The Batboy

by Mike Lupica

From the #1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica comes the story of baseball's unsung hero: The Batboy

It is every baseball kid’s dream summer job: batboy for your hometown Major League team. Yet for fourteen year- old Brian, the job means more than just the chance to hang around his idols. Baseball was the job his father loved so much, in the end he couldn’t leave it. Yet he could leave his family. Now Brian sees the job as the way to win back his father. There is no winning back some people, though. Just ask Hank Bishop—once the most popular player in baseball before he was banned for using steroids. Now he is making his comeback. And an unlikely friendship slowly develops between this man in need of a family and this boy in need of a father.

Mike Lupica, king of the sports novel, delivers his most powerful and kid-friendly to date.

“A pennant winner.” –Kirkus Reviews
 
“Lupica. . .giv[es] his readers a behind-the-scenes look at major league sports. In this novel, he adds genuine insights into family dynamics and the emotional state of his hero.” –Booklist
 
“[T]his novel will undoubtedly appeal to those who equate summer with baseball, it should also win over readers who appreciate finely crafted storytelling and engaging characters.” –School Library Journal
 



   

 

Genres: Sports, Realistic Fiction, Baseball, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Middle Grade

247 pages, Hardcover

First published November 9, 2009

About the author

Michael Lupica is an author and American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining relationships listening 🎶🔰

This is a kindle e-book from the local library.

Great novels that I can relate to as a Detroit Tigers fan back in the 1950s. I dreamed of playing the out field for the Tigers 🐅.

I would recommend this novel and author to 👍 readers and fans of baseball ⚾. 2023 😀👒🏡🐅

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parents need to know that this sports story stands out not because the underdog wins in the end or saves the game in the last second. It stands out because the main character, Brian, recognizes he probably won't ever make the big leagues, but he still wants to be the best he can; because his divorced dad was a lousy father and he doesn't have a miraculous change of heart or change his ways in the end; instead Brian gains the maturity to realize his dad might not change, but he can still love him. Those are the themes that can impact readers. There is a frank discussion of steroid use and why some athletes give in to the pressure and try to cheat by using drugs (the book cites some real-life athletes such as Barry Bonds). This is a rather rare look at the shortcomings many celebrity role models have and provides a unique opportunity for parents and kids to discuss the issue.

Educational value

Not applicable


Positive messages

The best qualities of team sports are reinforced: sportsmanship, loyalty, and perseverance. A main character who had ruined his baseball career by using steroids and getting caught tries to make a comeback. There is a little discussion of why some athletes use steroids. In sharp contrast are the younger main characters who try to improve their game by hard work and dedication.


Positive role models

There are many adults in Brian's life who are negative role models: sports stars who used steroids, a deadbeat dad. But most of them are inspirational athletes and coaches that truly enjoy helping kids. Brian himself shows a fortitude and willingness to forgive that many teens have lost by the age of 14. In sports parlance, he's got a big heart.

Violence

Not applicable


Sex

Not applicable


Language

Not applicable


Consumerism

Not applicable


Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Discussions of steroid use.



This is from commonsensemedia.org



Booklist (January 1, 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 9))

Grades 5-8. After Brian Dudley lands his dream job as a batboy for the Detroit Tigers, he is disappointed when his hero, Hank Bishop, who has been given a final chance by the Tigers after a steroid scandal, proves to be uncommunicative and even hostile. Brian’s parents are divorced, and communication with his dad, an ex–major league pitcher who is working as a coach in Japan, is also difficult. Despite Brian’s efforts to reach out, his father doesn’t respond to e-mails or letters. Eventually, though, Brian does find a way to talk with Hank, who proves to be a softy. Lupica has hit upon an effective formula for his novels, giving his readers a behind-the-scenes look at major league sports. In this novel, he adds genuine insights into family dynamics and the emotional state of his hero. Pair this with Wes Tooke’s Lucky: Maris, Mantle, and My Best Summer Ever (2010), which also describes the life of a major league batboy.



Horn Book (Fall 2010)

Fourteen-year-old Brian, the son of a washed-up major-league pitcher, watches every home-game up-close: he's a batboy for the Detroit Tigers. Divorced parents, a disgruntled player, and Brian's own batting slump complicate his life. Lupica's engaging narrative, full of vivid baseball action, teaches readers about the games people play on and off the field.



Kirkus Reviews (February 15, 2010)

Brian loves baseball. But baseball has not always been a positive influence in his emotional life. His parents are divorced due in large part to the fact that his father's devotion to his own baseball career far exceeded his feelings for his family. In addition, Brian's all-time favorite player was deeply involved in the steroid scandals that affected an entire era of baseball achievements and statistics. Now in one dream summer as batboy for the Detroit Tigers he learns some truths about second chances and letting go. When his absentee father briefly returns, Brian realizes that their relationship will never be more than a common interest in the game. But he does develop a tentative connection with his hero, who is making a comeback with the Tigers. Lupica takes on these touchy subjects and deftly fleshes them out with sympathetic characters, crisp dialogue and enough dramatic baseball action to satisfy the most diehard fan. Although there's an upbeat ending, not all problems are neatly solved, allowing readers to form their own opinions. A pennant winner. (Fiction. 10-14)



School Library Journal (April 1, 2010)

Gr 5-10-Brian's dad, a former big league pitcher, left Brian and his mom years earlier, and the boy still longs for his return. This summer, Brian has won a coveted spot as a batboy for the Detroit Tigers during home games at Comerica Park. He relishes his dream come true: hustling to complete tasks, enjoying a sleepover at the ballpark, and his front-row seat for the on-field action. On his days off, he plays on a travel team with his best friend, Kenny. Then his favorite player, Hank Bishop, returns to the Tigers following a suspension for steroid use. Bishop is stumbling at the end of his career: this is his last chance to reach a milestone 500 home runs. Brian shyly attempts to befriend his hero, but Bishop treats Brian and his teammates with frosty disdain. Lupica is at the top of his game, crafting a crisp, fast-paced novel teeming with edge-of-the-seat baseball drama. He limns his characters with well-observed detail and dialogue. Brian is a recognizable, multilayered teen; he's close to his mom, though they struggle to communicate and understand one another. Meanwhile, he learns the hard truth: "no matter how much Brian loved baseball, it was never going to make his father love him more." Though this novel will undoubtedly appeal to those who equate summer with baseball, it should also win over readers who appreciate finely crafted storytelling and engaging characters.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.

[Pysen Kinchiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Brian. He loves football more than anything. He becomes a batboy just like his father who is about to leave him soon. Brian thinks by being a batboy he would somehow win his father back and stay. I like this book because he doesn't random things just for his dad.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hated it at first like you have no idea then it wasn't all entirely about baseball stats.

[Morgan Folk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response:


I thought the book, The Batboy , was a good book, because it was about baseball. Also, I liked the book because he paints a good image in my head about everything in the book. The story really lives a dream that I wish I could have dreamt. This book made me want to keep reading it, because I love baseball more than anything.


Plot:


The book, The Batboy , was about a kid named Brian Dudley. Brian was obsessed with baseball and had been since he was a kid. Brian had always wanted to be a batboy, so at age twelve he applied to the Detroit Tigers. He really loved the Tigers. When he first got the job he thought it was really cool, but then it got better because his favorite player in baseball history came back and played for the Tigers. He was so excited that Hank Bishop made the team. Hank had done steroids and had to be suspended. When Hank walked on the field, as he was introduced, he was getting applause and he was getting boos. The first time Hank and Brian met was a very bad experience. As the season went along they become more like friends, and Hank was more acknowledged. Meanwhile, Brian had it rough at home; his parents were separated and when Brian went to baseball his mom thought he would be like his dad. At the end of the book his dad, Cole Dudley, and his mom got back together. Then his parents had resolved all their problems.


Characterization:


Brian's character was a very kind and hardworking character. His character stayed the same, but he was brought down by people around him for messing up. He learned to keep his head up and to be confident. He also had a love for baseball that was never going to change, which showed that he had an obsession for the game.


Setting:


This book took place on a baseball field or Comercia for a majority of the book. This book also took place in Detroit, Michigan where he lived and went to the games.The book, The Batboy, took place in current time. The time was important, because it was much more relatable taking place during my lifetime.


Recommendations:


I recommend this to anyone who likes to play sports. I recommend this also mostly toward boys. The reason I recommend it more to boys is because there aren’t any major characters that are girls. This book also is for middle schoolers and high schoolers. It is more for middle and high schoolers because the vocabulary is much more mature and relatable to a middle or high schooler.

[Benjamin Issroff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Batboy was a bit of a disappointment coming from such a talented knowledgable writer such as Mike Lupica. This fluke lacked a strong plot, however, it was easy to relate to the characters in the novel. Mike Lupica's generally strong literary works stand high above this catastrophe. A younger audience may be able to better appreciate the book's simplistic nature.

[Jagger Hammer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brian’s summer job is a dream job for all kids... an mlb bat boy. Brian is excited because he’ll be able to live w his dad who plays on the team who Brian doesn’t see much of. All is good till his team(The Cleveland Indians) draft Hank Bishop. They start very rocky because Brian gives Hank the wrong bat and Hank flips out. Read the rest of the book to figure what happens after that.

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've wondered for some time now if a novel with a deeply configured sports theme could possibly come away with a Newbery prize in today's culture of literature for young readers. I'm not talking about books like Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy or Maniac Magee, both Newbery designees that featured sports as incidental to the plot; what I have in mind are books that truly revolve around a sports theme, ones in which the plot is built on the foundation of a sport or sports. Perhaps the closest that anyone has recently come to achieving Newbery recognition with such a novel was Bruce Brooks being awarded Newbery Honor citations for not one but two of his books that intricately wove sporting concepts all through their narratives, The Moves Make the Man and What Hearts. Of course, Bruce Brooks is far from your average writer, and I personally don't discount his potential to accomplish anything with his writing when he's in peak form. Having said that, could a writer in today's market earn admittance to the exclusive Newbery club with a book about sports? I don't know for sure, but over at least the next decade or two, I'd say that Mike Lupica likely will be a perennial candidate to do just that. His excellent balance of realistic family discord, exciting sports action, and emotional sensitivity to the plights of his main characters have set the contemporary standard for youth sports novels, and that standard is an impressively high one. If anyone can eventually break through in the near future and capture a Newbery with a thrilling and evocative sports story, there's a good chance that it may be Mike Lupica.

One of the best things about The Batboy, in my view, is the way that the book tackles issues both specific to baseball fans of its own age, and timeless to anyone who has ever played the game or loved it. Being a serious fan of the major leagues in 2010 and its surrounding years has meant struggling with steroid issues on a deeply philosophical and practical level, trying to figure out how much of the accomplishments of baseball's greatest modern-day legends was authentic, and how much was just the result that logically follows the stars of a professional baseball league becoming hopped up on performance enhancing drugs. It's really hard to argue that the drugs weren't having much of an effect on power hitting when, after mandatory testing in Major League Baseball finally became widespread, athletes all around the league reported to spring training the next year looking smaller and weaker, and the best home run hitters suddenly dropped from knocking well over fifty homers out of the park in a single season, to only hitting about thirty (and that was if they were having a good year). Baseball's record book is arguably more important that that of any other American sport, and the steroid era wrecked it so thoroughly that I honestly doubt it can ever be the same again. Could a non-user of performance enhancing drugs ever actually hit more than seventy-three home runs in a regular season of one hundred sixty-two games? Even if Lou Gehrig were to suddenly come back to life and be twenty-five years old again, I still don't think it could be done. And that's saying a lot, because I don't know if we've ever seen a finer offensive baseball player than the Iron Horse. When the steroids scandal first broke and in the years following directly afterward, fans had to gauge for themselves just how loyal they were willing to be to a league that had seemingly betrayed its fans while simultaneously dimming the luster of the legacies of long-dead greats such as Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx. Many fans just gave up on the league entirely, and I find it hard to blame them for their choice.

The Batboy, though, is most definitely a book about dreams still coming true in the major leagues, and for Brian Dudley, it's going to happen in a big way. Brian is practically a machine devoted to the collection and analysis of baseball stats, his love of the game so all-inclusive and fervent that he can think about it all the time and never lose that passion. I have some theories about why Brian loves baseball this much, theories that aren't necessarily directly addressed in the pages of The Batboy, but that will come later on here. When Brian, with the help of his mother (who happens to be a television news editor), writes a letter to the clubhouse manager for the Detroit Tigers applying for the job of batboy, his impassioned plea is so winsomely and honestly articulated that the standard league agreement for batboys to be at least sixteen years old is waived, and Brian at age fourteen is granted access to a world of which most boys can only dream. There's so much more hard work and long hours that go into being a batboy than most people ever know, but Brian purely loves baseball, and for him the work is a small price to pay to be so close to the pulsing action of a major league field.

And how that action does pulse. It's very hard to adequately describe it to someone who hasn't seen a professional game in person, but even just watching is like experiencing a more highly energized level of life. When one is on a baseball field or in the stands it's like the volume turns way up on all of one's senses, or like the senses themselves begin to cross over and affect each other. The explosion of a fastball rocketing off the good wood of a skillfully swung bat is almost a sweet scent, and the finely clipped grass of a beautifully manicured field seems to practically taste of summer. One's sensory receptors are maxed out constantly, and that's before the teams even begin to play. Actually getting into the action and being on a team is an experience a hundred times more vivid, and the bigger the stage the more intense the total experience will be. There's nothing in this world like having the hopes of many on your shoulders as you try to rise above your fear of failure and take control for that one crucial moment when everything is depending on how well you're able to execute under pressure. And actually coming through when the stakes are at their highest... Well, that's a feeling you'll never, ever forget.

I've tried my best to describe all of this mostly as a way to help make a complete picture of the sadness in Brian's life in this book. While his letter to the Tigers' clubhouse manager was compelling in and of itself, there's no denying that he had a definite advantage in competing for the batboy job because he's the son of Cole Dudley, former major league pitcher. Brian's father was a lefty specialist who never dominated the game and bounced around to many teams over the course of his career before retiring when Brian was eight years old. As happens to many former pros who have tasted the enhanced sense of reality that is playing Major League Baseball, though, domestic life was too hard an adjustment for Cole Dudley to make. After being right in the thick of one great on-field adventure after another for years and years, "civilian" life was too slow for him. One day he simply left his wife and son and took a job as a pitching coach in Japan, where he could still be close to the action even if he was no longer going to be an active part of it. And just like that, Brian was without a father.

I think that it's easy to condemn Cole Dudley for what he did and feel sad for Brian, but I really feel sad for both of them. When one has been on the big stage and then can't be on it any longer, regular life can feel unbearably insipid. I don't doubt that Brian's father loves him and wishes that he could want to be there for his only son, but such a desire isn't something that's easy to fake. Cole Dudley is as addicted to the adrenaline of professional baseball as a drug user is to his or her narcotic of choice, and such an addiction can lead one to make unfortunate choices. Brian's father is stuck in a place that he'll never get out of, desperately chasing after the fruits of his youth while being too old to ever reclaim them. It's a conundrum that affects every athlete, whether legendary or mediocre, to at least some degree.

I think that the reality of coping with his father's absence may be the most important reason why Brian can be involved constantly in baseball without any sign of burnout. His father left Brian and his mother in order to pursue baseball, and matching that extraordinary desire for the game is the only continual link that Brian has to his father. If Cole Dudley is always thinking about baseball, even to the point of giving it priority over his own son, then Brian can feel some kind of a connection to his father by also thinking fanatically about the game. It's like looking out at the starry night sky and wondering if a particular someone you love is staring up at those same glimmering stars at that very same moment. Brian knows that if he's thinking about baseball then he and his father are most likely occupying the same intellectual airspace at any given time, and that's now the closest he can come to actually being with his father. Memorizing baseball facts, watching the sport be played, and interacting with the professional players via his role as batboy is all just material to try and fill the void that his father left behind, because to Brian his father is baseball, in a sense. Yet it's a void that never closes up, and not all the baseball in the world can fill it when there's only one baseball player who was designed to fill the void.

During the most unforgettable summer of his life as he performs the duties of batboy for his hometown major league team, Brian is astounded to find out that his all-time favorite player, first baseman/designated hitter Hank Bishop, has been signed by the Tigers and will be joining the team. This is where the discussion about steroids really enters the picture, as Hank Bishop (a completely fictional baseball player, as all of his Tigers teammates in this book are) had started out his illustrious career as one of the greatest players in baseball in a Detroit Tigers uniform. The robust glow surrounding his all-star career had faded when he tested positive for steroids twice, and then he had been out of the league entirely for a year and a half. With Hank Bishop back in the mix now, Brian's summer becomes even more interesting than he had ever expected. Yet the man he once idolized turns out to be even more of an enigmatic and disappointing character than Brian's father. There may be more to Hank Bishop than most of his major league peers are willing to take the time to find out, but will Brian be able to accept the glaring faults of his baseball hero, and make the most out of their time as "teammates"?

There's a strong emotional core to this book, a certain sadness underlying even the sweetest opportunities for Brian that arise because of his dream job. The poignancy to this story of a boy trying to live without the father who left him behind will reach all of us who have sorely missed someone we loved and whom we felt decided that there was someone (or something) more worthwhile out there for them than we were. However, there are definitely some magical moments in this story that come close to taking one's breath away, the most special of which has to be the one unlikely night in the batting cage, and how the unexpected positives of that single impromptu practice session work to change everything. After you've read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about. This part of the story is more than just excellent sports writing; it's excellent writing of any kind, worthy of being placed beside the work of some of today's best juvenile novelists.

I can't say that The Batboy quite tops that hill to have been worthy of a 2011 Newbery Medal, but it's the kind of story which proves to me that Mike Lupica is definitely good enough to be a Newbery author. One of these days he may finally grab that Newbery, and while The Batboy turned out not to be the fulcrum for that epic breakthrough, it is a fine novel that will please many different types of readers, even those without any special partiality to our national pastime. Whether one loves sports action or just a good story, The Batboy won't disappoint. I would probably give it two and a half stars, but possibly the full three.

[Steven P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story the Batboy is written by Mike Lupica and the theme is to never give up hope no matter what. This happens a lot in real life. it could happen in school or at home or in general, any challenge you ever face.

It is about a boy named Brian who gets his dream job: working as a batboy for the Detroit Tigers. Everything seems perfect until it all starts to go downhill. Starting with Brian's baseball playing for his team and his relationship with one of his favorite players ever. Can Brian turn it back into the perfect summer or will it turn into nothing. This story is realistic fiction because it could very well happen in real life. It takes place in Detroit and areas around it. He does a good job describing some settings. Sometimes it seems as if you're there yourself. The protagonist is Brian, a fourteen year old baseball lover. He gets his dream job with the Detroit Tigers and learns that his favorite player is coming to Detroit. He plays minor league baseball with his best friend Kenny, the team's star pitcher. The second main character is Hank Bishop. He is a major league baseball player on the Tigers and Brian's personal favorite baseball player. He has a noticeably tough relationship with his team and Brian which Brian wonders to. He is also considered a liar and cheater to the baseball world. The third main character is Brian's mother. Brian considers her to be one of the strongest people in his life. Going through divorcing a major league baseball player. She loves Brian and always tries to help him no matter what. She works as a news reporter and has to work a lot, making her life even more of a whirlwind. These characters are very believable and the author does a great job describing them, their interests, and especially their pasts.

The book does a great job with the action. As a frequent reader of this author, I know that one thing he does a lot is build up a ton of suspense. He always adds every bit of action anywhere to know the pressure of the story which makes it more tense yet more exhilarating. Like when Brian and his team were coming really close with their wins. One thing I think he could improve on would be giving more emphasis on questions being answered. After reading this, I felt that a lot of questions were left unanswered. Like when he was talking about Bishop's past and such. I wish he would leave us with more clarification for full understanding.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. Although it is about baseball, he leaves more than enough clarification to know everything. There were a lot of problems any kid or even adult could connect to. Like with Hank Bishop and his problems you learn throughout the story. Also with Brian and the problems he faces with his family and his summertime job.

[Chris Baez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book The Batboy, Brian Dudley, a teenage boy who has a passion for baseball, writes a letter to the Detroit Tigers applying for a batboy job. The Tigers accept him and Brian
has one of the neatest jobs a kid could have. The problem is, that Brian’s dad was a major league
baseball pitcher and now is a pitching coach in Japan, which means Brian does not get to see him
a lot. Brian’s favorite player, Hank Bishop, joins the Tiger’s team after getting caught using
steroids. Hank is not what Brian expects. Brian is a kid who loves baseball and knows almost too much about it. He is a lonely kid who misses having his dad to watch baseball games with him. Brian lives with his mom, who is a great parent, but who does not like baseball because she feels like baseball was the reason for her divorce from Brian’s dad.

My favorite character was Brian because, Brian was always positive and never stoped trying when he did something. The story kept me confused in some parts but then i catched up and understud the story while i kept reading it. My favorite part of the book was when Brian got accepted for the Detroit Tigers batboy, which at that moment it's official that Brian is a batboy. There were a lot of tense scenes through out the story. Through out the story there were some part that were funny and there was only one part that was sad that they said that Brian did not see his father for a long time. But in overall there were more funny parts in the story than sad parts. Once I kept reading the book, i got into it and kept focus and did not stop turning the pages i just kept reading. Something that i disliked about this book is that it was hard to pick a favorite character because through the story had a special part that i really liked so i got stuck, and was hard to figure out which character was the best out of all characters.

Overall, the story was great, and I'm hoping to read more of the authors books. I really liked the character that i picked because like i said before he was always positive. I recommend this book to a friend if they are interested in a book that is about baseball specially when they are a big fan of baseball. If i would to rate this book i would rate it 5 out of 5 stars because this book was fun to read and its a book that i will never forget.

Book: The Batboy
Author: Mike Lupica

[Gus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good read. The main character of the book is a boy named Brian. After numerous years of applying he is finally hired as the bat boy for the Detroit Tigers. Brian is very excited because the Tigers are his favorite team. At first the job is very cool because he gets to meet some of his favorite players but, it gets even more exciting when his all time favorite player comes to play for Detroit. That player is Hank Bishop who has been Brian's favorite player since he learned what baseball is. Hank has a very dark cloud around him after he was suspended from the Major Leagues after he was tested positive for steroids. When he arrives to town he receives both cheers and boos. The first time Brian meets Hank goes very bad. Hank is very cold to Brian and he yells at Brian to leave him alone. As the season goes on Hank soon warms up to Brian and they become very good friends. Things are also very difficult in Brian's life because his parents are divorced. Brian's dad returns to the states after being a pitching coach in Japan. After a very rough start Brian's parents soon resolve their differences and get along.

Brian's character is a very kind and hard working one. His character stays very consistent even though he is often brought down by people around him for screwing up. Even through the tough times he learns to keep his head up and to be confident. He also has a love for baseball that is never altered which shows that he has a real passion for the game.

This book is good for anyone in a sport. The preferred age group is somewhere in between middle and high school. I would also say that this book is probably more geared towards boys. I am saying this because it involves sports and it does not have any real important female aspects or characters involved in the book.

[Marco Moy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The batboy is about a boy named Brian Dudley who gets a summer job as the batboy for the Detroit Tigers. Brian Dudley also plays travel baseball for his local team, "The Sting." Brian's father was named Cole Dudley and was a relief pitcher in the major leagues for 13 years. Brian's father left the family without warning to be a pitching coach in Japan, leaving Brian to live with his mother. Brian got the job as batboy after sending a letter to the clubhouse manager of the Tigers, "Jim Shneckel." Brian wanted the job because of his love for the game of baseball, and the love of the Tigers. Brian gets the job and thinks he is dreaming on his first day of the job when he gets to meet all the players on the Tigers. A few weeks into the season, the Tigers pick up an old star named "Hank Bishop." When Brian hears this, he freaks out because Hank Bishop was his hero in the past before he got caught taking steroids. Hank Bishop was an incredible player who could do everything. He even had the five tools of baseball every player dreams of. He could hit for power, he could hit for average, he could throw, he could run, and he could play good defense, but this was all before he got caught taking steroids and his career went down. He not only got caught once, he got caught twice, and if he got caught again he would be banned from baseball for life. When Hank comes back, he starts off strong and convinces everyone that the old him is back, but eventually he hits rock bottom and is an awful hitting slump, and even worse is he is one home run away from 500. Brian being kind hearted, tries to help him out of the slump but Hank does not want to listen. Brian is also in a terrible slump on his travel team, and what happens between them is a summer neither of them will ever forget.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Batboy by Mike Lupica

The Batboy by Mike Lupica is about a 14 year old kid named Brian Dudley who has a dream of being Batboy for his hometown team the Detroit Tigers. Brian’s dream of being the Batboy comes true when he is chosen by the Tigers front office for the job. Brian loves and thoroughly enjoys baseball but most of all enjoyed his father who left him and his mom. Brian’s father who is a retired major league pitcher left the family a while ago but what makes it hard on Brian is the fact he has not seen him in over a year. Brian loves baseball with all his heart but at the same time is using baseball as his way of trying to impress and win his father back so they can have some sort of Father/son relationship. Brian will find out that his father does not have that much interest in him nor does his baseball hero Hank Bishop who returned to the team that year after a lengthy suspension due to the use of steroids.

Lupica hit well with this book. The reason I say that is because the relationships among people in the book are very thorough and you can tell that the thought of how to connect people in it was there. The book was also very genuine in the sense of baseball's history. The book hits on a time in baseball where steroids were huge and a lot of players were getting suspended and in big trouble. Lupica all around wraps it into one fun, cool, baseball story.

I would give the book a 4. I give it a 4 because it was a really all around good baseball book and really gave you a good inside perspective of Major League Baseball. But I must say it is not Lupica's best book so that's why I cannot give it a 5. But it is still a very good read and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys baseball.

[Jacob Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you a baseball fan? Well if you are this is would be a really great book for you. The type of genre is sports.
Where the story takes place is basically on a baseball field. A fourteen year old named Brian gets his dream job as being "A batboy" For the Detroit Tigers. Brian is crazy, hopes, and prays that sports will somehow bring him close to his father. Hank Bishop is Brian's dad (brians idol) a major leaguer that left Brian. Hank Bishop is wanted up also. When nobody wanted to take him, the Detroit Tigers finally took him and gave him a chance. He was hoping to reclaim his former glory and try to hit his 500th home run. The conflict of this story is person vs person because it's Brian and his dad trying to be with each other and trying to do good in baseball but they've been in a slump.
My favorite part of the book was when Brian and his dad found each other because theh became family again and his dad finally hit his 500th home run. I couldn't understand why Hank Bishop left Brian in the first place because at the end they became family again.
Brian's motivation was he got a job in the summer because as a batboy to try to get closer to his dad and he had his dream job. A interesting thing I learned from this book was never leave someone if you no you are gonna come back to them because there's really no sense of humor of doing that.
I rate this book a 4 stars out of 5 because it wasn't the worst book I have read, but it wasn't the best. I would recommend this book to for whoever likes interesting story's like this one and who loves baseball, so read this book!!

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Batboy is an interesting story told from the point of view of the baseball announcer and the main character, Brian. The story includes a lot of action taking place on the baseball field. It is a story of following your dreams and never giving up.
The main character is Brian Dudley. His dream in the story is to be Batboy for the Detroit Tigers. When Brian was younger his dad left him to go play for the Detroit Tigers. The way Brian is described in the story makes him seem that he is really real. Because he is real, I think is is a good role model and this makes him interesting.
The setting takes place at the baseball field and Brian's mom’s house. Brian is always playing baseball with his friend. The time would be around the 1980’s at the Detroit Tigers stadium. I think the setting help me believe the story because they describe what and where they are in a lot of details. Since there is a lot of detail this book is easier to understand.

The theme of the Batboy book is to make a point of coming together and working as a group. Brian showed the Detroit Tigers that they would succeed if they came together and worked as a team. In the story, the Detroit Tigers were taking their job in baseball for granted. They wanted more money to play baseball. The baseball players were getting upset and they were not playing as hard on the field. As the Batboy, Brian Dudley, gave the players a big speech on what happens when you work hard at what you do.

[Alex Adell]

The Batboy by Mike Lupica is a good book and has a good plot too it. The things I liked most about the book was that Brian the main character is very much like me and loves baseball. Another thing I liked a lot was that Brian was a batboy for the Detriot Tigers and this was his dream because that was his favorite team also he has been trying to become one for a long time. Brian's favorite player of all time Hank Bishop was coming back to his favorite team after a years break from baseball after a steroid suspension. At first Brian is ignored by Hank and Brian feels sad but he doesn't give up. One night Brian and Hank were talking and Hank was taking Brian out to the parking lot because Brian was getting pick up by his mom and Brian's mom invited Hank to dinner because Hank was in a slump and wanted him to feel better. Also Brian's mom and Hank both seemed to like each other. My favorite part was when Hank hit 500th Home run of his career because Brain had helped Hank realize what had changed before he was suspended and after his comeback. Soon later that week Brainwash at his own Baseball game and all of a sudden Hank had showed up after just finishing up a game against the Cleveland Indians to support Brian. Soon later the game was on the line with Brian up to bat. Brian soon hits a walk off Home run the first Homer of his baseball career. After the game Hank pick up Brian in air with excitement. Overall it was a really good book.

[Dylan Maier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batboy, a realistic fiction by Mike Lupica expressed in just 251 pages. This story is about a young man named Brian. Brian is a huge fan of his local baseball team the Detroit Tigers and that is one of the only things he has in common with his father. Brian one day gets invited to be the Tigers batboy. He takes the job instantly. As his father returns after a long time away and his idol is not who he seems to be on the field. Brian has a very eventful summer.

I thought that this book was very well written mainly because Lupica uses a lot of indirect characterization. This story told how a teenage boy will go to the big leagues and his father returns home from stepping out of his life to coach baseball in Japan. This book has many different qualities that is what makes it an enjoyable story. My favorite part was when his father came back and Brian didn't really care, that would have taken a lot of guts. I could relate to Brian in one way and that is we both have a immediate family member who walked out on us the only difference is his came back. If I could change the ending I would make it so the Tigers go to the World Series and have it tied in the last game. Everyone on the Tigers is on base or hurt so Brian goes up to bat and hits a grand slam to win.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sports or good books.

[Austin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for all baseball fans, or any sports fan.
Brian's dad left him several years ago leaving nothing but a note saying "I'm not good at anything but baseball, sorry b -dad". The last Brian heard is he was in Japan. Now Brian needs a summer job becuase his mom is always at work. His favorite baseball team is the Detroit Tigers and his mom drives by the ballpark on the way to work. Brian finally got in as a bat boy after two letter to the equipment manager of the Tigers. It was all fun and games and looked to be the best summer of his life. While the Tigers are on a road trip they sign a former Tiger that happens to be Brian's favorite all time player, Hank Bishop. At first he is very hard to get along with and mean to Brian. Brian wouldn't give up on him and one day when Brian was exiting the ballpark after a game his mom came out and talked to Hank, completely changing Hank's view on Brian. When Hank falls into a terrible slump, Brian notices something different about his swing. He mentions it to Hank then shows him some film. There is soon questions of how much longer the Tigers will put up with Hank. He is at 499 career home runs and getting worse daily. Find out if he will ever hit home run number 500.

[Koen Robida · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a kid named Brian who is the batboy for his home town team the Detroit Tigers. He and his friend Finn have an idol who's new to the team, but not baseball. Hank Bishop. He is both Finn and Brian's idol. He is the new edition to the team. as the book goes on Brian and Hank both go through slumps. Near the end of the book they both hep each other with there swings. Hank tells Brian he's dropping his hands to early and his head is moving to much. Brian gets through his slump. But Hank doesn't get through his. A week or so later Brain helps out Hank "The Bishop of Baseball". Brian invites Hank to his house and he actually shows up. They watch videos of his swing now and his swing of last year. They find out he's dropping his shoulders too early. Brain calls his friend Finn and Finn pitches to Hank. The next game he comes close to his 500th home run of his career. Next game... last home game of the season... last at bat... Fastball down the middle Hank makes contact and launches the ball, clear home run. A walk off home run for Hank Bishop his 500th home run of his career.

[Jakeh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake hobby 801 11-28-14 The batboy Mike Lupica
This story contains about a kid named Brian who is a batboy for his home town and wants to join a big league with dangerous competitors. Brian would like to be in the MLB because he would impress his coaches, family, friends, fans, and other baseball players. The story takes place mostly on the baseball field or at the park where Brian plays baseball with his coaches and his fellow teammates. Some of the characters in the story are Brian, hank bishop, willie, Brian's mom and dad, Kenny, cole Dudley, Marty McCain, mr. Schenkel, and Davy schofield. The plot of the story is that hank bishop receives the batboy award and not Brian. When Brian hears about this he is very upset because he thought he could impress his coaches, fans, parents, family and other people who don't know how to play baseball or learning how to play baseball. If you like sports books or baseball this would be on one of your top choices on your list because it describes mostly the game of baseball and good sportsmanship.

[Patrick Roche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baseball is my favorite sport, whether I am playing, watching, or reading about it, that is why I decided to read this book. Mike Lupica is an author that I have always enjoyed reading, this is another reason why I decided to read this book. Lupica, does a tremendous job creating images in the readers head, making the story so much more attractive. The main character, Brian Dudley, is someone I can relate to because he shares the same passion for baseball that I posses. Brian is a teenage fan of the Detroit Tigers, who is given the opportunity of a life time being the batboy for the Tigers. Brian's idol, Hank Bishop, is a player for the Tigers, and it would be a dream come true for Brian to meat him. When Brian is given the opportunity to meet his idol, it does not go well. Brians parents are also seperated so that is a difficult experience for him. In the end, Brian has many different experiances, some better than other. Overall, I believe anybody who has an interest would be interested in reading this book.

[Gavin Tinker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book at my school library and it was magnificent. It only took me a few days to read it. On the first day I immediately liked it. The book is about a kid named Brian and he adores baseball. His favorite player is Hank Bishop on the Detroit Tigers. He applies for batboy for the Tigers, but they say he needs to be older, so two years later he applies again and get the job.

This book has beautiful detail and it’s always exciting. I love it as there is always something new around every corner. This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I really think if you're in middle school you should read this, really if you like baseball you will find this book tremendous. The end was fantastic and it felt like it couldn't be any better. I thought the book was outstanding with lots of twists and turns, probably my favorite book so far. Really just an awesome book and I highly recommend you get this book at a library or just buy it at a bookstore, and it will be a decision you won't regret.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I got my hands on this book, I was looking for a baseball book that had a good story line but still kept to the baseball feel. The book “The Bat Boy” is a really good book about a young kid that all he wants is to be a bat boy for one of his favorite teams. When he gets his chance he takes it right way. There was no doubt that this was what he wanted to do, but when he started going to practice he met his “hero” of the team he realized he wasn’t who he thought he was. Behind the camera he was always smiling and acting like he was a joy to everyone. But this wasn’t the real case. The new bat boy tried and tried to have the man talk to him and let him know he was the new bat boy. These two have a bound that grows and grows throughout this book. I know for sure I was always questioning this guy. But overall it is a very good book on baseball as well as a book on how a little guy can change a big man’s heart. This is a must read for young kids.

[Anthony Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine being a bat-boy for the Detroit Tigers a Major League Baseball team. Brian got to do this, he even got to work with his all time favorite player.

Brian learns that sometimes our idols make mistakes too. He found his out his idol was doing steroids. Brian still believes in him even though Hank Bishop was rude to him.

Brian is also dealing with his parents divorce. His father doesn't talk to him much. His father was a major league baseball player, but never has seen Brian play baseball. He is always out of town scouting for teams.

If you like drama books and sports books then this is the book for you. There was suspense at the end of each chapter, making you hold on to the book and keep on reading. Make The Batboy your next read.

[Aaron Trebley]

Brian Dudley, son of the former MLB pitcher Cole Dudley, wants to be the bat boy for his favorite team, the Detroit Tigers. He sent a letter telling how he wanted to be a bat boy. He go the job though. He liked the tigers a lot but when his favorite player Hank Bishop got to play for the tigers he was so excited. But when he first meet Hank he was meaner than he thought he was. His dad actually came back from Japan scout Hank Bishop so he can but him on his Japan squad. He got to spend a lot of time with his dad that day. At the end of the day Brain wished that he didn't see his dad. I think that Brian and Hank are going to be good friends by the end of the season.

[Erik Wittmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a huge baseball fan, I ordered this book because it as recommended to me by a fifth grader who know my love for baseball. Mike Lupica hit a home run with this novel about a batboy who connects with his hero and role model.

Growing up with his father playing for multiple major league teams, Brian becomes the batboy for the Chicago White Sox. His idle and favorite all time player was suspended 50 games for using steroids.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that was a great book. I didn't like the ending, which had Brian hitting a grand slam to win the game and hit the first ever out of the park at that ballpark. Although it is a happy ending I could tell you that was what was going to happen three chapters before it actually happened. I did like Brian's response when he was asked how it felt: ""This is what I have been waiting for my entire life!"" If you ever see it you should read because it is an amazing book.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good because I like how it shows a ordinary boy who becomes a batboy and gets to meet his hero who isn't as nice as he seems on tv. The batboy, Brian, wouldn't give up on his hero Hank who ends up not playing like his usual self. Brian tries to get to know him and eventually they both start giving each other advice and tips on how to hit better. This book was good because I like how it shows how Brian never gave up on Hank and reminded him how much he loved baseball.

[Owen Kowatch]

Brian has the best summer job you could get. He is a bat boy for the Detroit Tigers. He see this as a opportunity to get to know his favorite baseball player, but Hank Bishop is not the man Brian thought he was. In this book there is sad parts and happy parts, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves sports or mystery.

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

didnt make me as nearly as happy as Travel Team did.