Description
Book SynopsisThe minor leagues never looked so major. In this compelling story of competition and sportmanship, long-time journalist and baseball enthusiast Roy Rowan takes the reader inside the hearts and locker rooms of two of minor league baseball's hottest pitching prospects pitching for the same team and against each other. On one mount is Justin Olson. A product of Big Ten baseball and an academic star, Olson is an accomplished student whose fastball tops out at 94 miles an hour. On the other mount is Francisco Liriano. Taken from the sandlot ball fields of the Dominican Republic, he possesses one of the most threatening arms in the minors. Widely considered to be the best pitcher outside of the big leagues, Liriano's arsenal of pitches humbles and awes the hitters that he faces. On one hand, they are teammates, pitching to get the New Britain Rock Cats to the postseason. But on the other, they are adversaries, pitching for their futures and locked in a head-to-head competition for the same opportunity—a chance to be one of the starting five for the Minnesota Twins. Throwing Bullets takes the reader through the trials and tribulations of these two young pitchers both on and off the field. A vivid story of competition, frustration, failure, and success, this book is an inside look at two minor league lives where every pitch is major.
Trade Review"For most boys (and someday perhaps girls too), the real American Dream is to play in the major leagues. Getting there is the gripping theme of Roy Rowan's Throwing Bullets. He follows two young minor-league pitchers through the summer of 2005: one a laconic Dominican lefty, the other an amiable righthander from a Chicago suburb, as they scramble towards the 'show,' their term for the big leagues. This wonderful book can be enjoyed for its baseball lore and insights, but even more for its heartwarming human drama of why one player makes it and the other doesn't. Finding out which is which will be one of your best reading experiences this year." -- Richard B. Stolley * Founding Editor People Magazine *
"I loved this book by eminent and graceful writer Roy Rowan. It contains much fascinating detail of minor-league life, and provides insights into two young pitchers Rowan traces through a season at a Minnesota Twins' farm team in Connecticut. His chapter on a scout's view of his two subjects will educate even the most knowledgeable fan." -- Fay Vincent, former Baseball Commissioner
"Roy Rowan, a consummate pro himself, takes a major-league look at the ups and downs of life in the minors." -- Ray Cave, former Executive Editor, Sports Illustrated
Rowan offers a lively portrait of the circus atmosphere of minor-league baseball. The characters in his story are vivid and the emotional pull strong. * People Magazine *
Throwing Bullets is a quick and easy read that provides an interesting look at minor league baseball while shedding light on Liriano's past." -- Bill Freehling * Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star *
"Throwing Bullets: A Tale of Two Pitchers Chasing the Dream" is destined to become a sports classic, and even more, a literary gem to be read and re-read. -- Ethan Risom * Block Island, Summer Times *
