Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Tao of the Backup Catcher:
It better be a good Tao because this job is rough.
Quick synopsis:
The story of Erik Kratz and the life of a career backup catcher in Major League Baseball.
Fact for Non-History People:
60% of players who get one day as a major leaguer do not make it to 3 years.
Fact for History Nerds:
The average player’s career is only 4 years.
My Take on The Tao of the Backup Catcher:
Who doesn’t want to root for the underdog? The person who shows up every day and does the little things superstars often miss. The “glue” of any team. And how about writing a book about those people on the baseball diamond? Tim Brown went ahead and did that with The Tao of the Backup Catcher. “But I don’t like baseball” you might say. True, but Brown is writing about more than that. Mostly through the lens of career backup catcher, Eric Kratz, Brown looks at what it takes to be the person who is often overlooked but simultaneously important in multiple ways.
This book is a breezy read and can often be both hilarious and poignant. There are many different ballplayers who provide fodder for the book, but Kratz is the focal point more often than not. Every now and again the book will touch on baseball strategy but mostly it zeroes in on drudgery, the trades, and the uncertainty of when your number may be up. Baseball lovers will find tons of great nuggets, but this book contains a lot of life lessons for everyone.
(This book was provided as an advanced copy by Netgalley and Twelve Books.)
Verdict:
It’s baseball. You are in or you are out. Buy it here!
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