Title/Author:
“Long Shot”
by Mike Piazza with Lonnie Wheeler
Tags:
Baseball, autobiography,
Dodgers, Mets
Published:
February
12, 2013
Length:
386 pages
Rating:
4 of 5
stars (very good)
Review:
Baseball
fans have heard the story: 62nd round draft pick, who was chosen by
a well-known major league manager as a favor to the player’s father. Worked his
way up to the big leagues where he became one of the best hitting catchers in
the game. Mike Piazza shares his thoughts on these topics and a lot more in
this memoir of his life and career that was fun to read, and at the same time
it evoked a lot of reaction for his comments and viewpoints on many issues and
people that affected him personally.
The first
impression I had when reading this book, no matter at what point in his life or
career he was describing, was that he was being himself and honest. It didn’t seem to matter to him if someone
would be upset or offended by his comments; he wrote what he felt about the
topic. This was especially telling when
he talked about his bitter contract negotiations and subsequent trade from the
team that drafted him, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He blamed many others for the
situation, including broadcaster Vin Scully, a beloved icon in Los Angeles. He
blamed the Dodgers’ ownership, fans, and anyone else that he could except
himself. He had the on-field statistics
to back him up for his position in the negotiations, but even to this day, it
doesn’t seem that he fully understood why some people would not look upon this
situation favorably.
While this
was the most notable example of Piazza being critical about others, it wasn’t
the only one. When he ended up in New
York playing for the Mets he was critical of many of their moves as well. Whether the reader believes the criticism is
justified or not, Piazza’s style of writing and the items he chooses to discuss
can rub many readers the wrong way. However, it is also obvious that he is
being honest with his opinion and because of that I thought the book was one to
enjoy, even if the reader disagrees or will react with anger to some of the
comments.
The tone
he sets also comes across as defensive, especially when addressing topics such
as performance enhancing drugs, the feud between himself and Roger Clemens and
the aforementioned departure from Los Angeles.
Whether he was explaining why he was taking “andro” (a legal substance at
the time and the one that was famously found in Mark McGuire’s locker in 1998),
telling why he would not react differently to Clemens beaning him and then
throwing a broken bat piece at him in the World Series, or even when trying to
explain the rumors in New York that he was a homosexual, he comes across as
overly defensive. He is honest, he doesn’t
pull punches, but it felt like he was trying too hard to win over the reader’s
mind. That wasn’t necessary in my opinion. The honesty was refreshing – that was all
that was needed.
Some of
his stories can be quite touching. One in which I thought was really good was also
my favorite one in the book and that was when Ted Williams came to his house
and watched Piazza takes some cuts in the backyard. Williams, who always had a keen eye for
hitting, felt that Piazza would be a great hitter someday. That prediction did
turn out to be true.
So given
all this, I still felt the book was an enjoyable read even if by the end of it,
the aura he left in my mind of his career was a little tarnished because of his
attitudes. That doesn’t take away his on-field accomplishments, nor does it
take away from my opinion of the book, which certainly is one to read if you
are interested in learning more about him.
It was an enjoyable and entertaining read, and one that will surely
leaving you wanting to talk about it with anyone else who read it or follows
baseball.
Did I skim?
No.
Pace of the book:
It reads
fairly quickly as Piazza takes the reader throughout all the important events
and stories of his life and career, from childhood to the end of his playing
career. There isn’t a lot after that except for his opinion on a few baseball
topics in the epilogue.
Do I recommend?
Fans of
Piazza and the Mets will enjoy this book.
Dodger fans may not take kindly to some of his remarks, however. If the reader was not a fan of Piazza or
looks poorly upon any player who is controversial, this is not a book for him
or her. Otherwise, I do recommend it to all baseball fans, regardless of team
loyalty.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
Buying Links:
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