Mutiny in the Dugout, by Rod Kent. Cover artwork by Kylar Loya.
| Genre: Comedy | Field of Dreams for kids meets East of Eden |
Charlie, an upcoming pro baseball player, returns home to find himself recruited to coach his dad’s little league team and reunited with his lost love. As Charlie and the team vie for the championship, they’re left wondering who exactly needs to grow up—the kids or the adults? Only a mutiny in the dugout will provide the answer as chaos escalates in the last game of the season.
Charlie is an upcoming pro baseball player whose pastor brother has begged him to come home for a temporary visit with their ailing father. However, it soon becomes apparent that the old man and Charlie’s brother, Abe, have another agenda. Because Gordon can no longer coach his little league team, his dying wish is that Charlie will bring his beloved A-Team through the playoffs, beat their rivals, the Giants, and make it to the Little League World Series.
Although Charlie’s committed to not revisiting his past, some unpredictable events bring him face-to-face with his lost love, Teri, and his nemesis from high school, Herbert (who is the Giants coach).
Charlie overhears that Herbert intends to franchise his military-style baseball training program as standard practice in little league teams all over the country. Knowing how these tactics negatively affect players, Charlie becomes dedicated to foiling Herbert’s plan.
When the A-Team and the Giants face off, the two teams go neck and neck for the wild-card spot in the championship. A new pitch helps defeat the Giants in their first game, but Herbert sneakily poaches some of the A-Team’s best players before the second game and ties up the competition.
As the last game heats up, with one team pulling ahead, then the other, Herbert continues barking military-style orders, while the A-Team parents keep distracting the players with unhelpful comments. All the yelling and anger have changed the emphasis from doing their best and playing as a team to winning at all costs. Charlie sees how dejected both teams have become and vows to do whatever it takes to bring back the heart and soul of the game.
Charlie and his team come up with a plan to thwart the competition. The A-Team starts playing a nonsensical but impressive game of catch while they perform some skillful but circus-like antics. When the Giants finally get it, both teams come together, marching with picket signs around the field to let the adults know they’ve crossed the line. It’s a mutiny in the dugout. Charlie learns that sometimes you must lose the battle to win the war.