Between the Lines

July 16, 2001
Hershiser, one-time acclaimed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers (and a few other teams), seems to have led a charmed life: he pitched 58 consecutive scoreless innings in 1988, won the Cy Young Award and was the World Series MVP, all in the same year. However, as Hershiser readily admits, his early career was not as promising. He was cut from his first teams and played in the minors for several years before moving up. Yet faith, determination and some crucial values helped keep his career on track. Writing in a casual but convincing tone, he shares his guiding principles for everyday life: believe your coaches, love your family, pursue excellence and balance, among others. After one frenzied afternoon at an airport when Hershiser and his family were literally trapped by fans, he faced the fact that "because we were famous, we were going to be recognized and interrupted.... Jamie and I set boundaries. We learned to say no without feeling guilty. And we stayed involved in our church." While the extremes of Hershiser's experience may not correspond to the lives of most readers, his basic advice is sound and applicable. And though his words may not be unique, they will ring true for many. (Sept.)Forecast:Hershiser's reputation in tandem with the publisher's planned five-city tour and extensive national advertising should make this a winner as soon as books hit the stores.

August 3, 2001
Hershiser's best-selling autobiography, Out of the Blue, chronicled his finest year, 1988, when he won both a Cy Young Award for best National League pitcher and a World Series Most Valuable Player trophy as he propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to a world championship. But his subsequent years were not golden as he struggled to overcome serious arm troubles. He recently retired after pitching into his forties. In this book, he offers advice liberally sprinkled with baseball anecdotes. Despite being a ferocious competitor, Hershiser has always been known as an almost squeakily clean role model who found particular strength through his religious beliefs. The principles stressed in this book include believing in your coaches, striving for excellence, keeping a balanced outlook, and striving to love and live with gratitude. Key points and quotes are highlighted throughout the book. Hershiser has written an upbeat book of advice in the baseball-as-metaphor-for-life tradition. This is an entertaining and easy-to-read book and libraries should purchase as demand warrants. Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2001
Through the late 1980s and most of the 1990s, Hershiser was one of baseball's best pitchers and fiercest competitors. Rather than a follow-up to his 1988 autobiography, " Out of the Blue," which sold 300,000 hardcover copies, he now offers a self-help guide that explains the principles he has followed throughout his very successful career. His advice is commonsensical but worthwhile. For example, one principle is "Believe Your Coaches." He means coaches in the broadest sense of the term: parents and teachers as well as ex-jocks with whistles and clipboards. He doesn't advocate blind adherence, either, but suggests the importance of asking coaches for advice and remembering that they usually have your best interests at heart. It's doubtful anyone will find any genuine revelations here, but Hershiser's approach to life, founded as it is on faith, family, effort, and integrity, isn't likely to hurt anyone. His pitching prowess may make the message more palatable to many readers. Unpretentious self-help.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)