark i am a rookie
all limber and strong
good god above
where did i go wrong

wind up for my final stand
hear something pop as it leaves my hand
never yield
leave it on the field

like a sinker my heart breaks fast and low
she strides to first and down i go
never yield
leave it on the field