The Art of Fielding

Pella can’t escape the school chatter about the baseball game and, after swimming, eventually heads to the game. She is pleased to see that Schwartz shaved his beard. She eavesdrops on spectators’ conversations about Henry and makes a wager with one of them, betting that Henry won’t throw a ball into the stands.

She’s surprised to see Guert there, sitting between people that she later realizes are scouts and Aparicio. She watches her father walking along the fence to meet Owen. From the look on his face, Pella realizes that he’s in love with Owen. She worries about the repercussions for her father and knows that this can’t end well for him.

Henry makes a bad throw that the first baseman snags. The other team harasses him. On the next play, he fields a routine grounder but finds himself unable to throw it. He walks in the ball to the pitcher and then walks off the field into the dugout. The crowd is silent.

In the dugout, Henry’s teammates avert their eyes from him. Coach Cox orders his replacement to warm up. Henry takes off his jersey and watches the game.

In the stands, Aparicio and the scouts discuss “Steve Blass disease.” Aparicio considers Steve Sax the only player to ever have recovered. Aparicio thinks that Roberto Clemente’s 1971 death was a key point in the timeline of players getting in their own heads. Guert wonders about the implications of this, realizing that he’s treating people like he treats books: as objects to analyze.

The Harpooners lose 10-2. Schwartz was pleased to see Pella in the stands. He runs through his postgame ritual, feeling considerable pain and wishing that he had more pills.

Sophie finds Schwartz to ask if he knows where Henry is. Pella asks Schwartz if they can meet up because she needs advice about her father, but he tells her that he needs to spend time with his team. Schwartz asks Pella to take Sophie to dinner.

Schwartz and Owen look for Henry. They walk around campus and the baseball field. They head to the bars, where the bouncer tells them that Starblind is with a girl. Owen and Schwartz wade through the drinkers toward him but then realize that the girl is Sophie. She’s doing tequila shots. Owen stays with Sophie while Schwartz berates Starblind. He says that Pella left Sophie with him, and Schwartz hits him. Pella calls, and Schwartz is frustrated with her. He and Owen take Sophie with them, and Schwartz decides that the best course of action for her is to sleep in Henry’s bed.

After the game, Henry avoids everyone and leaves as quickly as possible. He runs to the lake and wades into the water, contemplating his errors and his disappointment in himself. He treads water until he’s freezing and then crawls to the beach, peels off his wet clothes, and falls asleep.

Henry hasn’t eaten in two days. He walks barefoot to his dorm, determined to just tune out the world and sleep. Pella arrives, and he invites her in. She enjoys Owen’s art. She tells him that Guert and Owen are sleeping together. Pella lies on Henry’s bed, and they have sex.

Henry worries that Pella will tell Schwartz that they had sex. Pella returns the discussion to Guert, saying that she’s happy that he’s experiencing a sexual discovery but worried about the professional implications when it inevitably comes out that he’s having an affair with a student. Schwartz and Owen walk in, and it’s obvious that Pella and Henry just had sex. Pella confronts Owen, while Schwartz is upset.

Mrs. McAllister tells Pella that Guert’s mood has improved since she arrived. Pella goes to his office, where he apologizes for missing dinner. She tells him that she saw him watching Owen at the game on Saturday, but he avoids responding. She says that she wants to move out. He says that he had the opportunity to buy a house a few years ago, but a physics professor purchased it. She confronts him about Owen and says that he will break Guert’s heart.

Henry goes to Coach Cox’s office to apologize for leaving his team after the game. He tries to resign from the team, and Coach Cox refuses. Coach Cox makes him talk to Schwartz, who confronts Henry about sleeping with Pella. Henry reiterates that he wants to quit.

Pella has found an off-campus apartment with roommates. Guert goes to the physics professor’s house, which is now for sale. He talks with Sandy and Tom Bremen, the owners, and enjoys their dog, Contango. Sandy gives him a tour. They’re eager about the prospect of him buying the house since it would reduce the realtor’s fees and offer to include Contango.

Henry is angry at Schwartz. He walks to an ATM and withdraws the last $80 from his account and then heads to a bar. He reads the school newspaper, which features an article about Westish’s most recent victory over Coshwale. Outside, he runs into Pella moving a piece of furniture. He helps her carry it into her new apartment and then drinks her roommates’ wine and falls asleep on the couch.

Schwartz visits his orthopedist, Dr. Kellner, who evaluates Schwartz’s range of motion. Dr. Kellner isn’t pleased with the progression of Schwartz’s crepitus and wants him to undergo surgery. Schwartz asks for more painkillers, but Dr. Kellner worries that he’s developing a dependency and is adamant that Schwartz not take more Vicodin. He gives him a cortisone shot.

Schwartz drives to Pella’s apartment and watches Henry inside.

The Harpooners’ practice feels uninspired. Even Coach Cox is apathetic. Schwartz is angry and takes his anger out on his teammates. He then throws a bottle against the wall. He’s incredibly depressed and wants his teammates to feel as desperate to win as he does.