Baker, and even when shes successful in the league,

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Two days before California plays its second game in less than a week against a well-rested USC team, coach Sonny Dykes was still trying to figure out why the Golden Bears were put in this position.The quick turnaround and short week following Fridays double-overtime win against Oregon forced Cal to condense its normal schedule, something that wouldnt bother Dykes so much if there werent so many other factors involved.The Bears already had to trim a day off their regular routine because Thursday nights game is on the road. On top of that, several Cal players are in the middle of midterm exams, reducing their availability for practice even more.Its a topic that Dykes has been simmering over for a few weeks now and one he wasnt ready to back off of Tuesday.When you sit down and look at the schedule, clearly its not ideal, Dykes said Its one of those deals where you just go, `How in the world did this ever happen? How could somebody let this happen?Cal (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12) was coming off a 12-day break when it beat Oregon in Berkeley on Friday night in a game that lasted nearly 4 + hours and didnt end until almost midnight local time. The Bears ran 118 plays offensively against the Ducks, which Dykes said was the equivalent of playing two games.On the other hand, USC (4-3, 3-2) hasnt played since thumping Arizona 48-14 on Oct. 15.While some team would have had to play the Trojans coming off a bye, Dykes cant understand why the Bears were selected to do it on short rest -- and on the road.Weve had to make a lot of schedule changes and do a lot of different things out of the norm, Dykes said. Its one thing to do it on six days notice. Its another to do it on the road. But our guys have handled it well.The Bears shortened their work week to try to get everything in.Players were given Saturday off but were back on the field Sunday afternoon. Cal practiced on its normal day off, Monday, but several players were unable to attend due to academic responsibilities.The challenge you always face is making sure that you balance keeping them fresh with getting enough reps and developing your young players, Dykes said. Just teaching them all the things you need to teach them about your opponent in a limited amount of time. Weve got to balance getting some work done but at the same time making sure were fresh.Cals players dont seem bothered by the quick turnaround.Defensive back Cameron Walker and left tackle Aaron Cochran said the short week means more emphasis on studying USC and doing extra film work.Quarterback Davis Webb, on the other hand, doesnt think it will be much of an issue at all.Its a challenge but I think its a mindset at the same time, Webb said. We understand thats how the schedule rolled for us this year and there are no excuses. We have to play a tough team on Thursday night and we look forward to the challenge. 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Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. This post contains spoilers.Ginny Baker (portrayed by Kylie Bunbury) is human, and that sentiment seemed be the underlying theme in the fourth episode of Pitch, Foxs new drama about the first woman to play Major League Baseball.In the episode, entitled The Break, Baker is named to the All-Star team while juggling an intense relationship with her mother -- and her mothers boyfriend, which is an added stress for the young pitcher.There are probably viewers who thought Ginny Baker as an All-Star was an undeserved storyline at best, and cheesy at worst. If Baker were pitching in 2016, however, there absolutely would be a giant social media campaign to #PutHerInTheGame.The problem is that Baker isnt an All-Star in the traditional sense of the term. Shes won her last three games, but isnt the best pitcher on her team, let alone one of the best in the league. Yet by popular demand shes made the elite team.Sometimes characters are written to be a bit arrogant or confident -- blinding them to their own flaws. Baker, however, is fiercely competitive and knows when she isnt playing well or hasnt earned something.Interestingly, manager Al Luongo (Dan Lauria) encouraged her to accept the offer to play in the game. Take the pity date, he said, referencing how his wife only went out with him because she felt sorry for him. It doesnt matter why they say yes; it matters what you do after they say it.This is a feeling that many marginalized people know quite well. Women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, etc., are frequently told that they must earn their opportunities to prove that they are just as good as those in the privileged majority. It is a function of meritocracy, or the ideal that, in the United States, rewards are based upon a persons hard work.However, many opportunities and spaces are closed to those typically marginaalized, or at least are rife with barriers to entry.dddddddddddd Boardrooms, writers rooms, and ballclub front offices are a few examples. That scarcity of representation creates immense pressure to justify the presence. No doubt Baker felt that when she took the mound.Once in the game, she promptly gave up a home run (which the announcers gleefully highlighted).No one shoulders a bigger burden than Baker, and even when shes successful in the league, there are moments when that sense of pressure shows.Adding to that burden, is the complexity of her relationships (and lack thereof) with her family. Bakers mother, Janet (Chastity Dotson), makes an appearance in this episode, and to say their relationship is tense would be an understatement. It is revealed that a portion of Bakers tenacity for baseball was developed as a means to get back at her mother, after Baker witnessed her get a little too close to a man who was not Bakers father. It turns out, that same man is now Janets boyfriend, and she brought him to San Diego (Baker pitches for the San Diego Padres).These glimpses of Baker off the mound create a deeper sense of humanity for the character. Shes strong, vulnerable and capable. And isnt that what all women are? Bunbury asked me rhetorically during a set visit in August.Baker is not meant to be a superhero, but she is doing superhuman work, both in the fictional Pitch universe and in viewers living rooms. She turns conversations about worth on their heads, and she is constantly humanizing women at a time when society might need that most.The character implores us to look past the burden she carries and see her for the person -- the human -- that she is. Shes exactly the hero we need. ' ' '