Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
Audiobook5 hours
Batting Order
Written by Mike Lupica
Narrated by Ali Andre Ali
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
5/5
()
About this audiobook
A New York Times bestseller
From acclaimed author of the Home Team series Mike Lupica comes an inspiring novel about the heart and soul of baseball.
On or off the field, Ben and Matt couldn’t be more different. Ben Roberson is an all-or-nothing player: he’s big, he’s bold, and he’s brash. Ben’s swing can hit a ball right out of the park—but that’s if he can get a hit at all.
Matt Baker is small, and shy, and his stutter has him avoiding the spotlight—even if he’s the best all-rounder on the team. But while Matt knows he’s got the chops, a part of him has always envied “Big Ben” and his attention-grabbing charm.
So it’s a total shock when Ben asks Matt to help him work on his swing. Because Ben can’t put the ball into play, and his showboating comes at the expense of the team. And even though Matt’s trying to help, Ben doesn’t seem to take him seriously, especially when it means toning things down.
The end of the season is fast approaching—is there enough time for Ben to realize bigger isn’t always better? For Matt to understand that sometimes, being the bigger person means standing up for yourself?
Or will they have to accept defeat?
From acclaimed author of the Home Team series Mike Lupica comes an inspiring novel about the heart and soul of baseball.
On or off the field, Ben and Matt couldn’t be more different. Ben Roberson is an all-or-nothing player: he’s big, he’s bold, and he’s brash. Ben’s swing can hit a ball right out of the park—but that’s if he can get a hit at all.
Matt Baker is small, and shy, and his stutter has him avoiding the spotlight—even if he’s the best all-rounder on the team. But while Matt knows he’s got the chops, a part of him has always envied “Big Ben” and his attention-grabbing charm.
So it’s a total shock when Ben asks Matt to help him work on his swing. Because Ben can’t put the ball into play, and his showboating comes at the expense of the team. And even though Matt’s trying to help, Ben doesn’t seem to take him seriously, especially when it means toning things down.
The end of the season is fast approaching—is there enough time for Ben to realize bigger isn’t always better? For Matt to understand that sometimes, being the bigger person means standing up for yourself?
Or will they have to accept defeat?
Author
Mike Lupica
Mike Lupica is a prominent sports journalist and New York Times-bestselling author of more than forty works of fiction and non-fiction. A longtime friend to Robert B. Parker, he was selected by the Parker estate to continue the Sunny Randall and Jesse Stone series.
More audiobooks from Mike Lupica
Guys Read: The Sports Pages Million-Dollar Throw Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Big Field Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Only Game Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Extra Yard Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Team Players Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to Batting Order
Related audiobooks
The Turnover Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Baseball Great Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Greatest Baseball Stories Ever Told: Thirty Unforgettable Tales from the Diamond Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shoeless Joe & Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Long Snapper Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Long Shot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Philly Special: The Inside Story of How the Philadelphia Eagles Won Their First Super Bowl Championship Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 33-Year-Old Rookie: How I Finally Made It to the Big Leagues After Eleven Years in the Minors Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Living on the Black: Two Pitchers, Two Teams, One Season to Remember Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Home Game: Big-League Stories from My Life in Baseball's First Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Chicago Cubs: Story of a Curse Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sho-Time: The Inside Story of Shohei Ohtani and the Greatest Baseball Season Ever Played Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/550 Years, 50 Moments: The Most Unforgettable Plays in Super Bowl History Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Try Not to Suck: The Exceptional, Extraordinary Baseball Life of Joe Maddon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Should Have Quit This Morning: Adventures in Minor League Baseball Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Guys Read: How I Won the World Series Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Big Data Baseball: Math, Miracles, and the End of a 20-Year Losing Streak Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Babe Ruth: The Life and Legacy of Major League Baseball's Most Famous Player Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5108 Stitches: Loose Threads, Ripping Yarns, and the Darndest Characters from My Time in the Game Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Grinders: Baseball's Intrepid Infantry Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Best Team Money Can Buy: The Los Angeles Dodgers' Wild Struggle to Build a Baseball Powerhouse Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Only Rule Is It Has to Work: Our Wild Experiment Building a New Kind of Baseball Team Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rivals: A Baseball Great Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Contract Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Team Players Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Double Play: Baseball Genius Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Grand Slam: Baseball Genius Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Children's Sports & Recreation For You
Pete the Cat: Scuba-Cat Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Spy Ski School Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Pete the Cat Goes Camping Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Patina Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Zombies Attack!: An Unofficial Interactive Minecrafter's Adventure Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Boss of Everyone: The brand-new comedy adventure from the author of The Day the Screens Went Blank Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Academy: No Humans Allowed! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In The Days of Giants Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lost on a Mountain in Maine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Crossover Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mental Toughness Training For Young Athletes - Parent's Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Academy: Tourney of Terror Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWe Are Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Scratch Golfer 2.0: How I Cut 50 Shots from My Game, Now Shoot in the 70’s, and Became a Scratch Golfer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Frightful's Mountain Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lu Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Brooklyn Nine Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Shaken: Young Readers Edition: Fighting to Stand Strong No Matter What Comes Your Way Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kung-Fu: The Ultimate Guide to Shaolin Kung Fu Along with Its Movements and Techniques Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBooked Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sunny Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dear Baseball Gods: A Memoir Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Big Game Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5POP Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stone Fox Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Forged by Fire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hero Two Doors Down: Based on the True Story of Friendship Between a Boy and a Baseball Legend Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rebound Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related podcast episodes
Wrap-Up: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 0% found this document usefulWGB #49: Cuncel Da Baseball? 0% found this document usefulLou Lamoriello on The Cam & Strick Podcast 0% found this document useful#265 - I'm Matt F#$*&$% Bush!! - The Fruitlessness of Matt Bush 0% found this document usefulWritin' Hits x Droppin' Birdies - Matt Stell (is tall) 0% found this document usefulEpisode 102: Matt Barnes and Mikal Bridges 0% found this document usefulMaxey Better Sadly featuring @Ben_Pfeifer_ 0% found this document usefulI’LL NEVER F**CKING SETTLE (ft. Josh Packham) 0% found this document usefulEpisode 118: Gary Payton and Mikal Bridges 0% found this document usefulOut of Site: Episode 48 with Tom West: Out of Site: Episode 48 with Tom West 0% found this document usefulEpisode 55: What a long, delightful trip it's been 0% found this document useful[The Wire] 308: Moral Midgetry, with Robert Evans of Behind The Bastards 0% found this document useful#320 - Jailing Nemo - The Designatedness of Nemessis Bates 0% found this document useful
Related articles
Jason Benetti Is Taking A Quickie Trip To Rome, While Steve Stone Blocks Boors For Fun. Checking In With The White Sox TV Announcers And Their Fierce Twitter Battle. Chicago TribuneArticle
Jason Benetti Is Taking A Quickie Trip To Rome, While Steve Stone Blocks Boors For Fun. Checking In With The White Sox TV Announcers And Their Fierce Twitter Battle.
Jan 27, 2020
3 min readThe Reason For Steve Stone's Rebirth In The White Sox Broadcast Booth At 72? His 35-year-old Partner, Jason Benetti. Chicago TribuneArticle
The Reason For Steve Stone's Rebirth In The White Sox Broadcast Booth At 72? His 35-year-old Partner, Jason Benetti.
Aug 4, 2019
6 min readHow Napping Through The Early Innings Helped Lee Smith Reach The Hall Of Fame Chicago TribuneArticle
How Napping Through The Early Innings Helped Lee Smith Reach The Hall Of Fame
Jul 20, 2019
4 min readPaul Sullivan: Showtime comes naturally for All-Stars Javier Baez, Willson Contreras Chicago TribuneArticle
Paul Sullivan: Showtime comes naturally for All-Stars Javier Baez, Willson Contreras
Jul 16, 2018
3 min readFrom Drought To 'Title-Town': Why Boston Fans Remain Insatiable NPRArticle
From Drought To 'Title-Town': Why Boston Fans Remain Insatiable
Jun 11, 2019
4 min readThe One-man Jet Set The RakeArticle
The One-man Jet Set
Oct 13, 2022
7 min readThe Blueprint SLAM PhilippinesArticle
The Blueprint
May 11, 2020
6 min readAce In The Booth Chicago magazineArticle
Ace In The Booth
Sep 11, 2021
23 min readCollector Ben Smith, Midwest Box Breaks Helping Break Stigma Of Breakers Sports Collectors DigestArticle
Collector Ben Smith, Midwest Box Breaks Helping Break Stigma Of Breakers
Dec 6, 2022
Ben Smith's story starts out like many others. Collected as a kid but was eventually pulled away by other things that draw our attention, only to return when the nostalgia bug bites us again. Smith’s entrance to the hobby started in 1983 with a Topps
2 min readDylan Hernández: Mookie Betts Definitely Still Cares. And He Knows He Can't Disappear In Playoffs Again. Los Angeles TimesArticle
Dylan Hernández: Mookie Betts Definitely Still Cares. And He Knows He Can't Disappear In Playoffs Again.
Feb 14, 2024
3 min readDave Martinez Confident A 2nd-half Surge Is In The Works For The Nationals: 'I Think We're In A Good Position' Chicago TribuneArticle
Dave Martinez Confident A 2nd-half Surge Is In The Works For The Nationals: 'I Think We're In A Good Position'
Jul 23, 2018
4 min readThe Blueprint SlamArticle
The Blueprint
Mar 27, 2020
6 min readWhat Every Writer Could Learn from Coaching Little League Literary HubArticle
What Every Writer Could Learn from Coaching Little League
Apr 19, 2017
7 min readHow Bowling Has Become A 'Second Home' For Dodgers' Mookie Betts In The Offseason Los Angeles TimesArticle
How Bowling Has Become A 'Second Home' For Dodgers' Mookie Betts In The Offseason
Feb 11, 2023
4 min readPaul Pettit's Legend Extends Beyond 70th Anniversary Of 27-strikeout Game Los Angeles TimesArticle
Paul Pettit's Legend Extends Beyond 70th Anniversary Of 27-strikeout Game
May 13, 2019
5 min readPaul Sullivan: Spring Training Rekindles Friendships And Memories Of Those Who Have Loved The Game Chicago TribuneArticle
Paul Sullivan: Spring Training Rekindles Friendships And Memories Of Those Who Have Loved The Game
Mar 4, 2024
3 min readMy Own All-Star Team Of Former MLB Favorites Sports Collectors DigestArticle
My Own All-Star Team Of Former MLB Favorites
Jun 20, 2023
I love lists, particularly starting lineups and batting orders. When I was a kid, I poured through sports magazines making lists of the lineups for every major league team. I memorized them and could recite their batting averages and stats without lo
3 min readFirst Person: Joe Kelly Pleads With Fans To ‘Not Forget About Baseball’ Amid MLB Lockout Los Angeles TimesArticle
First Person: Joe Kelly Pleads With Fans To ‘Not Forget About Baseball’ Amid MLB Lockout
Mar 5, 2022
4 min readThe Franchise SlamArticle
The Franchise
Aug 9, 2022
9 min readMy Football FourFourTwo UKArticle
My Football
Dec 7, 2023
5 min read3 Kings SlamArticle
3 Kings
Oct 18, 2019
7 min readMoneyball Broke Baseball The AtlanticArticle
Moneyball Broke Baseball
Jun 6, 2023
27 min readFarewell, Bra S’Bu, We’ll Sing Your Best Hymns In Your Memory City PressArticle
Farewell, Bra S’Bu, We’ll Sing Your Best Hymns In Your Memory
Aug 23, 2020
If there was one period S’Bu Mseleku enjoyed most in a season, it was the tail-end of the campaign, when clubs were fighting for survival and championships. This brought out the best in him as he walked around the newsroom, teasing people about their
2 min readBill Plaschke: What Pressure? Dave Roberts Unflappable During A Winter Of Discontent Los Angeles TimesArticle
Bill Plaschke: What Pressure? Dave Roberts Unflappable During A Winter Of Discontent
Dec 15, 2019
4 min readA Life Well Lived Golf MonthlyArticle
A Life Well Lived
Nov 10, 2022
10 min readPaul Sullivan: The Chicago White Sox Can’t Ruin Your Summer, No Matter How Hard They Try Chicago TribuneArticle
Paul Sullivan: The Chicago White Sox Can’t Ruin Your Summer, No Matter How Hard They Try
May 4, 2023
3 min readBill Elliott Golf MonthlyArticle
Bill Elliott
Jan 7, 2021
3 min readGame Time SlamArticle
Game Time
Feb 7, 2020
5 min readPaul Sullivan: Zobrist's Comeback Attempt Won't Be Easy, But His Cubs Teammates Know He'll Put In The Work To Make It Happen Chicago TribuneArticle
Paul Sullivan: Zobrist's Comeback Attempt Won't Be Easy, But His Cubs Teammates Know He'll Put In The Work To Make It Happen
Jul 28, 2019
3 min readSteal The Show SlamArticle
Steal The Show
Oct 19, 2018
8 min read
Reviews for Batting Order
Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
5/5
10 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It was a good book and was easy to read