Sunday, September 3, 2017

Review of "The Journey Home"

Since I went on a bus trip with some co-workers this Labor Day weekend to Yankee Stadium, I decided to dig through my large pile of books that I received from an author or publisher but did not read yet.  I found this memoir of one of the Yankees' "Core Four" players, Jorge Posada.  Appropriate for reading on this type of trip, I took it along and it was a decent read.  Here is my review of "The Journey Home."


Title/Author:
The Journey Home: My Life In Pinstripes” by Jorge Posada with Gary Brozek
Tags:
Baseball, memoir, professional, Yankees
Publish date:
May 31, 2016

Length:
344 pages

Rating: 
3 1/2 of 5 stars (good)
Review:
Jorge Posada was a key member of the recent New York Yankees success that resulted in five World Series championships and two additional American League pennants between 1996 and 2009.  He recalls not only his baseball career with the Yankees but also his upbringing and journey to the major leagues in this memoir written with Gary Brozek.

His relationship with his father is the most interesting aspect of the book, as he recalls the lessons taught by his father Jorge Sr. that Jorge Jr. could not understand at first.  A good example of this type of lesson does not deal with baseball, but instead the chore of painting a wrought iron fence.  Instead of easily spray painting the iron bars without any other work, the father insisted his son sand off all rust and old paint before applying the new coats – by hand.  Jorge Jr. talks about how that chore that he hated taught him how important it is to prepare properly and complete a job the right way. 

This type of work ethic also applied to his baseball skills and development, both from his father and in the organized baseball he played in his native Puerto Rico and at an Alabama junior college.  This led to his being drafted and signed by the Yankees, with his father providing assistance and advice along the way – but not enough to interfere with any coaches.

After that, Posada talks about his time in the Yankee system, during which he became a full-time catcher and what it meant for him to be a Yankee.  The chronology of his time with the Yankees is written with fondness for the memories and gratefulness for the chances he was given.  The seasons in which the Yankees won the World Series are covered in the greatest detail, while other seasons are skimmed over, which makes reading these passage feel choppy and disjointed.  The story ends when Posada announced his retirement in early 2012, which was a surprise as this is not a common point to end this type of book.

It should also be noted that his son, Jorge III, was born with a rare condition affecting his skull and the reader will feel the heartbreak and relief that Jorge and his wife Laura feel while their young son undergoes multiple surgeries.  The support and love shown by his Yankee teammates is illustrated as well and it makes for one of better parts of the story.

Overall, this reads like a typical sports memoir with a little less on the actual game playing and more on the athlete’s life before his professional career.  Yankee fans will enjoy this book, especially if they enjoyed the “Core Four.”

I wish to thank Dey Street Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:
Paperback

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