Calico Joe

[marco]

Good read...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...tml?xid=cnnbin

[ValpoCory]

Took me a second to realize it was a fictional account, but as soon as they said 15 straight hits to start a career, and nonchalantly said that was a record to start a career, then I knew, since I remember the actual consecutive hits record is only 12 by Walt Dropo and Pinky Higgins.

[marco]

Took me a second to realize it was a fictional account, but as soon as they said 15 straight hits to start a career, and nonchalantly said that was a record to start a career, then I knew, since I remember the actual consecutive hits record is only 12 by Walt Dropo and Pinky Higgins.

Me too, but it's well written and compelling as a work of fiction. Grisham has a knack for finding things to write about that people care about.

[ValpoCory]

Me too, but it's well written and compelling as a work of fiction. Grisham has a knack for finding things to write about that people care about.

I agree that it is well written. However, when the stats take me out of the validity of the story into this fairy tale world of rookies hitting .521 over a couple months, it takes away from the quality of the piece. I wish he would have toned down the hyperbolic statistics.

[marco]

I agree that it is well written. However, when the stats take me out of the validity of the story into this fairy tale world of rookies hitting .521 over a couple months, it takes away from the quality of the piece. I wish he would have toned down the hyperbolic statistics.

Well, what stats would you have given to the best rookie from out of nowhere ever? I mean, that was the point he was trying to convey, right? It was going to be bs anyway he wrote it as far as facts go if he was going to portray the guy as the greatest ever.

Did he HAVE to be the best ever? I think "yes", it was central to the point about baseball players and their egos and what they are willing to do to cement their reputations, up to and including plonking the guy in the noggin', an apparently fatal choice, I haven't read the book obviously.

[ValpoCory]

Well, what stats would you have given to the best rookie from out of nowhere ever? I mean, that was the point he was trying to convey, right? It was going to be bs anyway he wrote it as far as facts go if he was going to portray the guy as the greatest ever.

Did he HAVE to be the best ever? I think "yes", it was central to the point about baseball players and their egos and what they are willing to do to cement their reputations, up to and including plonking the guy in the noggin', an apparently fatal choice, I haven't read the book obviously.

I have no problem with writing a story about an Albert Pujols type player. Pujols, who will likely go down as one of the three best offensive players in the history of the game (alongside Ruth and Bonds), has dominated the major leagues since his first month. He hit .329 with 37 bombs and 130 RBIs. And Pujols is arguably the best ever. So Grisham looked at Pujols and said, "Calico Joe not only will do what Pujols did, but let's have him almost double the numbers of the best player of all time".

Joe's big league career was a little more than a month old, and after 31 games he had 62 hits in 119 at bats, with 18 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He had struck out only six times. His batting average of .521 ....

Extrapolate that out to a full season (675 ABs), and you get 351 hits, 102 home runs, and 141 stolen bases. I will go for reasonable stretches. But this is not a reasonable stretch, in my opinion. It is not within the realm of believability, at least outside of a video game console.

[BCC97]

Extrapolate that out to a full season (675 ABs), and you get 351 hits, 102 home runs, and 141 stolen bases. I will go for reasonable stretches. But this is not a reasonable stretch, in my opinion. It is not within the realm of believability, at least outside of a video game console.

If you extrapolate this past weekend over a full season, both the yankees and red sox will go 0-162. Grisham wrote a fictional story...just go with it for the entertainment value that it offers.

[KEBasketball]

If you extrapolate this past weekend over a full season, both the yankees and red sox will go 0-162. Grisham wrote a fictional story...just go with it for the entertainment value that it offers.

0-162 is just downright bad. I think they'll win a few games. Going "Ofer" (bad word around here, I know) would be a real embarrassment - but statistically speaking both the Yanks and the Red Sox surely bought a few wins given their payrolls.

I enjoyed the entertainment value of this thread. I am a Grisham fan. I am afraid to read the story. I have liked everything I've read that Grisham has written. I fear that the law of averages may catch up with me. The little voices have returned...

- KEB

[ValpoCory]

If you extrapolate this past weekend over a full season, both the yankees and red sox will go 0-162. Grisham wrote a fictional story...just go with it for the entertainment value that it offers.

Extrapolating from a sample size of 3 games is ridiculous. From 119 at bats, not as much. But yes, I will have to suspend my common sense and just go with the story. Sort of like I did watching "For Love of the Game" when they talked about a home run bouncing off the top of an outfielder's head and over a ~8 foot fence ... at Fenway Park.

[Robo98564]

Just finished reading this one, and it was a great read. Yes, his numbers were ridiculous, but I think they had to be. Another win for Grisham

[caesarscott]

Have it in audiobook. Plan to read it soon. Love all John Grisham. Bleachers is great

[Robo98564]

Have it in audiobook. Plan to read it soon. Love all John Grisham. Bleachers is great

Bleachers might be my favorite of his. This one reminds me some of Bleachers, both short and easy reads. This one started kind of slow for me, but really turned into a page turner.

[desertbear]

Best book he's written in a while. I gave up on Grisham a long time ago, but this was worth the very short time it took to read.