The Complete Game; Reflections on Baseball, Pitching, and Life on the Mound
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. First Edition [stated], presumed first printing. Hardcover. x, 272, [4] pages. Index. Ronald Maurice Darling Jr. (born August 19, 1960) is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, and Oakland Athletics. Darling worked as a color commentator for national baseball coverage on TBS, as well as for the Mets on both SNY and WPIX; he also co-hosts several MLB Network programs. During his 13-year career, Darling amassed a 136–116 won-loss record, with 13 shutouts. He had 1,590 strikeouts and a 3.87 ERA. In 1985, he was on the All-Star team. Darling had five pitches in his repertoire: the slider, a curveball, a circle changeup, a splitter, and a four seam fastball. He was considered one of the better fielding pitchers of the time and won a Gold Glove Award in 1989. Darling had one of the best pickoff moves among right-handers. In 1989, he hit home runs in two consecutive starts. Derived from a Kirkus review: The former All-Star hurler for the New York Mets, now a baseball analyst for TBS, reflects on the profession and psychology of pitching as exemplified in his career. Each inning/chapter centers on an actual game the author either played or watched, which allows him to ruminate on a pitcher’s strategies in early, mid-game and late-game situations. Darling makes interesting comments about the pitching and his mound behavior. He also offers encomiums for teammates Gary Carter and Jamie Quirk, coach Dave Duncan and manager Davey Johnson. He writes of his realization that his family had been having a life of its own while he was off playing and describes his emotions when he reached the end of his Mets tenure, as well as his career-sunset years with the Oakland Athletics. The author often provides a pitch-by-pitch account of key moments in games long past. Will appeal to fans. Condition: Very good / Very good.
Keywords: Major League, Baseball, Pitchers, Gary Carter, Jamie Quirk, Dave Duncan, Davey Johnson, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, All-Star, Curveball, Slider, Changeup, Splitter, Fastball, Base Running, Bullpen, Managers, Willie Randolph, Mike Schmidt, Mel S
ISBN: 9780307269843
[Book #77627]
Price: $40.00