The Big Field
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw.
Playing shortstop is a way of life for Hutch—not only is his hero, Derek Jeter, a shortstop, but so was his father, a former local legend turned pro. Which is why having to play second base feels like demotion to second team. Yet that's where Hutch ends up after Darryl "D-Will" Williams, the best shortstop prospect since A-Rod, joins the team. But Hutch is nothing if not a team player, and he's cool with playing in D-Will's shadow—until, that is, the two shortstops in Hutch's life betray him in a way he never could have imagined. With the league championship on the line, just how far is Hutch willing to bend to be a good teammate?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lupica's (Travel Team) formula for success seems to be this: take a kid with big athletic talent and even bigger heart, mix in some conflict at home, add a lot of play-by-play action and end with a nail-biter game where the underdog prevails. Even so, Lupica does not fail to entertain. His latest protagonist, Hutch, is a gifted 14-year-old baseball player, devoted to his sport and even more to his team. His recent demotion from shortstop to second base, however, strains his relationship with his cocky, showstopper replacement, Darryl. Hutch also simmers with bottled-up resentment toward his former-baseball-star dad, yet he desperately seeks his father's approval, illustrating once again that what makes Lupica so good is that he not only knows sports, but he also understands how kids think. Hutch's raw passion for baseball "the feeling that you wouldn't want to be anyplace else in the world" and his integrity, not to mention Lupica's swift pacing, will have even reluctant readers following eagerly, hoping that Hutch pulls off another victory. Ages 10-up.
