The Batboy
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The Batboy
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Narrated by:
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Lucien Dodge
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By:
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Mike Lupica
About this listen
It is every baseball kid’s dream summer job: batboy for your hometown Major League team. Yet for 14 year-old Brian, the job means more than just the chance to hang around his idols. Baseball was the job his father loved so much, in the end he couldn’t leave it. Yet he could leave his family. Now Brian sees the job as the way to win back his father. There is no winning back some people, though. Just ask Hank Bishop—once the most popular player in baseball before he was banned for using steroids. Now he is making his comeback. And an unlikely friendship slowly develops between this man in need of a family and this boy in need of a father. Mike Lupica, king of the sports novel, delivers his most powerful and kid-friendly to date.
©2010 Mike Lupica (P)2010 PenguinListeners also enjoyed...
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Jack Callahan is the star of his baseball team and sixth grade is supposed to be his year. Undefeated season. Records shattered. Little League World Series. The works. That is, until he up and quits. Jack's best friend Gus can't understand how Jack could leave a game that means more to them than anything else. But Jack is done. It's a year of change.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 148
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Hutch has always played shortstop. His idol Derek Jeter, plays the position, and more importantly, so did his father. But when a better shortstop joins the team, Hutch must move to second base. With his father's shadow looming and the championship on the line, Hutch will need to make the adjustment quickly.
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 263
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 51
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Twelve-year-old star Little League pitcher Nick Garcia has a dream. Several in fact. He dreams he'll win this season's MVP and the chance to throw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium. He dreams he'll meet his hero, Yankees' pitcher Michael Arroyo. He dreams they'll find a cure for Lupus so he sister won't have to suffer. But mostly, he dreams one day his family can stop living in fear of the government. For one kid, it's almost too much to bear.
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On or off the field, Ben and Matt couldn't be more different. Ben Roberson is an all-or-nothing player: He's big, he's bold, and he's brash. Ben's swing can hit a ball right out of the park - but that's if he can get a hit at all. Matt Baker is small and shy, and his stutter has him avoiding the spotlight - even if he’s the best all-around player on the team. But while Matt knows he's got the chops, a part of him has always envied "Big Ben" and his attention-grabbing charm.
By: Mike Lupica
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Two-Minute Drill
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Chris Conlan is the coolest kid in sixth grade, the golden-armed quarterback of the football team and the boy all the others look up to. Scott Parry is the new kid, the boy with the huge brain, but with feet that trip over themselves. These two boys may seem like an odd couple, but each has a secret that draws them together, and proves that the will to succeed is even more important than raw talent.
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Million-Dollar Throw
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 145
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 145
Award-winning journalist and ESPN personality Mike Lupica crafts a moving tale of perseverance, loyalty, and of the hope that rides on one pressure-packed football toss. If 13-year-old Nate Brodie can throw a football through a small target at a Patriots game, he will win a million dollars. Since his dad just lost his job, Nate welcomes the opportunity at first.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Best book ever!!!
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Fantasy League
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 89
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12-year-old Charlie is a fantasy football guru. He may be just a bench warmer for his school's football team, but when it comes to knowing and loving the game, he's first-string. He even becomes a celebrity when his podcast gets noticed by a sports radio host, who plays Charlie's fantasy picks for all of Los Angeles to hear. Soon Charlie befriends the elderly owner of the L.A. Bulldogs - a fictional NFL team - and convinces him to take a chance on an aging quarterback.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great read!
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By: Mike Lupica
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The Underdogs
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 129
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 101
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 103
Will Tyler can fly on a football field. He may not be the biggest running back around, but no one can touch him when it comes to hitting the hole and finding the end zone. And no one can match his love of the game. When Will has a football in hand, he may as well be flying for real because life can't touch him - his dad isn't so defeated, his town isn't so poor, and everyone has something to cheer for. All of which does him no good if the football season is canceled.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good
- By Ryan Sosa on 05-24-17
By: Mike Lupica
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True Legend
- By: Mike Lupica
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 131
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 107
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There's a reason teammates call him "True". Because for basketball phenom Drew Robinson, there is nothing more true than his talent on the court. It's the kind that comes along once in a generation and is loaded with perks - and with problems. Before long, True buys in to his own hype, much to the chagrin of his mother, who wants to keep her boy's head grounded - and suddenly trouble has a way of finding him. That is, until a washed-up former playground legend steps back onto the court....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great for any basketball lovers.
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By: Mike Lupica
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Fast Break
- By: Mike Lupica
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
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- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 124
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 103
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 104
Forced to live on his own after his mom dies and her boyfriend abandons him, 12-year-old Jayson does whatever it takes to get by. He will do anything to avoid the foster care system. Besides, his real home has always been the beat-up basketball court behind the projects in the North Carolina hills, and his family has always been his friends and teammates. He manages to get away with his deception until the day he gets caught stealing a new pair of basketball sneakers. Game over. Within a day a social worker places him with a family from the other side of town, the Lawtons.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Read this
- By Amazon Customer on 11-30-17
By: Mike Lupica
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Last Man Out
- By: Mike Lupica
- Narrated by: Ryan Gesell
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 70
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 61
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Story5 out of 5 stars 60
When the Brighton Bears suit up on game day, 12-year-old Tommy Gallagher is the toughest kid on the football field. And the bravest. After all, his father Patrick is a Boston firefighter - one of Boston's bravest. Tommy's dad taught him everything he knows about football - and life. Yet even Tommy isn't strong enough for what happens when the sirens ring and, for the first time, they're racing away from the fire. "First man in; last man out" had always been his dad's motto, yet he never said anything about leaving in an ambulance.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Last man out
- By Anonymous User on 09-09-20
By: Mike Lupica
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Lone Stars
- By: Mike Lupica
- Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 62
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
Clay is a quarterback's dream. When he zips across the field, arms outstretched, waiting for the ball to sail into his hands, there's no denying him the catch. Like most Texans, Clay is never more at home than when playing football. And his coach, a former star player for the Dallas Cowboys, is just like a second father. But as the football season kicks off, Clay begins to notice some odd behavior from his coach....
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5 out of 5 stars
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How Clay acted as coach was his family
- By sabby on 05-16-24
By: Mike Lupica
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Miracle on 49th Street
- By: Mike Lupica
- Narrated by: Michael Santopietro
- Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 91
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 65
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 65
Josh Cameron has it all: a World Championship ring with the Boston Celtics, an MVP award, a clean-cut image, and the adoration of millions. What he doesn't have is family -- until the day 12-year-old smart aleck Molly Parker confronts him in a parking lot and claims to be his daughter, the only daughter of Jen Parker, Josh's college sweetheart and the still the only girl he's ever loved. Trouble is, Jen Parker died last year, and now Molly has tracked down the father she never knew.
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5 out of 5 stars
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perfect!! Just what i love!!
- By Stacey on 05-12-10
By: Mike Lupica
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No Slam Dunk
- By: Mike Lupica
- Narrated by: Julio A. Sanchez
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 37
Wes' father always told him there was only one ball in basketball: that you had to know when to take it yourself and when to give it up, that finding the right balance was key. So at every practice and game, Wes tries his best to be a good basketball player and, above all, a good teammate. As the season kicks off, Wes finds that not everyone on his team has the same idea. All-star player and Hawks point guard Danilo "Dinero" Rey seems determined to hold the spotlight and the ball, even if it means costing his team the game.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The book was the best
- By Sandro on 05-20-20
By: Mike Lupica
Critic reviews
“A pennant winner.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Lupica...giv[es] his readers a behind-the-scenes look at major league sports. In this novel, he adds genuine insights into family dynamics and the emotional state of his hero.” (Booklist)
“[T]his novel will undoubtedly appeal to those who equate summer with baseball, it should also win over readers who appreciate finely crafted storytelling and engaging characters.” (School Library Journal)
What listeners say about The Batboy
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mark
- 02-01-12
predictable but fun baseball novel
If you know and enjoy baseball, and like kids fiction, I expect that you will enjoy this story a lot. I did. It is quite predictable, but pulls the right strings, and I enjoyed it. It combines a 14 year-old boy's youth baseball experience with his chance to be a major league bat boy. Also, we have the a baseball star who becomes a fallen idol and an estranged father who happens to be a former major league baseball player. While I could see all the twists coming at each turn, I enjoyed it anyway. There is a lot of baseball in this, and knowing and appreciating the game is a key to enjoying this novel.
The biggest problem - the reader spoke much too fast. He did okay for the conversation, but was terrible when he read the rest. Maybe you should look for the regular print book. Still, I did finally get used to the reader, and liked the book in spite of him.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Margaret
- 04-11-10
Batboy review
I enjoyed listening to this book. It was easy to follow and very interesting. I think middle schoolers, high schoolers and adults who like sports would enjoy this book (as reviewed by a 12 yr old)
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-17-25
Home run
I liked the whole book and I really liked when Hank taught Brian in the cage
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- ashley mawalls
- 09-22-15
younger kid
The book itself was really good but I would recommend it to a younger kid in maybe the 4th grade or 5th grade (Thank you Mike Lupica for another exellent book)☺
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Vincent Carbone
- 05-01-22
Great book
It’s good and good and fun and nice and ggoood and stupid and incredibly stupid
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adrianne Kuethe
- 10-12-23
Good book
I liked how it told a story about something I love. It told a good story and I was having a good time while reading it.
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