Years after he turned his back on his hometown, a burned-out major league ballplayer returns to teach phys ed at his old middle school.
Kenny Powers, a brash former baseball pitcher whose career has fizzled out, returns to his hometown but immediately discovers that he is not as respected as he had hoped. He becomes a substitute gym teacher at his former middle school while planning his return to the majors. Power's former teenage flame, April Buchanon, is now teaching at the same school.
Kenny Powers tries to cash in by becoming the spokesman for a luxury car dealership. After an embarrassing scene at the dealership, Powers acquires a sidekick in the form of music teacher Stevie Janowski. Powers appears at a school dance and declares his love for April while high on ecstasy.
After Kenny sets Stevie up to take the rap for his own alcohol-fueled car crash, Kenny hires Stevie as his assistant. Thinking it's worth a lot of money, Kenny has his sister-in-law Cassie list memorabilia from his baseball career on eBay, and he begins training and using steroids again.
Stevie puts together a DVD of Kenny's greatest moments in the hopes that the major leagues will notice. Later, Kenny attends a barbecue with his "fuck buddy" Tracy at April and Terrence's house where his romantic feelings for April intensify, and she shows the first signs of reciprocation, but an awkward moment gives them pause. Tracy gets Terrence, April's fiance and Kenny's boss, drunk, and he calls Kenny out for being a has-been in front of Stevie, April, Tracy, and all of their friends.
Thanks largely to Terrence's words, Kenny decides to give up on his dream of returning to professional baseball. Meanwhile, arrogant car dealer Ashley comes back into the picture, along with the player who ended Kenny's career, Reg Mackworthy, whose own career has been sidelined thanks to gambling charges.
Kenny gets a contract offer from a member of Tampa's front office and in true Kenny Powers fashion, he subsequently burns a few bridges. The Tampa Bay Rays become the first MLB team to lend their official logo to the show; it appears on the 'black' credit card that the team representative presents as his credentials. Just before he leaves town to sign his contract, Powers receives a phone call from the team representative with bad news; he wasn't authorized to offer Powers a contract and did so only because he was high on cocaine. With his major league comeback over before it began, Powers is crushed. Too proud to tell April and his family, he leaves everyone with the assumption that his baseball career is still back on track. He dumps April at a gas stop and is last seen driving away with a troubled look on his face.
Kenny resurfaces in Mexico under an alias and with a passion for cockfighting, but draws the attention of a baseball manager who wonders if Kenny Powers can still pitch.
Charros owner Sebastian Cisneros agrees to pull out all the stops in promoting Kenny Powersʼ return to organized baseball, but Kenny loses motivation after learning a secret about April from an old friend.
Puzzled by the Mexican fansʼ lukewarm reception, Kenny starts a grassroots PR campaign to burnish his image, but it takes a vintage Powers flare-up to bring the crowd to its feet. Kenny makes inroads with Vida by inviting her to Sebastianʼs yacht party.
Though Charros fans respond to Kenny, he is warned by Roger about the perils of showboating. Kenny learns he has serious competition in his courtship of Vida.
Kenny considers a new full-time life working in Mexico.
Kenny settles some old scores and shows Mexico what heʼs really made of.
Kenny and Stevie return to their hometown of Shelby, NC. April has a surprise waiting for Kenny.
After a great start to his season with the Myrtle Beach Mermen, Kenny returns home for his son's first birthday. April then comes to Myrtle Beach and after a night out with Kenny, she leaves him with more than just a hangover.
Kenny attempts to track down April to no avail and also fails in pawning Toby off on his brother. Realizing he will need help if he is to raise his child, Kenny tries to convince Stevie to rejoin him. However, he must first rescue Stevie from the clutches of his new employer, a vengeful Ashley Schaeffer.
Pro scout Roy McDaniel arrives in Myrtle Beach to ask Kenny to mentor Ivan Dochenko, a promising young Russian pitching prospect. Stevie lays down the ground rules for his return to Kenny's team while grappling with Shane and Kenny's relationship.
Kenny thinks his son Toby is cursed and might be to blame for a recent run of bad luck, and later tries to bond with Shane's puritanical family. Meanwhile, Stevie is racked with guilt.
Kenny is shocked when he receives some unexpected visitors, and in a desperate attempt to regain control over his team, he plans the ultimate Independence Day celebration. Stevie struggles with his guilt and makes a confession.
Stevie continues to grieve over what he has lost, while Kenny attempts to come to terms with the challenging responsibilities he faces as a father and as a man. He decides to take his chances with a brand new pitch.
Desperate to return to the mound, Kenny attempts to get back in the good graces of his manager, but his quest for redemption is complicated by several unseen obstacles. A broken-hearted Stevie tries to win back Maria's love.
While Kenny attempts to handle the current path his life seems to be taking, an unanticipated and suspicious turn of events changes the future he was certain he had as a minor-league pitcher with the Myrtle Beach Mermen.
After faking his death, Kenny Powers is now a family man—with his wife, April, two little kids and a home in the suburbs. He works at a car rental company, and encounters Guy Young, another former baseball player who runs a successful sports-talk show. Kenny is invited for a night out with Guy and other former sports stars friends, and decides that he would like to pursue fame once again.
Kenny discusses a career move with Guy Young and tries to coax Stevie back to the Powers team.
An overnight trip to a water park is a wholesome treat from Kenny to his family and friends, but it sets the stage for an evening of debauchery.
Kenny makes good on a threat to Gene. Stevie finds Kenny a charity to promote for Guy's dragon boat race. Toby uses his dad as a role model to summon the courage to feed his new pet.
April convinces Kenny to attend couples therapy. Kenny and Stevie lay out a business plan to take advantage of the former's resurgence.
Kenny gets rattled when Guy introduces a new wild card to the show. Stevie recruits Maria to help promote Kenny's side business. April reaches the end of her rope with "Famous Kenny."
Kenny finds his personal travails taking a toll at work. Stevie keeps up appearances in the face of adversity. Dustin and Cassie help Kenny learn a valuable Christmas lesson.
At his boss' insistence, Kenny returns a favor. Stevie offers revisions to Kenny's life story. April weighs a big decision.
