Nelson just wants to play baseball and maybe, one day, realize his dream of pitching. Then his manager is suspended and two players leave the team. On top of that, it seems that the park where the team practices may be haunted.

Describes how the lives of baseball player Pete Rose and baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti collided against the backdrop of modern baseball when Rose was accused of betting on the game

Jackie Robinson is one of the most revered public figures of the twentieth century. He is remembered for both his athletic prowess and his strong personal character. The world knows him as the man who crossed baseball’s color line, but there is much more to his legacy. At the conclusion of his baseball career, Robinson continued in his pursuit of social progress through his work as a writer. Beyond Home Plate, an anthology of Jackie Robinson’s columns in the New York Post and the New York Amsterdam News, offers fresh insight into the Hall of Famer’s life and work following his historic years on the baseball diamond. Robinson’s syndicated newspaper columns afforded him the opportunity to provide rich social commentary while simultaneously exploring his own life and experiences. He was free to write about any subject of his choosing, and he took full advantage of this license, speaking his mind about everything from playing Santa to confronting racism in the Red Sox nation, from loving his wife Rachel to despising Barry Goldwater, from complaining about Cassius Clay’s verbosity to teaching Little Leaguers how to lose well. Robinson wrote to prod and provoke, inflame and infuriate, and sway and persuade. With their pointed opinions, his columns reveal that the mature Robinson was a truly American prophet, a civil rights leader in his own right, furious with racial injustice and committed to securing first class citizenship for all. These fascinating columns also depict Robinson as an indebted son, a devoted husband, a tenderhearted father, and a hardworking community leader. Robinson believed that his life after his baseball career was far more important than all of his baseball exploits. Beyond Home Plate shows why he believed this so fervently.

Best friends Justin and Carlos are forced to play on rival baseball teams. By the end of the season, they aren't even talking.

The Emmy Award–nominated chef puts a lighter, healthier twist on Southern cooking with these 150 recipes accompanied by color photos. Southern recipes are cherished heirlooms passed down from generation to generation, and Home Plate Cooking shows how to prepare the same recipes your grandmother used to make—while also sharing fresh versions of the same food. That could mean preparing a marinade for collard greens that will eliminate the need for fat back, or cutting down on preparation or cooking time for a family favorite. Featuring 150 recipes, Home Plate Cooking celebrates home cooked southern meals in a way southern recipes have never been presented before—inspired by Marvin Woods’s desire to prepare tasty cuisine that reflected his heritage and influence, but that people could eat more than once a week without worrying about their blood pressure with every bite. Home Plate Cooking shares recipes for such delicacies as: Cheddar Grits Soufflé New Southern Chicken & Dumplings Carrot Apple Slaw Cheddar Cornbread Okra & Tomatoes Bourbon-Baked Ham New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp Pecan Sandies Upside-Down Apple Cake, and many more

Reaching Home Plate is strictly geared to help baseball players develop their game and unlock their full potential. The book covers a ton of topics & everything that I've learned in my 15 years of playing baseball. I acknowledge that I'm not an expert in any field whatsoever-- so as much as I share my own personal experiences and lessons, this is where a majority of the book is merely contributions from many college coaches/ players, pro coaches/players, as well as S&C coaches & nutritionists. Readers get a good glimpse into many different takes into what makes an elite baseball player. This is a must read for parents, coaches, and players!

Popular Atlanta Braves catcher Javier “Javy” Lopez opens up in this autobiography to tell his amazing story, from learning to play baseball on a neighborhood basketball court to his record of 42 home runs in a season by a catcher. The product of a lower-middle-class background in Puerto Rico, Javy had to overcome numerous hardships—not the least of which was a language barrier—to fulfill his destiny as one of the most accomplished catchers of the modern era. He tells of bumps along the way to success, including why he overstated his signing bonus as well as the time in the minors when he cried during an all-night meltdown due to his struggles on the field. But he went on to be named MVP of the 1996 National League Championship Series, and played on 12 of the Atlanta Braves' unprecedented 14 straight division-winning teams of the 1990s and 2000s. From his relationship with great teammates such as Greg Maddux and John Smoltz, to his failed comeback attempt with the Braves in 2008, this autobiography tells all about the handsome, warm, engaging Lopez and how he became one of baseball's most popular players.