Danny Connolly is a back-up pitcher with the Dulaney Orioles. He knows that "back-up" means "not good enough to start." When he has gotten a chance to pitch, he hasn't exactly been the shut-down reliever the team needs.To make matters worse, he's playing in the shadow of his older brother, Joey, a lights-out high school lefty with a 90-mph fastball who's attracting lots of attention from college recruiters and major league scouts. It's bad enough that Danny's parents fawn over Joey and rarely talk about Danny's games. But now, as his big brother's mound exploits are drawing more and more attention, Danny is starting to get the why-aren't-you-as-good-as-Joey? comments from the Orioles, too. The pressure to live up to Joey's success is stifling. Lonely and frustrated, Danny embarks on a secret project designed to make his family and teammates sit up and take notice. Aided by a mysterious stranger with an uncanny knowledge of the aerodynamics of a thrown baseball, he attempts to learn a pitch no one has seen before. The clock is ticking as the O's try to repeat as league champions. If Danny's audacious plan works and he can master the magical fluttering pitch known as "The Terminator," he'll soon be the talk of the league--and the dependable closer the Orioles desperately need. PRAISE FOR HOTHEAD:". . . just the ticket for readers who've worked their way through Dan Gutman and Matt Christopher but are still a little shy of Matt de la Peña and Carl Deuker. "--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Written with Ripken's obvious knowledge of the game, Conor's story rings true, with plenty of good baseball action. If Conor's not always in good spirits, the novel is, with likable characters, lively baseball action and the usual dreams of playing in the big leagues-in Conor's case, at Camden Yards. Ripken and Cowherd, like Conor and his Babe Ruth League Orioles, make a winning team. "--Kirkus

Mickey Labriogla is the best catcher in the league. He's got a cannon for an arm, calls a great game, and blocks the plate like a bulldozer with shin guards. But when a hotshot new pitcher joins the Dulaney Orioles, Mickey wonders if it isn't time to find another position -- or maybe another team. Zoom's the most arrogant player the Orioles have ever seen. But even Coach Labriogla, Mickey's dad, seems in awe of the kid's talent and willing to overlook his insufferable behavior. When Mickey and Zoom find themselves rivals for the attention of the mysterious Abby Elliott, who works the concession stand, any chance the two teammates can get along goes out the window. As the Orioles head to a seemingly-inevitable showdown in the new "Super-Regional" against Zoom's old team, the powerful Laurel Yankees, the clash between Mickey and Zoom threatens to break the team apart -- and derail a championship season. Praise for Hothead ". . . just the ticket for readers who've worked their way through Dan Gutman and Matt Christopher but are still a little shy of Matt de la Pe¿a and Carl Deuker. " -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Written with Ripken's obvious knowledge of the game, Conor's story rings true, with plenty of good baseball action. If Conor's not always in good spirits, the novel is, with likable characters, lively baseball action and the usual dreams of playing in the big leagues-in Conor's case, at Camden Yards. Ripken and Cowherd, like Conor and his Babe Ruth League Orioles, make a winning team. " --Kirkus Reviews

Connor Sullivan is an All-Star shortstop on his Babe Ruth team, the Orioles. He can hit and field with the best of them, but he's got one big problem: his temper. When he strikes out or makes an error, he's a walking Mt. Vesuvius, slamming batting helmets and throwing gloves. His teammates are starting to avoid him, even his best friend Jordy. His coach is ready to kick him off the team. To make matters worse, things aren't much better at home. His dad is having trouble finding a new job after being laid off. Money is tight. Connor's dream of attending the prestigious Brooks Robinson Baseball Camp this summer seems like just that now - a dream. When the sports editor of the school paper threatens to do a big story on his tantrums - complete with embarassing photos - Connor realizes he has to clean up his act. But can he do it in time to regain his teammates' trust and help the Orioles win the championship against the best team in the league?

The final book in the out-of-the-park series by legendary short-stop and a veteran sportswriter Cal Ripkin. Danny Connolly is a back-up pitcher with the Dulaney Orioles. He knows what that means: not good enough to start. When he does get into games, he hasn't exactly been the shut-down reliever the team needs. To make matters worse, he's playing in the shadow of his older brother, Joey, a lights-out high school lefty with a 90-mph fastball who's attracting lots of attention from college recruiters and major league scouts. It's bad enough that Danny's parents seem to fawn over Joey and barely talk about what Danny does in his games. But now, as his big brother's mound exploits draw more and more attention, Danny's starting to get the why-aren't-you-as-good-as-Joey comments from the Orioles, too. The pressure to live up to Joey's success is stifling. Lonely and frustrated, Danny embarks on a secret project designed to make his family and teammates sit up and take notice. Aided by a mysterious stranger with an uncanny knowledge of the aerodynamics of a thrown baseball, he attempts to learn a new pitch. A pitch no one has ever seen before. The clock is ticking on Danny as the O's try to repeat as league champions. But if his audacious plan works and he can master the magical fluttering pitch known as "The Terminator," he'll soon be the talk of the league -- and the dependable closer the Orioles desperately need.

Robbie Hammond is the hardest throwing pitcher in the Babe Ruth League. But what good is all that heat when he can''t seem to find the plate? With Robbie struggling, the Orioles are suffering through a nightmare season, still looking for their first win. Robbie''s teammates are whispering that the only reason he''s even pitching is because he''s the coach''s kid. They''ve even given him a new nickname: Ball Four. What the other Orioles don''t know is that Robbie is still haunted by a fastball that got away from him and injured a batter in last year''s All-Star Game. Now, with the pressure mounting, he''s willing to try anything to get his control back, including listening to a mysterious boy who just might hold the key to helping Robbie-and the Orioles-save their season. This third action-packed book in Cal Ripken Jr.''s All-Star series will have readers on the edge of their seats as they root for Robbie''s comeback.

Ernie Johnson Jr. has been in the game a long time. With one of the most recognized voices in sports broadcasting, he is a tireless perfectionist when it comes to preparing and delivering his commentary. Yet he knows that some of sports' greatest triumphs--and life's greatest rewards--come from those unscripted moments you never anticipated. In this heartfelt, gripping autobiography, the three-time Sports Emmy Award-winner and popular host of TNT's Inside the NBA provides a remarkably candid look at his life both on and off the screen. From his relationship with his sportscaster father to his own rise to the top of sports broadcasting, from battling cancer to raising six children with his wife, Cheryl, including a special needs child adopted from Romania, Ernie has taken the important lessons he learned from his father and passed them on to his own children. This is the untold story, the one Ernie has lived after the lights are turned off and the cameras stop rolling. Sports fans, cancer survivors, fathers and sons, adoptive parents, those whose lives have been touched by a person with special needs, anyone who loves stories about handling life's surprises with grace--Unscripted is for all of these.

Atlanta Braves third baseman and National Hall of Famer Chipper Jones—one of the greatest switch-hitters in baseball history—shares his remarkable story, while capturing the magic nostalgia that sets baseball apart from every other sport. Before Chipper Jones became an eight-time All-Star who amassed Hall of Fame–worthy statistics during a nineteen-year career with the Atlanta Braves, he was just a country kid from small town Pierson, Florida. A kid who grew up playing baseball in the backyard with his dad dreaming that one day he’d be a major league ballplayer. With his trademark candor and astonishing recall, Chipper Jones tells the story of his rise to the MLB ranks and what it took to stay with one organization his entire career in an era of booming free agency. His journey begins with learning the art of switch-hitting and takes off after the Braves make him the number one overall pick in the 1990 draft, setting him on course to become the linchpin of their lineup at the height of their fourteen-straight division-title run. Ballplayer takes readers into the clubhouse of the Braves’ extraordinary dynasty, from the climax of the World Series championship in 1995 to the last-gasp division win by the 2005 “Baby Braves”; all the while sharing pitch-by-pitch dissections of clashes at the plate with some of the all-time great starters, such as Clemens and Johnson, as well as closers such as Wagner and Papelbon. He delves into his relationships with Bobby Cox and his famous Braves brothers—Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz, among them—and opponents from Cal Ripken Jr. to Barry Bonds. The National League MVP also opens up about his overnight rise to superstardom and the personal pitfalls that came with fame; his spirited rivalry with the New York Mets; his reflections on baseball in the modern era—outrageous money, steroids, and all—and his special last season in 2012. Ballplayer immerses us in the best of baseball, as if we’re sitting next to Chipper in the dugout on an endless spring day.