Pitch – The Interim

By: Jessica Wolff

Excitement over Ginny Baker’s (Kylie Bunbury) first MLB win dominates the media and social media spheres. Amelia Slater (Ali Larter) tells Ginny that she has booked her to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live and that she will be doing a segment on clubhouse decorating. Amelia and Elliot (Tim Jo) escort her through the waves of flashing cameras waiting for her as she exits the clubhouse. A flash back to Ginny’s minor league days in San Antonio shows Ginny getting a pep talk from her brother, Will Baker (BJ Britt). Amelia introduces herself as an agent and convinces Ginny and Will to have a drink with her despite their reservations.

At the clubhouse, Manager Al Luongo (Dan Lauria) complains to Mike Lawson (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) about his problems with the team since Ginny arrived. Lawson brings the team out to a bar to celebrate their first win. The guys ask her if she’s seeing anyone and then if she’s ever hooked up with a player. After luring them in with supposed details, she brings them to back to reality with her denial. Media coverage discussing Ginny plays on the bar televisions, which upsets some of the players. Ginny asks the bartender to switch the channel but finds that the next two channels are also talking about her and a case involving the rape of another female athlete. Lawson comes behind the bar and turns off the TV.

As the team prepares to leave on a road trip, Ginny says goodbye to Evelyn Sanders (Meagan Holder). Evelyn’s husband Blip Sanders (Mo McRae) asks where his special t-shirt is, but it seems it might have accidentally been washed. Ginny gets on the bus and finds that her other teammates don’t want her to sit next to them. She sits down next to Lawson, who criticizes her for ignoring his instructions at the plate and then tells her that he’s going to see his ex-wife, who he believes wants to get back together with him. General manager Oscar Arguella (Mark Consuelos) and team owner Frank Reid (Bob Balaban) discuss potential manager replacements. Oscar tries to convince him to keep Luongo and Reid gives him until the end of the season. On the bus, news coverage shows old footage from two years ago that has surfaced of Luongo making sexist comments about Ginny.

Ginny meets with Oscar to discuss the Luongo situation. Despite Amelia’s objections, Ginny wants to support him to show that she is one of the guys. In a flashback, Ginny and her brother meet with Amelia and they discuss their father and his dreams for Ginny. The team arrives in Los Angeles and when Lawson finds Ginny they work out together and try to outdo each other. Reporter Rachel Patrick (Joanna Garcia Swisher) tries to ask Ginny to be on her show, but she gets angry with her for putting her in a situation that would make things more difficult for her and the team.

Blip comes into the locker room to hear Cyndi Lauper’s song “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” playing. He gets angry with another player for taking a shot at Ginny, but stops himself from getting in another fight. Luongo comes to Ginny’s locker room and apologizes to her for his comments. He won’t look her in the eye as he tells her about his daughters. Ginny watches Luongo’s press conference where he apologizes again. The reporters ask him follow-up questions and he slips up and makes another sexist comment. The team struggles and Ginny blames herself for being a distraction to the team. Amelia and Ginny argue about how to handle the situation, and Amelia tells Elliot that she needs to act against her wishes.

Blip bemoans his bad luck and Evelyn tells him that his shirt disintegrated in the wash. She seduces him to comfort him and improve his confidence. Oscar meets with Reid, who tells him that Luongo is done and to find an interim general manager. Ginny watches coverage of the rape case and Lawson sits down to talk to her. He tells her that she is bigger than the game and to use her platform for good. Ginny tells him that she released a statement supporting Luongo and Lawson says that it is nowhere in the media. Ginny confronts Amelia, who defends her decision to not release a statement. In a flashback, Ginny’s brother tells Amelia about her sponsorship deal. Amelia makes a pitch to her, but Ginny rejects it. Oscar tells Buck Garland (Jack McGee) that he wants to meet with him without Luongo.

Lawson meets with his ex-wife, who is revealed to be Rachel Patrick. He asks her to stop pestering Ginny about her feminist agenda. He admits that he doesn’t know how long he wants to continue playing, and that he wants to get back together with her. She tells him that she is engaged and Lawson leaves the house. Evelyn shows Blip a replica of the shirt that got destroyed that she went to great lengths to get for him. Ginny prepares for her appearance on Kimmel and Amelia gives her a pep talk. In a flashback, Ginny walks onto the field and sees many women holding up signs that say I’m next. Will tells her that she should sign with Amelia, as she brought more attention to Ginny and he is in over his head.

Ginny is interviewed by Jimmy Kimmel (as himself). A fight breaks out in the locker room and Lawson yells at everyone to shut up and complains about his problems to the team. Jimmy Kimmel transitions to the clubhouse decorating segment and Ginny politely says that she can’t go through with the segment. Lawson yells at the team and tells them that they need to come together to save Luongo’s job. He tries to motivate the team while Ginny addresses the Luongo situation and comments on the rape case while on Kimmel. The team comes together and starts playing better as a unit. Garland fires Luongo and Ginny stands up to Amelia, insisting that she is the boss. In a flashback, we watch as Amelia’s husband breaks up with her. She sees Ginny on TV and decides to quit her job. Eliot quits as well and follows her. The team celebrates their victory and Ginny dances at the club. Lawson walks out and sits next to Amelia, who is drinking at the lobby bar.