Odd Man Out...Update

Double ooops!!

They should have to pull the copies and reprint using fake names and call it fiction!!

Sounds like he was "The Odd Man Out" and wants retribution. Seems like he was pretty intentional in his attempt to disparage MLB and his former teammates.
Hope he and Penguin have good insurance.

I've bought a few of the books recommended on HSBBW. Not sure if this one was, but I'm glad SI had the excerpt. I didn't like the tone and I can't remember if I even finished reading that. I would not have bought this book even before this revelation. For some reason, I think I even looked up some things that didn't jive. The whole thing was forgettable.

Good riddance!

I am not a big fan of the kiss and tell books. I believe Jim Bouton invented the genre for baseball and I am not sure it was a good idea then. I would hate the thought that someone was lurking in the background trying to exploit things for their own personal gain down the road. No matter how hard they tried, they could never provide all the appropriate context and thus, many are bound to look bad. I believe this particular character who wrote the book seems like a weasel to me.

Things are different when an author is given access to a team and things are out in the open and upfront about people's intentions. George Plimpton was given access to the Lions and told some colorful stories about Alex Karas, for example. That was different however as all participants knew Plimpton was working on a book. Plimpton was also accountable to those he wrote about. Here we have this person basically stating that is how he "recalls" it - a he said/she said account if you will. Quite unseemly imho.

Maybe he was misquoted in his autobiography like TO was!!

Not sure if anyone else read or is considering reading this book?

I did.

While I found it sometimes entertaining...overall, I don't have a ton of positive things to say about it. There is little doubt in my mind that many of the recounted stories are true or close to true...but the author, it seemed to me, pretty much threw everyone under the bus including his coaches, teammates and host family (seems to not have a lot of respect for their Mormon faith).

This guy is a doctor now...if he were my doctor, I would switch doctors after reading this book knowing a little bit about how he sees the world.

JMO, I'd be interested in hearing others if you read the book too.

I'm about 150 pages into Torre's book...much, MUCH better read IMO.

I can't agree more with JB's observations, and it appears we may be close to the same page of Torre's book.
There were a few very interesting anecdotes in Odd Man Out, and overall the book has readability. But the author's premise can't escape the trap that baseball players are predictable and simple, while his own shortcomings as a player as a person are ultimately understated. I don't regret reading the book, and I did finish it, but the book did not live up to the hype generated by the SI excerpts.

I finished the book a few days ago. My reaction is mostly positive. I'm not surprised that others recall the events of more than 6 years ago differently, and I doubt anyone remembers everything correctly. But I tend to believe the person who kept a journal.

The book offers a strong sense of what MiLB is like. I have no way to know if that depiction is accurate, but it rings true for me.

Does the book "throw people under the bus?" IMO, most books that recount events involving real, and imperfect, people will portray some folks in an unfavorable light, or at least differently than they would like.

Thumbs up from me.

3Finger, I can tell things about my office, most people would think I made up, but are true. There were too many things described that I found hard to believe were made up. Who hasn't heard about a coach going off, or swearing. This is after a man's world by the time our sons get to MLB. I did not find the statements made about the Mormons as negative, he seemed to appreciate living with them. Yes some things were proven wrong through records/box scores, so what. I too enjoyed the book, made me think twice about wanting my son to play professionally. A revolving door of young men's hopes and aspirations.

I agree with both of you, 3finger and PUHD.

I thought the book gave a very good sense of what minor league baseball is all about. Did he recount things that made his teammates cringe? Sure.

Is Ball Four a classic? Yup.

This book will never be in the Ball Four category because 1) it is about minor league ball and therefore will never have the panache that an "expose' about the majors would have,

and 2)If Ball Four were published today, it would hardly cause a ripple.

Since my son played in the pioneer league,I'm interested in reading this book.

Just started reading the book .....so far sounds accurate

Just so happens that I know some of the people mentioned in that book. The one who received the most negativity is Tom Kotchman. Tom is a long time Angels scout who manages in that league. He is also the father of Major Leaguer Casey Kotchman. I also know Alex Dvorsky very well, seeing he grew up in our building. Tony Reagins, Joe Saunders and others we also know very well.

Who we do not know is Matt McCarthy! Never even heard of him until the book came out. Most of those that were on that Provo team ended up here in Cedar Rapids the next year. Good thing McCarthy got released.

It doesn't make any difference if some of the book is true. There are some real good people he slammed in that book. Harvard is a great school with a great baseball coach, but they have nothing to be proud of in producing this guy.

Obviously, the biggest mistake was made by the Angels by signing him in the first place.

quote:

Originally posted by PGStaff:
Just so happens that I know some of the people mentioned in that book. The one who received the most negativity is Tom Kotchman. Tom is a long time Angels scout who manages in that league. He is also the father of Major Leaguer Casey Kotchman. I also know Alex Dvorsky very well, seeing he grew up in our building. Tony Reagins, Joe Saunders and others we also know very well.

Who we do not know is Matt McCarthy! Never even heard of him until the book came out. Most of those that were on that Provo team ended up here in Cedar Rapids the next year. Good thing McCarthy got released.

It doesn't make any difference if some of the book is true. There are some real good people he slammed in that book. Harvard is a great school with a great baseball coach, but they have nothing to be proud of in producing this guy.

Obviously, the biggest mistake was made by the Angels by signing him in the first place.

I agree with these feelings 100% and don't blame you for being upset. Someone lurking in the background with his own private notebook on things is unseemly imho and borderline unethical. People might have acted entirely different if they had known they were being exploited for a book. Who is to say that his recollection and context of things is the actual way things transpired. I wouldn't want to be associated with someone who was "secretly" out for themselves in this manner. Since so many have complained about this "author's" recollection, it leads me to believe he embellished things so he could make a buck. Hope he is pleased with himself for his efforts because something seems rotten in Denmark.

quote:

Originally posted by PGStaff:
The one who received the most negativity is Tom Kotchman.

Lots of people appear to have that reaction, apparently including Tom Kotchman.
Yet what I read was a very positive portrayal of him-- caring about the development of his players, staying at a lower level of ball in spite of the capability to manage at a much higher level, more concerned about wins and losses than most of his players. I came away with the sense that Tom Kotchman is very much the kind of manager that a MiLB (or MLB) player should hope for.

Guess it just struck me differently.

I agree with you PGStaff. If this guy were my doctor, I'd switch to another doctor.

(BTW, he went to Yale, not Harvard...small detail, sorry).

Again I agree with 3 fingered here. Nothing personal PG, but I liked the book for getting a feel for what some of the boys that may sign up with a club can look forward to. I would say some of the habits of Coach Kotchman may have been embarassing, but he was portrayed as a very caring coach.

I haven't finished the book yet, but so far nothing in it surprises me.

McCarthy was wrong to out his team mates and coaches.

What is said in the club house stays in the club house.