Odd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with a Minor League Misfit

English language

Published June 21, 2009

ISBN:: 978-0-670-02070-6

(1 review)

Odd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with a Minor League Misfit (ISBN 978-0-670-02070-6) is a 2009 memoir by Matt McCarthy in which McCarthy recounts his experiences as a professional baseball player in the Anaheim Angels minor-league system. Major themes include steroids, minor league living conditions, players' sexual hijinks, the crass attitudes held by players and coaches, and the clubhouse segregation between white players and "Dominicans" (a catch-all term for Latino players).An excerpt from the book was published in the February 16, 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated; the book, published by Viking Press, was released on February 19, 2009, and at one time was ranked at #29 on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list.

1 edition

Jamie reviewed Odd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with a Minor League Misfit by Matt McCarthy

Review of 'Odd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with a Minor League Misfit' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I kind of loved this, really. It's close to a five star book, but for a bit of nagging distraction.

I am a fan of baseball, especially the local minor league team, the Durham Bulls. So I loved getting the perspective of a player going through a farm system. It's also well-written and perfectly paced. I was invested in the successes and failures of McCarthy and his team, the Provo Angels. Surprised at how grueling that schedule is and the toll it takes on a struggling player.

This insight is almost enough to overcome a few of my misgivings. First, there is some question about McCarthy's facts - the truthfulness of some of his assertions has been challenged. That's not enough to ruin a good story, though. Second, it's sometimes unnecessarily crude. I wasn't particularly offended by much of it, actually. However, McCarthy is relating embarrassing scenes of real people, …

I kind of loved this, really. It's close to a five star book, but for a bit of nagging distraction.

I am a fan of baseball, especially the local minor league team, the Durham Bulls. So I loved getting the perspective of a player going through a farm system. It's also well-written and perfectly paced. I was invested in the successes and failures of McCarthy and his team, the Provo Angels. Surprised at how grueling that schedule is and the toll it takes on a struggling player.

This insight is almost enough to overcome a few of my misgivings. First, there is some question about McCarthy's facts - the truthfulness of some of his assertions has been challenged. That's not enough to ruin a good story, though. Second, it's sometimes unnecessarily crude. I wasn't particularly offended by much of it, actually. However, McCarthy is relating embarrassing scenes of real people, most of whom likely expected they were in a trusted environment where they could cut loose a bit. Something about being part of a team... Before finishing the book and finding out that this team was no longer in Provo, having become the Orem Owlz, I was increasingly distressed about how this mostly Mormon town would feel about their team once Odd Man Out hit the bookstores. If this book were written about my Bulls, sullying our local team, I'd be unforgiving.

Four stars for good storytelling and insight to a life I haven't found anywhere else. Less skill as a writer and I wouldn't be able to get past his treatment of those old teammates.