Pitchers are the heart of baseball, and John Feinstein tells the story of the game today through one season and two great pitchers working in the c...
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Sep 27, 2011
Kerfe
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The moral of this story is: don't let someone writing a book (or filming, that's you San Francisco Giants) follow you around for the season. David Cone should have warned Glavine and Mussina.
Despite, or maybe because of, the two pitchers' trying seasons, I enjoyed reading their thoughtful insights and those of their teammates, coaches, and competition, about both the process of pitching and Major League Baseball in general. As a Mets fan, it was a bit depressing to re-live the 2007 c More...
Despite, or maybe because of, the two pitchers' trying seasons, I enjoyed reading their thoughtful insights and those of their teammates, coaches, and competition, about both the process of pitching and Major League Baseball in general. As a Mets fan, it was a bit depressing to re-live the 2007 c More...
Jun 23, 2010
Ron
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John Feinstein s latest tome considers two veteran major leaguers plying their craft during the 2007 season search of major milestones in the magnifying glass of the media frenzy that is New York. Tom Glavine won his 300th game with the Mets last year, while Mike Mussina, a member of the cross-town Yankees, won his 250th.[return][return]Feinstein painstakingly chronicles these athletes as they inch towards their lofty accomplishments. Glavine has since returned to the Atlanta Braves, for whom h
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Dec 09, 2010
Spiros
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A workmanlike account of the 2007 seasons of two veteran pitchers, Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina, in the twilights of their outstanding careers. As it happened, both were pitching for their respective New York teams, which were both vying for slots in the post season. The story is engaging enough, but I get the feeling that baseball isn't Feinstein's main sport; he denigrates young players who were on their way to becoming very good ("the immortal Wandy Rodriguez"), and refers to Derek
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Feb 05, 2012
Mark
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An inside look at two of the game's great pitchers, at least one of whom is probably destined for the Hall of Fame, and written by one of the premier sports writers of our time, this book followed Tom Glavine of the New York Mets and Mike Mussina of the New York Yankees through the 2007 season. Glavine started the season needing 10 wins to reach the 300 victory plateau, while Mussina was withing striking distance of 250. Both pitchers were veterans on teams that were expected to compete for the
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Sep 16, 2011
N.
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Growing up listening to Orioles games, I was primarily interested in the Mike Mussina story. Being a sport "nerd" and still a fan of the Orioles, the book did a great job of helping me recall when he left the Orioles and why I still follow him when he became a Yankee. Surprisingly, Feinstein does a good job of making me care about the Tom Glavine story. The contrast between the pitcher help keep the story fresh. The book insight into pitching may not be fresh to some people, but Fe
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Aug 31, 2010
Feinstein conceives an idea to follow two pitchers for an entire season charting their ups and downs. He chooses Tom Glavine, a Met, and Mike Mussina, a Yankee, as his two subjects for 2007. The book begins with a potted history of each pitcher's career up to 2007. As the season progresses Feinstein reveals the fragile nature of each pitcher's confidence. It is surprising how often they tinker with their mechanics and how unnerved they get by bad umpiring. Glavine's 2007 is more dramatic. He wi
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Jun 30, 2009
greg
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Good but not great. I loved Feinstein's 'A Season on the Brink' about Bobby Night and the Indiana Hoosiers in the 1980s. However, his current offering goes back and forth between a book written for the baseball addict - someone who knows the game and doesn't need to be told that Alex Rodriguez is a very good player - and the newcomer - someone that needs to be told that Tony LaRussa is a good manager. And to make matters worse he, as he so often does in interviews, lets his own opinion cloud
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Jul 05, 2011
Andrew
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I originally bought this book hoping that it would provide insight into the most unique position in baseball - pitching.
And it did have insight, plenty of it. The problem was that the insights were occasionally dull or common sense (so, I guess, not technically an insight), or the information was hidden under piles and piles of other information.
The book claimed to follow two pitchers through one full season. In that, it succeeded. It's success weighed it down, though, as More...
And it did have insight, plenty of it. The problem was that the insights were occasionally dull or common sense (so, I guess, not technically an insight), or the information was hidden under piles and piles of other information.
The book claimed to follow two pitchers through one full season. In that, it succeeded. It's success weighed it down, though, as More...
Oct 10, 2009
A.
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Ultimately, my problems with this book aren't the book's problems: it is not, in fact, John Feinstein's fault that I loathe Tom Glavine with the fire of a thousand suns and would cheerfully punch Glavine in the face if ever presented with the opportunity. It's actually a solidly good, interesting book; could have been shorter, could have cut some of the needless Glavine-angsting crap, but overall, I really enjoyed it. There's good stories in it, about the Yankees and Mike Mussina and bit playe
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Aug 20, 2008
Samantha
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John Feinstein is a very good sports author. I love most of his books. I thought this was an interesting concept for a book. I enjoy both pitchers, Mike Mussina and Tom Glavine, that he chose to follow. Mr. Feinstein showed a different side of both pitchers. He had a great season to follow with the New York Mets collapse and the New York Yankees fighting to make the playoffs. I really enjoyed Mike Mussina's breaking down of what a pitcher truly is and what they do.
Now the bad, I hat More...
Now the bad, I hat More...
Aug 04, 2011
The stuff that is quoted verbatim from Mussina and Glavine is great and an awesome look into the structure and thought process of a pitcher in the major leagues, but is all of Feinstein's stuff written like this? He uses the same jokes repeatedly, and then he also just buries the living shit out of random ballplayers who intersect with their stories. Although I do like the "everybody hates Guillermo Mota" subplot a bit. Also: Ned Yost quotes! And Doug Melvin! Kind of recommended?
Jan 17, 2011
Sharmayne
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Pretty good read until about a 3rd of the way, them it just DRAGGED to the end! I think the problem was Feinsteins criteria for choosing who to follow thru a season, other then being talented MLB pitchers, was picking the 'good guys' enjoyable to hang around with. OK, for him but does not make for scintillating reading for us! One of baseball's historical strengths is the colorfullness of its characters and Feinstein missed the oppurtunity to continue the great baseball/journalism tradition.
Jun 03, 2009
Leslie
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An interesting and highly detailed look at the world of Major League Baseball - not one of Feinstein's best, but enjoyable nonetheless. Both Glavine and Mussina are intelligent men with strong characters whom Feinstein delineates with great care. The education in pitching is excellent, although Feinstein's obvious bias against expansion teams should have been edited out. (Go Rays!)
Long but well worth recommending to baseball fans.....
Long but well worth recommending to baseball fans.....
Jul 28, 2011
I like John Feinstein. I like Mike Mussina. I like Tom Glavine. Why is this book so bloody annoying?! Could it be there is no real story? Could it be Feinstein's writing voice is perfect for radio? I tried fifty pages to figure out the source of my pain and eventually gave up. Hardcore Yanks or Mets fans (or even some rosy-glassed Braves fans) might find something here. I found little.
May 22, 2011
Tricia
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Fantastic Read!!! And not just for the diehard, stat-quoting baseball fanatic. If you are at all interested in the game, or curious about what professional athletes (specifically, baseball players) do in the offseason, or what they really think of umpires and the fans and game itself, this is a book you will enjoy!!!
Aug 27, 2008
Michael
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Linda left this for me to read - since I don't have a corner bookstore, I am much less inclined to pass over books that don't look interesting. Particularly a hardback that runs over 500 pages!
This tom describes the 2007 season for Mike Mussina (Yankees) and Tom Glavine (Mets). I was thinking I would give it 50 pages, but I was pulled in quite quickly, although I'm not sure why - I'm hardly a baseball fan.
Sometimes the detailed inning-by-inning descriptions of games t More...
This tom describes the 2007 season for Mike Mussina (Yankees) and Tom Glavine (Mets). I was thinking I would give it 50 pages, but I was pulled in quite quickly, although I'm not sure why - I'm hardly a baseball fan.
Sometimes the detailed inning-by-inning descriptions of games t More...
Jan 01, 2012
William
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I don't think I've ever been so deep into a book and gave it the old 'abandoned' treatment. 310 pages in and I had to just say 'enough'. The book is very educational but it lacks any excitement! And Feinstein, who shows no neutrality when dealing with his subjects, finds himself defeated by the endless baseball season as he ends up repeating himself far too often and having no creative ideas when things get a bit repetitive.
A noble effort and I gave it quite a looooong chance (I read More...
A noble effort and I gave it quite a looooong chance (I read More...
Jan 30, 2009
Dave
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inside stuff on two modern day pitching legends. Mike Mussina of the Yankees and Tom Glavine of then of the Mets. Feinstein style always gives a reader some good inside stuff on the sport he writes
Aug 25, 2008
Ty
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This book is an excellent in depth look at how great (or at least, very good) pitchers pitch. the author chose to follow the 2007 for two highly regarded pitchers, Mike Mussina from the Yankees and Tom Glavine with the Mets. the "year in the life" approach really works as the pitchers face hard times, injuries, winning streaks, losing streaks, great personal milestones, contract discussions, and about 35 games of baseball each. for many of the games, the author goes through the game
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Jan 13, 2012
Jeff
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Good look at the 2007 season following Mike Mussina & Tom Glavine. Since I grew up an Oriole & Mussina fan, it was pretty interesting for me.
Nov 13, 2010
Phyllis
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Feinstein delves into major league pitching and pitchers. Nobody gets to the heart and meat of a sport like he does.
Jun 30, 2009
Robert
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Interesting enough book for anyone who likes baseball. Otherwise I do not recommend it. Some fascinating insights given what happened to Mussina/Glavine and the Yankees/Mets in 2007 and the backstory of Mussina's and Glavine's careers was interesting as well. The middle of the book did get somewhat repetitive however, much like a baseball season itself does. I would have appreciated more insight into what these guys do with so much downtime rather than going through every start and whether t
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Aug 21, 2008
Rod
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John Feinstein has written some excellent sports non-fiction (e.g., A Good Walk Spoiled about the Ryder Cup). Here he attempted to chronicle the season of two smart, experienced pitchers during the Major League Baseball season (Tom Glavine, Mets, and Mike Mussina, Yankees).
This was a really dumb idea. Because both are staring pitchers , we really get reporting every fourth day. Goodbye, tension buildup!
By the way, both teams were involved in pennant races, so the pote More...
This was a really dumb idea. Because both are staring pitchers , we really get reporting every fourth day. Goodbye, tension buildup!
By the way, both teams were involved in pennant races, so the pote More...
Apr 30, 2008
Amanda
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Great book focusing on Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina. The beginning portion of the book chronicles the two pitchers' growing up, getting drafted, the minors and their career up to the 2007 season. The rest of the book (the main focus of it, actually) follows the two through the 2007 season - from Spring Training to the end of the regular season (and on into the post season, with Mussina).
Very interesting to read what they were thinking during particular times of the season or during More...
Very interesting to read what they were thinking during particular times of the season or during More...
Jul 05, 2011
Dave
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Not bad, but not nearly as good as 'Next Man Up,' or 'Season on the Brink.'
Jun 02, 2009
Robert
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Another very good baseball book. I have a new liking toward Mussina after reading this. His sarcasm is great. There is one huge factual error in this that really annoyed me. Late in the book they mention how heading into that final week or so of the 2007 NL East Race that the Mets and WASHINGTON were tied for first. I mean come on... Usually that stuff doesn't bother me, but how could no one catch that. Overall though a great book.
Dec 21, 2008
Dave
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Vintage Feinstein, getting two of the best pitchers of the past 20 years to bring him into their worlds. While it was a lot of information to process (pitch-by-pitch accounts of games are a bit much, even for a sports nut like me), it was very insightful and I learned a lot about pitching that I didn't know before. Not that it would help my glass arm.
Oct 13, 2011
Skipr
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Good, inside look at two great pitchers, Glavine and Mussina. I liked Feinstein's book, The Last Amateurs, about college basketball in the Patriot League (Holy Cross, Lehigh, Bucknell, etc) better. But Living on the Black was still a good read for this baseball season that's about to come to an end. (Go Cardinals!)
May 14, 2008
Meril
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Enjoyable but shallow shadowing of Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina through the 2007 season. There was some insight behind the personalities of these two pitchers, but not as much as one would expect out of five hundred pages. The book could have benefited from a copy editor who knew something about baseball, as well.
