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This programme contains some strong language.

Strike Three.

-I got it.

-ALL: I got it.

-Fly ball.

-ALL: Fly ball.

-Line drive.

-ALL: Line drive.

-Ground ball.

-ALL: Ground ball.

-Home run.

-ALL: Home run.

-Home run.

-ALL: Home run.

Home run!

PARTY MUSIC PLAYS

-What about this kid?

-Torres? He has been with us about a week.

Got potential.

Are we going to sign him?

Soon, I hope.

Talking to his agent. They got two other offers,

from two other teams for about 100.

He is good.

What about him?

Miguel Santos? Great arm.

We signed him two years ago for 15.

Good deal. He throw any junk?

Not bad.

-Mind if I try something?

-Go ahead.

Do you mind? May I?

Spike curve.

Gives you more rotation, more movement.

You try.

Just like that. Come on, let's go.

It's OK, son.

Things take time. You'll figure it out.

-Your performance...

-ALL: Your performance...

-..in the mound

-ALL: ..in the mound...

..is not...as good. As last year.

-What is the problem?

-ALL: What is the problem?

-What is the problem?

-ALL: What is the problem?

-I don't know.

-ALL: I don't know.

-I don't know.

-ALL: I don't know.

-Maybe mechanic

-ALL: Maybe mechaninc.

-Maybe mechanic

-ALL: Maybe mechanic.

-I want to give you a chance.

-ALL: I want to give you a chance.

-I want to give you a chance.

-ALL: I want to give you a chance.

-It's up to you.

-ALL: It's up to you.

-It's up to you.

-ALL: It's up to you.

-Thank you.

-ALL: Thank you.

-Thank you.

-ALL: Thank you.

-Thank you.

-ALL: Thank you.

-I'll do my best.

-ALL: I'll do my best.

-I'll do my best.

-ALL: I'll do my best.

-I'll do my best.

-ALL: I'll do my best.

Line drive. Line drive.

-Fly ball.

-Fly ball.

-Home run.

-Home run.

-I got it, I got it.

-I got it, I got it.

# Take me out to the ball game

# Take me out to the ground

# Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks

# I don't care if I never get back

# Let me root, root, root for the home team

# If they don't win it's a shame

# For it's one, two... #

MAMBO MUSIC PLAYS

PILOT: Ladies and gentlemen, from the flight deck,

we are still about 100 miles from the Phoenix airport.

Estimated time of arrival at the gate...

KNOCK AT DOOR

ADULT FILM SOUNDTRACK PLAYS

Are you boys ready? >

French toast, please.

Who's next?

ALL: French toast.

Remember that until you reach the top, there's always guys above you

hustling to keep you down here, and guys below you pushing to take your jobs.

We got 75 pitchers in this camp for less than 50 positions come April 3rd.

You do the maths.

You are going to work hard.

Bring over Leonard.

Welcome to America, son.

Time up.

CHEERING

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Good catch.

Thanks, man.

I just got lucky.

French toast, right?

Erm, no. Egg.

Egg, please.

Eggs. No problem, how do you like them?

Yes.

Erm, OK.

Scrambled, over-easy, sunny side up?

French toast.

No eggs?

You sure?

French toast, please.

All right, honey, French toast it is.

This is scrambled.

SHE SPEAKS SLOWLY: Scrambled.

Scrambled.

This is over-easy.

Over-easy.

OK, this one's a little trickier.

-Sunny...

-Sunny.

-Side...

-Side.

-Up.

-Up.

Sunny side up. On the house.

Thank you.

You are welcome.

A lot of the ball players have stayed at our house.

We've had Dominicans and Venezuelan boys.

A Colombian and even one from Panama.

Last year, we had a boy, Junior Sanchez, nice boy.

Decent glove but he could not bunt to save his life.

2-12 in sacrifice situations.

He cost us at least two victories.

Earl, that's generous.

I'd say four or five.

OK, Miguel. You put your things down and I'll show you around.

This is the kitchen.

You help yourself to anything you'd like.

If there are special foods you like to eat, just write them down on the grocery list right here.

Oh, and this drawer here is a little funny.

You have to be careful or it will...

This is the washer and the drier.

For your clothes.

You put the soap in here. Sopa.

And this one is just hot air.

This is your new cuarto.

Bedroom.

Do with it as you please. Except, no girls.

Chicas.

No chicas.

No drinking.

No chicas in the bedroom.

-I already told him that one.

-OK.

What about quiet time?

Oh, right. There's no real curfew but you must be quiet after ten.

Ssh! After diez.

Ten.

OK.

Ce!

That's all we ask.

It's our job to keep you healthy and focused on baseball.

And we take pride in that.

Miguel? >

Time for dinner. >

Dear God, thank you for this meal we're about to eat.

And for blessing us with our new guest.

Thank you for guiding him safely on his journey from the Dominican Republic to Bridgetown.

And finally, Lord, please look kindly on our Swing this season.

May all of the players stay healthy.

Well, why not?

If there is anything you can do to help us win another championship, we'll take that too.

Amen.

ALL: Amen.

So, Miguel, do you eat meatloaf back home?

-I already told you, Michael, he does not speak any English.

I know, but I am curious to know what he thinks of the meatloaf.

What do you care? You didn't cook it!

I doubt they have meatloaf in the Dominican Republic, dear.

They probably have something similar but have another name for it.

I like. Thank you.

Very good, Miguel.

Starting at pitcher for the American League.

From Kansas City.

Miguel 'Sugar' Santos!

IMITATES CHEERING

Very nice.

You're right over there.

Dude, I was totally psyched when I saw your name on the squad.

Yeah, OK.

Good times.

TANNOY PLAYS ROCK MUSIC

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. You're listening to Swing Time on WKBF.

Welcome to another exciting season of Swing baseball.

We have got some new faces that we'll get to see tonight.

Including Brad Johnson, the highly touted second baseman out of Stanford.

He'll make his pro debut.

It's a great night for Swing baseball and a great night for a bite and a brew after the game

at Harlems, your local pub and proud sponsor.

# Oh say can you see

# By the dawn's early light

# What so proudly we hailed. #

Leading off for Wisconsin, the second baseman, Tim Lewis.

That's outside for ball four.

Santos is apparently feeling some butterflies for his first professional outing.

Hailing all the way from the Dominican Republic,

this young man wowed the organisation with his power in spring training.

But tonight, he is off to a rocky start.

Line drive hit into the air to left centre field and that is going to get into the gap and go for a double.

Santos has been nearly unhittable for the first six innings tonight.

That is just the second hit he's given up.

Foul ball towards third. This is going to eat up Ramirez and go out left.

You suck, Ramirez!

One man will score and Santos has given up his first run.

CROWD BOOS

Nice game, son. Enjoy this.

-You hear that, son? That's for you.

-APPLAUSE

LOUD R&B MUSIC PLAYS

What's up, fellas?

Good game.

Flaco, what's up with this flaco?

Do you call this flaco?

MUSIC DROWNS OUT SPEECH

Dude, give me my keys.

You are not driving my car.

# Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms

# Leaning, leaning,

# Leaning on the everlasting arms

# What have I to dread, what have I to fear

# Leaning on the everlasting arms. #

How did you like the service? Our church?

Did you go to church in the Dominican Republic?

-I'm sorry...

-It's OK.

You understand more than a lot of the folks round here, I'll bet.

Good luck tonight.

Very bad. Very bad word.

Mamanema. What does it mean?

It's like...

Oh, cocksucker!

-Cocksucker.

-Yeah. We say cocksucker.

OK. Cocksucker.

Robinson Cano for the Yankees.

-And you?

-Roberto Clemente.

-Who is that?

-What?

Man, come on, you don't know about Clemente?

Is he Dominican?

He is Puerto Rican.

Man, this is tragic.

Do you know who Babe Ruth is?

Baby Ruth.

You like TV On The Radio?

TV what?

Check it out.

"Santos stings owls with 8ks."

What kind of shoddy journalism is that?

Do not even mention me.

At what point in the game did you know you had your best stuff tonight?

He knew very early he was going to pitch good. 11 years.

And we pray that you will never forsake us.

And never leave us.

We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

I have in my hands a rule book.

Hey, Miguel.

-Come on inside.

-My first strike out.

Miguel, you're so sweet.

Congratulations. I heard you pitched awesome tonight.

Hey, everyone. This is Miguel. He's from the Dominican Republic.

And now he pitches for the Swing.

ALL: Hi, Miguel.

What's up, man?

You want to play?

No, no, thank you.

Come on, it's like soccer. You play soccer?

No. Baseball.

This is foosball.

Foosball.

Foosball.

Yeah, you got it.

I sued to be a pitcher in the little leagues.

I wasn't very good.

I heard that the beaches in the Dominican Republic are really beautiful.

All right, guys.

Let's get started. Everybody grab a seat.

All right. Glad you could come.

Last year we didn't have half as many people in our group so I think

this shows the great job we have been doing in spreading the word.

This year I want us to work harder.

I know a lot of you guys are studying for the SATs

or preparing college applications.

All of that is very important but we need to remember that our spiritual accomplishments are more important.

What we do in school or for a job, that's just a small part of who we are.

We are only here by the grace of God

so let's get out there and share that grace.

That was a nice play, kid, but how's your foot?

Take it easy, don't force it.

I'm OK.

Can you throw a couple?

Come on.

All right, kid. Let's give it a rest.

I'm OK, please.

I know you're OK but let's be sure.

Give me the ball, son.

That's it.

SYMPATHETIC APPLAUSE

You were pitching so well, Miguel. It's a real shame.

Don't worry about it. You're going to bounce right back.

-Where did you say you were from, Brad?

-Berkeley.

Whole different world out there, huh? You like to surf?

Uh, no, you know, I've never tried it...but maybe I will,

some day.

What about you, Miguel? What's your family like?

My family?

Yeah, like, who do you live with back home?

I live with my mother,

sister,

brother and...the word?

-Grandmother.

-..and grandmother.

-What about your father, Miguel?

-My father, he die.

Miguel, honey, I'm so sorry.

You have other child?

We have a son.

Anne's older brother.

He's in Iraq.

-Do you like it here?

-I like.

-Very different.

-Yeah, I bet.

You travelled a long way, huh?

God must have something very special in mind for you.

What happened here?

Oh.

When I... When I boy...

I try to... I don't know...

-Tell me in Spanish.

-Spanish?

-Yeah.

Um...

Uh, sorry...

I just, um...

Sorry.

I should probably help clean up inside.

We have another meeting Thursday, if you can come.

If you...

..if you no play baseball, what you do?

I like history, so maybe I go to grad school,

maybe teach some day.

You went to a...university?

I went to Stanford. I studied history

and, uh, baseball.

What about you, man? Did you go to school back in the DR?

Yes, later. What called?

High school.

Later, high school,

but I sign when I has second year.

Hey, Brad, we're up for BP, let's go.

GOSPEL SINGING ON TELEVISION

CREAKING

Um, these are grandma's, from the other night.

We missed you at our meeting Thursday.

Sorry. I forget.

That's OK. Maybe next time.

Want a seat?

Um, I have to go, actually, so...

OK. Go.

HAMMERING

-Feeling better, huh?

-Welcome back.

CHATTERING

Hey, there was an injury to the Wichita second baseman,

so they called up Brad this morning.

He left you this.

This is Sal, he's our new middle relief man.

He's got a nasty cutter. You could learn a thing or two from him, Santos.

OK.

Time!

COMMENTATOR: Sutton's going to make the call to pull Santos,

here in the fourth and bringing in new reliever, Salvador Torres, for his Bridgetown debut.

Take a time out for the pitching change. Swing trail 5-2.

'Now pitching for your Swing, number 22, Salvador Torres.'

RIPPLE OF APPLAUSE

Strike one!

CHEERING

Strike two!

CHEERING

Strike three!

RAUCOUS CHEERING

COMMENTATOR: A stellar debut for Torres, as he baffles Lester

-with a nasty cutter, for the final out.

-Welcome to America, kid!

MEN SING IN SPANISH

CATCALLING

You started dropping your arm, in the third.

I think that was the problem.

He lost control of his breaking pitches and they just zeroed in on his fastball,

which isn't as fast as it used to be.

But you need to learn self control. Can you understand what I'm saying?

You need to know that your actions have consequences,

so we're going to take the cost of that water unit that you bust up out of your cheque.

That's not anything that your family back home are going to be too proud of, is it?

So you need to think about channelling that frustration

you are feeling onto the field, in the practise.

Channel it into working harder, so...

I am work hard. Every day I work hard.

Work harder! Think you're the only one that works hard?

Look, I know you think I don't know what you're going through, but I do.

I've been on the mound before, I've played through pain. I've been in your exact situation before.

And I've struggled, too.

Boy, I...

These are really going to amp you up. This your first time?

Take a half, OK? No more.

You've got to ease into it.

Half.

Anyone finds these, you didn't get them from me, OK?

-What's up, Mick!

-What's up, Sal!

Strike!

APPLAUSE

'In the first, Santos struck out two out of three. I don't want to jinx this,

'but this looks like the Santos we saw earlier this season.'

Strike!

APPLAUSE

'Swing and a miss - strike three.

'Santos has struck out five through the first two innings.

'He is dominating the Loons, using all of his pitches

'and, after two, we've got no score.'

ECHOING: You OK?

'Top of the fifth and Santos is struggling with his control.

'Not sure what's happening down there, but he seems to be talking to himself.'

Strike!

APPLAUSE

-You're out of here!

-Puerto Rican piece of shit!

-Fuck you, cocksucker!

-Dude, you don't even belong here!

Get off of me!

I'm sorry.

Well, you played with your emotions

and your emotions got the best of you.

The true test of our character as athletes is how we come back.

So, it's up to you. Hey, Hardy, don't you wander off!

I want to talk to you about that accountant.

So...er... Anyway, I'm

putting Sal in your slot in the rotation.

I'd like to see how you handle a relief spot.

'Game time is 7.05. The first 3,000 people in attendance that night

'will receive a free beer mug, courtesy of our friends at Harlow's.'

ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGE

Honey, you don't have to do that.

No problem. I want to help.

Thank you, Miguel.

Thank you, Helen.

You know, your English is very good now, Miguel.

You, too.

Thank you.

'This is 151st Street - Yankee Stadium.

-Want room.

-For how long?

I don't know.

300 a week - one week in advance.

300, now.

These also, please.

75... Hey, amigo!

You owe money.

A whole week.

I know. I have tomorrow. No problem.

Yes, problem.

You don't have it by tomorrow, you have a big problem.

MUFFLED SHOUTING AND BANGING

WOMAN AND MAN SHOUT AT EACH OTHER IN SPANISH

ARGUMENT BECOMES INCREASINGLY HEATED

DOOR SLAMS

"I'm sorry, we don't serve coloured people."

"That's OK.

"I don't eat coloured people."

HORN BEEPS

-Fuck you, man!

-Fuck you, too, man!

SHE WHISPERS

UPBEAT LATINO MUSIC PLAYS

LIVELY MUSIC FADES

MUSIC: "HALLELUJAH" (SPANISH VERSION)

Strike one!

Strike two!

Strike three!

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

MUSIC: "ALL BY MYSELF" by Moby

# Lordy, don't leave me

# All by myself

# Lordy, don't leave me

# All by myself

# Lordy, don't leave me

# All by myself

# Lordy, don't leave me

# All by myself

# Sometimes I'm all

# Down on both levels

# Whoa, in this world

# Whoa, in this world

# Whoa, in this world

# Lordy, don't leave me

# All by myself

# Lordy, don't leave me... #

Addition subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing by Red Bee Media Ltd.