Eddie Jackson loves playing catcher. But when he�s batting and in the spotlight, he�s a wreck. After an embarrassing strike out last summer, he thought he�d be done with baseball for good. Now he�s back in the game as a backup catcher. When an injury forces him to step up to the plate, will Eddie be able to overcome his nerves, or is it going to be another swing and a miss? Combining a high-stakes sports story with a dynamic full-color comic format, this Jake Maddox Graphic Novel is sure to be a win for young athletes and struggling readers alike.

Eddie Jackson loves playing catcher. But when he's batting and in the spotlight, he's a wreck. After an embarrassing strike out last summer, he thought he'd be done with baseball for good. Now he's back in the game as a backup catcher. When an injury forces him to step up to the plate, will Eddie be able to overcome his nerves, or is it going to be another swing and a miss? Combining a high-stakes sports story with a dynamic full-color comic format, this Jake Maddox Graphic Novel is sure to be a win for young athletes and struggling readers alike.

From #1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica! Nick Crandall feels like he doesn't belong anywhere. He doesn't fit in with his new foster parents. They don't know the first thing about sports - and he's not exactly the model student they want him to be. It's only a matter of time until they realize he's not the right kid for them. And Nick certainly doesn't belong playing varsity baseball. He's only twelve years old! His teammates want a catcher their own age. But Nick needs to prove that he belongs - to his parents, to his team, and to himself.

ESPN's beloved Sports Guy replays the years leading up to the Boston Red Sox historic championship season and says goodbye to a lifetime of suffering. At least for now."The Red Sox won the World Series." To Citizen No. 1 of Red Sox Nation, those seven words meant "No more 1918 chants. No more smug glances from Yankee fans. No more worrying about living an entire life -- that's 80 years, followed by death without seeing the Red Sox win a Series." But once he was able to type those life-changing words, Bill Simmons decided to look back at his Sports Guy columns for the last five years to find out how the miracle came to pass. And that's where the trouble began. Why didnt he see it coming? Why didn't it happen sooner? What was the key deal, the lucky move, the funny bounce, the sign from above that he failed to spot? Pretty soon, The Sports Guy was second-guessing himself, rewriting history, sniping at his own past predictions, pounding the table -- that's what sports guys do, right And doing so, he let himself get sidetracked by the suffering of the Boston Bruins, frustrated by the false promise of the Celtics -- and driven into a state of ecstasy by the dynastic New England Patriots. The result is Now I Can Die in Peace, a hilarious and fresh new look at some of the best sportswriting in America, with sharp critical commentary (and fresh insights) from the guy who wrote it in the first place.

This commemorative book on the 2012 World Series champions provides a visual look at the winning team's road to championship glory. Through unique words and images, this celebratory book takes readers from spring training, through the exciting regular season, to the playoffs and World Series triumph. Including nearly 100 color photographs and profiles of star players and the manager, this keepsake book is an essential part of any fan's collection.

Popular Atlanta Braves catcher Javier “Javy” Lopez opens up in this autobiography to tell his amazing story, from learning to play baseball on a neighborhood basketball court to his record of 42 home runs in a season by a catcher. The product of a lower-middle-class background in Puerto Rico, Javy had to overcome numerous hardships—not the least of which was a language barrier—to fulfill his destiny as one of the most accomplished catchers of the modern era. He tells of bumps along the way to success, including why he overstated his signing bonus as well as the time in the minors when he cried during an all-night meltdown due to his struggles on the field. But he went on to be named MVP of the 1996 National League Championship Series, and played on 12 of the Atlanta Braves' unprecedented 14 straight division-winning teams of the 1990s and 2000s. From his relationship with great teammates such as Greg Maddux and John Smoltz, to his failed comeback attempt with the Braves in 2008, this autobiography tells all about the handsome, warm, engaging Lopez and how he became one of baseball's most popular players.

Discusses the catcher position in the game of baseball.

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST 2022 Publishers Weekly Top 10 BEST BOOKS OF 2022 “Gayl Jones’s work represents a watershed in American literature." —Imani Perry Legendary writer Gayl Jones returns with a stunning new novel about Black American artists in exile Gayl Jones, the novelist Toni Morrison discovered decades ago and Tayari Jones recently called her favorite writer, has been described as one of the great literary writers of the 20th century. Now, for the first time in over 20 years, Jones is publishing again. In the wake of her long-awaited fifth novel, Palmares, The Birdcatcher is another singular achievement, a return to the circles of her National Book Award finalist, The Healing. Set primarily on the island of Ibiza, the story is narrated by the writer Amanda Wordlaw, whose closest friend, a gifted sculptor named Catherine Shuger, is repeatedly institutionalized for trying to kill a husband who never leaves her. The three form a quirky triangle on the white-washed island. A study in Black women’s creative expression, and the intensity of their relationships, this work from Jones shows off her range and insight into the vicissitudes of all human nature—rewarding longtime fans and bringing her talent to a new generation of readers.

The former MLB all-star pitcher, cancer survivor, and author of Comeback “seeks to inspire men to find their God-given worth and identity” (Dr. John C. Maxwell, founder, INJOY, Inc.). In Western culture, a man’s worth so often hinges on his performance, career, and success. For bestselling author Dave Dravecky, worth was once defined by his career as an all-star pitcher in the Major Leagues—until he lost his arm to cancer. In this inspirational book, Dravecky speaks from a place of first-hand familiarity with loss and setbacks. Examining the traditional benchmarks men so often define themselves by—including jobs, successes, struggles, friendships, and families—Dravecky navigates a new path to self-worth based on Christian teachings, faith, and compelling personal experience. “In his loss, Dave discovered a depth of significance, security, value, and worth he had never known. Now he takes us back to the basics of God’s word, helping us go beyond who we think we are to become who God says we can be . . . men of character and integrity.” —Garry J. Oliver, PhD, author of Real Men Have Feelings Too “Dave takes on the fundamental issues of masculinity that every man worth his salt deals with. It took guts to write this book. It will take some guts to read it. But you will walk away a better man.” —Steve Farrar, Men’s Leadership Ministries “Nobody has more to say to men about manhood than Dave Dravecky. He’s faced tests and trials, and passed them valiantly—so when he points to the possibilities for any of us, he’s credible.” —Jack W. Hayford, senior pastor, Church on the Way