The Rookie

The story

Jim Morris never made it out of the minor leagues before a shoulder injury ended his pitching career twelve years ago. Now a married-with-children high-school chemistry teacher and baseball coach in Texas, Jim's team makes a deal with him: if they win the district championship, Jim will try out with a major-league organization. The bet proves incentive enough for the team, and they go from worst to first, making it to state for the first time in the history of the school. Jim, forced to live up to his end of the deal, is nearly laughed off the try-out field--until he gets onto the mound, where he confounds the scouts (and himself) by clocking successive 98 mph fastballs, good enough for a minor-league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Jim's still got a lot of pitches to throw before he makes it to The Show, but with his big-league dreams revived, there's no telling where he could go.

Cast & crew

Dennis QuaidJimmy Morris

Rachel GriffithsLorri Morris

Jay HernandezJoaquin 'Wack' Campos

Beth GrantOlline

Angus T. JonesHunter Morris

Brian CoxJim Morris Sr.

Rick GonzalezRudy Bonilla

Chad LindbergJoe David West

Angelo Spizzirri

Angelo SpizzirriJoel De La Garza

Royce D. ApplegateHenry

Russell RichardsonBrooks

Raynor ScheineFrank