Reviews for Big Field

The average rating for Big Field based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-09-13 00:00:00 Corey Duguay Personal Response: I thought the book, The Big Field by Mike Lupica, was a very good book. I could relate to a lot of this book especially the sportsmanship. Also, I could relate to the players in the book because they were a team, kind of like Weyauwega. They were a small legion team. Plot: In the book, The Big Field , Hutch was the star shortstop for his team. His team, the Cardinals, was for kids ages twelve to eighteen. Hutch's team was one of the youngest in their legion conference. The Cardinals had been to many World Series and were trying to go for the next year's title. Hutch had entered the season starting at shortstop where he always planned to play. Then there came a new kid named Darryl. Darryl was an outstanding athlete and he had played shortstop too. Hutch and Daryll had not gotten along for most of the regular season. As the post season approached, Hutch realized he could play second. Hutch and Daryll became pretty good friends. Then again a problem came up, Hutch's dad started to help Darryl to become better at baseball. Hutch was disappointed because his dad never came to any of his games or watched any of them. Hutch became very disappointed, but that did not stop him. During the sectional final game they were all tied up, four to four, and Hutch hit a bomb that let the cardinals won six to four. The cardinals made it to the championship. The cardinals won the championship World Series and Hutch's dad came to watch them play. Hutch and Darryl became best friends. At the end of the book Darryl and Hutch began to work out and get ready for the Cardinals next season. Characterization: The main character in this book would have been Hutch. Hutch was a very good baseball player. He had a lot of talent and his dad had helped him with all the skills. The reason his dad had been able to help was, because he had been in the MLB for four years and had an injury that made him retire. Another main character was Darryl. He was also very good at baseball, because he was one of those kids who was a field rat. He always had to be at the baseball diamond. Hutch and Darryl were not fans of each other until the second season where they had to like each other. Impacts of Setting: The setting took place on the baseball field and also at Hutch's house. It took place on the baseball field was, because there had been two seasons played in the whole book. The book was about their team and how they had to make it to the Junior World Series. The reason it was at hutch's house quite a bit was, because the whole team would go to his house to eat dinner before every game. The book is very relatable because it had taken place in modern time and everybody knew everybody. The book was everybody knew the star athletes. Thematic Connection: The main themes were sportsmanship and do not cheat. Sportsmanship was a huge part in the book. Hutch did not get along with his team or the other team. Hutch would just walk away from everyone after the game and not high five anyone. Cheating was another theme. Daryll cheated in the beginning of the book. He would put pine tar on his bat or take enhancing drugs from his older brother. Darryl later on found out that it was not doing him any good to take those drugs or use that pine tar. Darryl ended the season being the best player on the team. Recommendation: I recommend this book to any high schooler or middle schoolers, age 13-18, boy or girl. I recommend this to high and middle schoolers because there is some content that can be disturbing. This book could be for girls, because although the main character is a boy he has a mom and a girlfriend in the book that are important in the book too. I think the book had a lot of good reasoning for the lessons learned in the book. Also, I thought the book became a little personal on some parts. Overall, this was a great lesson to learn about and I would recommend this book.

Review # 2 was written on 2018-01-18 00:00:00 Joseph Tapia It's all or nothing. This is the most intense game your team has ever faced. In order to get to regionals, you have to win. If you lose, you'll have to wait until next summer. A ground ball is hit! It feels like it's coming right at you, but it isn't. It's coming towards your teammate. He throws the hitter out, and you're going to regionals. The sports novel The Big Field by Mike Lupica is a book not only about playing on the big field, but life off the park. It is like the movie The Blind Side because it does involve the sport the story is based around, but discusses the emotional problems that each of the players faces. It discusses the personal problems of the captain of the team, Hutch. It tells of his conflicts with the star of the team, Daryl, who plays the position Hutch wants to play, shortstop. As the book progresses, they hate each other more and more, both hating each other out of jealousy. Daryl hates Hutch because he is captain, and steals his fire, while Hutch hates Daryl because Daryl gets attention from Hutch's dad in one instance, and Hutch feels he does not. Hutch's conversations with his dad consist of them sitting in front of the tv, his dad drinking a beer, and saying, "hey," to Hutch. Soon Hutch learns that his dad doesn't hate him, but he feels empathy knowing that baseball is Hutch's dream, and like him, that dream may be broken. The Big Field puts out the message of how important it is to work as a team. Daryl and Hutch's conflict almost gets Hutch kicked off the team, which could cost them the championship. Without a team, it is impossible to play a team sport. The novel also discusses that one should not be heartbroken by a failed dream. Hutch's dad had tried to pursue his dream of becoming a pro baseball player, but he was let down. After he failed the pursuit of his dream, he never played baseball again. This novel has panache. Although I am not into sports books, this novel was interesting due to the internal man vs. self conflicts. Whether one plays a sport or not, they should read this book.