Where Nobody Knows Your Name : Life In the Minor Leagues of Baseball

**From the acclaimed #1 bestselling author . . . a riveting journey through the world of minor-league baseball** “No one grows up playing baseball pretending that they’re pitching or hitting in Triple-A.” —Chris Schwinden, Triple-A pitcher “If you don’t like it here, do a better job.” —Ron Johnson, Triple-A manager John Feinstein gave readers an unprecedented view of the PGA Tour in __A Good Walk Spoiled__. He opened the door to an NCAA basketball locker room in his explosive bestseller __A Season on the Brink__. Now, turning his eye to our national pastime, sports journalist John Feinstein explores the colorful and mysterious world of minor-league baseball—a gateway through which all major-league players pass in their careers . . . hoping never to return. Baseball’s minor leagues are a paradox. For some players, the minors are a glorious launching pad toward years of fame and fortune; for others, a crash-landing pad when injury or poor play forces a big leaguer back to a life of obscure ballparks and cramped buses instead of Fenway Park and plush charter planes. Focusing exclusively on the Triple-A level, one step beneath Major League Baseball, Feinstein introduces readers to nine unique men: three pitchers, three position players, two managers, and an umpire. Through their compelling stories, Feinstein pulls back the veil on a league that is chock-full of gifted baseball players, managers, and umpires who are all one moment away from getting called up—or back—to the majors. The stories are hard to believe: a first-round draft pick and pitching ace who rocketed to major-league success before finding himself suddenly out of the game, hatching a presumptuous plan to get one more shot at the mound; a home run–hitting former World Series hero who lived the dream, then bounced among six teams before facing the prospects of an unceremonious end to his career; a big-league All-Star who, in the span of five months, went from being completely out of baseball to becoming a star in the ALDS, then signing a $10 million contract; and a well-liked designated hitter who toiled for eighteen seasons in the minors—a record he never wanted to set—before facing his final, highly emotional chance for a call-up to the big leagues. From Raleigh to Pawtucket, from Lehigh Valley to Indianapolis and beyond, __Where Nobody Knows Your Name__ gives readers an intimate look at a baseball world not normally seen by the fans. John Feinstein gets to the heart of the human stories in a uniquely compelling way, crafting a masterful book that stands alongside his very best works. From the acclaimed #1 bestselling#160;author . . . a riveting journey through the world of minor-league baseball No one grows up playing baseball pretending that theyre pitching or hitting in Triple-A.#160;Chris Schwinden, Triple-A pitcher If you dont like it here, do a better job.#160;Ron Johnson, Triple-A manager John Feinstein gave readers an unprecedented view of the PGA Tour in A Good Walk Spoiled . He opened the door to an NCAA basketball locker room in his explosive bestseller A Season on the Brink . Now, turning his eye to our national pastime, sports journalist John Feinstein explores the colorful and mysterious world of minor-league baseballa gateway through which all major-league players pass in their careers . . . hoping never to return. #160; #160; #160;Baseballs minor leagues are a paradox. For some players, the minors are a glorious launching pad toward years of fame and fortune; for others, a crash-landing pad when injury or poor play forces a big leaguer back to a life of obscure ballparks and cramped buses instead of Fenway Park and plush charter planes. Focusing exclusively on the Triple-A level, one step beneath Major League Baseball, Feinstein introduces readers to nine unique men: three pitchers, three position players, two managers, and an umpire. Through their compelling stories, Feinstein pulls back the veil on a league that is chock-full of gifted baseball players, managers, and umpires who are all one moment away from getting called upor backto the majors. #160; #160; #160;The stories are hard to believe: a first-round draft pick and pitching ace who rocketed to major-league success before finding himself suddenly out of the game, hatching a presumptuous plan to get one more shot at the mound; a home runhitting former World Series hero who lived the dream, then bounced among six teams before facing the prospects of an unceremonious end to his career; a big-league All-Star who, in the span of five months, went from being completely out of baseball to becoming a star in the ALDS, then signing a $10 million contract; and a well-liked designated hitter who toiled for eighteen seasons in the minorsa record he never wanted to setbefore facing his final, highly emotional chance for a call-up to the big leagues. #160; #160; #160;From Raleigh to Pawtucket, from Lehigh Valley#160;to Indianapolis and beyond, Where Nobody Knows Your Name gives readers an intimate look at a baseball world not normally seen by the fans. John Feinstein gets to the heart of the human stories in a uniquely compelling way, crafting a masterful book that stands alongside his very best works Nine minor league baseball players, three pitchers, three position players, two managers, and an umpire share their stories of being in limbo, in a league where at any moment they could be called up-- or back-- to the majors.;Scott Elarton : starting over -- Podsednik and Montoyo : the walk-off hero and the .400 hitter -- Lindsey, Schwinden, and Lollo : the mayor, the traveler, and the ump -- Slice of life : Rolling with the punches in-- Allentown-- Pawtucket-- Norfolk -- Johnson and Montoyo : managing expectations -- Slice of life : Sent down-- called up-- -- Schwinden and Podsednik : life on the roller coaster -- Slice of life : Wally Backman, second chances -- Slice of life : All roads lead to Norfolk -- Nate McLouth, comeback kid -- Elarton : still one step away -- Slice of life : On the road in pinstripes -- Slice of life : Managing-- Indianapolis -- Schwinden and Lindsey : home sweet home -- Slice of life : Jamie Farr would be proud -- Slice of life : Weekend in Toledo -- Brett Tomko : more than nine lives -- Mark Lollo : traveling the umpiring road -- Slice of life : Managing the highs and lows -- Slice of life : I-75 -- Elarton : pigs (not) in the bigs-- and the ever-present revolving door -- Slice of life : Columbus -- From Montoyo to Longoria : hot summer nights in Durham -- Slice of life : Charlotte -- Podsednik : hot streak -- Ron Johnson : real life gets serious -- Maine and Schwinden : comebacks -- One at-bat in eight years -- Elarton : fighting Father Time -- Voices of the minors -- The endless month -- Slice of life : Syracuse-- Washington-- Columbus-- -- Tomko and Lindsey : it's never over till-- -- Slice of life : Syracuse -- Lollo : a bad call -- March to September -- Lollo and Tomko : ending. From the #1 nationally bestselling author of A Good Walk Spoiled and A Season on the Brink ... John Feinstein is one of the most influential sportswriters of the last three decades. In his masterful new book, Where Nobody Knows Your Name, Feinstein delivers a fascinating account of the mysterious proving ground of America's national pastime, pulling back the veil on the minor leagues of baseball. Where Nobody Knows Your Name takes readers inside the gritty, no-frills, high-stakes world of Triple-A baseball, which serves simultaneously as a launching pad for superstar careers and as a crash-landing pad for stars who have fallen. Introducing us to eight men'two pitchers, three position players, two managers, and one umpire'Feinstein tells the riveting stories of those who are on the cusp of greatness ... and those who have toiled and come so close, just waiting for the call from the big-league teams that will make their dreams a reality. From Raleigh to Lehigh Valley, from Indianapolis to Pawtucket, Feinstein gets to the heart of the human stories in a uniquely compelling way, giving readers an intimate look at a baseball world not normally seen. From the Hardcover edition