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| | Issue #19.42 :: 05/14/2008 - 05/20/2008 | "A Very Big League of Their Own"
By Nick Garcia
| BY J. EDWARD SUMERAU
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"A Very Big League of Their Own: Cracking Baseball’s Steroid Code”
By Nick Garcia
AUGUSTA, GA - The warning label at the beginning of Nick Garcia’s “A Very Big League of Their Own: Cracking Baseball’s Steroid Code” says it all:
WARNING: This book contains large doses of satire, with occasional shots of opinion that may cause fits ofage, acne and/or premature baldness.
Nick Garcia is a graduate of Georgia State University Law School, and he practices law in Fayetteville, Georgia. He is also an avid baseball fan of the old-school-purest variety. He lives with his wife Myra and their four children, and his first book is a fascinating look at the steroid era of professional baseball.
Whether readers agree or disagree with the arguments, the attitude, or the condemnation of the latest phase in baseball history, he will remind them constantly that the numbers don’t lie. A baseball fanatic since early childhood, Garcia has developed a statistical formula for discovering who has and who hasn’t used performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball, and in so doing, he has laid down a fantastic paradigm for in-depth study of the game as it now stands.
While such a premise is truly fascinating in its own right, the heart and soul of this book can be found in the style of the writer throughout the work. Garcia peppers readers with statistical details while maintaining the integrity necessary to not cast final judgment on the subjects. Leaving the final decision to the reader, Garcia offers an example of the time honored tradition of baseball debate, and in so doing, frees himself up to spray a fountain of curves and sliders at readers along the way.
Curves can be found in his quirky use of definitions throughout the work. Whether it’s the stunning satirical gem Shrinkious Laughious Bankious or the controversial discussion of professional baseball as the Minorities Lose Badly (MLB) Drug Testing Policy, his method of approaching some of the more important issues currently facing the game is an example of beautiful craftsmanship sure to leave readers thinking long and hard about the state of the game.
Like the warning above, sliders can be found in the dissection of the game for the sake of understanding and realizing the taint of the numbers and records of recent memory. Was Mickey Mantle a steroid user? Was Roger Maris juiced? Garcia makes an interesting case against both, and also points the finger at Hall of Famers like Cal Ripken Jr. and Nolan Ryan who both fall right into his model. Garcia lays out the case for readers, and steps back into the distance leaving fans to make their own decisions about the natural progression of the game.
Available at online booksellers and at an easily manageable price (less than a baseball cap showing a team’s logo), this book is a worthy read for any baseball fan, and an interesting example of the beauty of satire used to create thought in the masses of human actions and activities. Complete with a step-by-step plan to save the game, Garcia has provided an artifact for baseball fans.
Garcia, Nick. “A Very Big League of Their Own: Cracking Baseball’s Steroid Code.” Mustang, Oklahoma: Tate Publishing and Enterprises. 2008. 169pp. $14.99 Paper. ISBN: 9781602478084. | |
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