Bring The Heat

This better be good.

Our Hero:  Justin Verlander

What You Need To Know:  Second overall pick by the Tigers in 2004, Verlander is a power pitcher with a live arm and the freakish athletic ability to have his pitches gain speed in the later innings of a game.  He played his first full season with the Tigers in 2005 and hasn't looked back since.  In 2011 he not only won the Cy Young Award (the highest honor for pitchers) but he also took home the MVP (Most Valuable Player) - a rare feat since many voters believe that pitchers shouldn't win that award.  Getting his ass handed to him on a platter by the San Francisco Giants in the World Series aside - you can make the argument that Verlander is the best pitcher in all of baseball.  And if you don't believe that?  You still have to put him in your top five.

His Baggage:  A high draft pick, the Tigers were able to sign him with the promise of a nice signing bonus.  He drives a Porsche (at least he used to), he plays (well) in Pro-Am golf tournaments, and he's been linked to model Kate Upton, although she recently said in some TV interview that she's "single."

Yeah, I'm sorry to do this to you JV - but to make this work, you're going to have to go down.

The Proposed Category Romance Plot:  Once one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, he's grown accustomed to a life filled with adoring fans, numerous awards, and fawning interviewers.  But it all goes to hell when the one thing he could always rely on suddenly vanishes.  He's lost his fastball.  The 95+ mph heater that could make grown men, professional hitters, drop to their knees and beg for mercy.  Once one of the greatest pitchers in baseball, he's now getting his ass handed to him every fifth day.  Now there are rumors that the team is looking to unload him.

So this guy is a boxer.  Minor detail.

The Heroine:  A fan through and through, she spends her free time working with local youth baseball organizations and arranging trips for the kids to go to big league games.  It's on one of these outings she meets the hero.  Oh, she knows all about his troubles, and she thinks she can help him get out of his own head and find his way back to the pitcher he used to be.  He's more than a little skeptical, but when the sports psychologist assigned by the team fails to fix him, he figures what the hell?  The writing is on the wall and he's got nothing left to lose.  But how is he going to get his head back in the game when his amateur shrink is proving to be a very sexy distraction?

What Category Romance Line?:  Harlequin Blaze.  Of course Verlander is kind of a hairy guy - he's going to have to wax for the cover shoot.