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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.357640974461
EAN num: 9781592287048
ISBN number: 1592287042
Label: The Lyons Press
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 296
Printing Date: March 01, 2005
Publishing house: The Lyons Press
Sale Popularity Level: 248811
Studio: The Lyons Press
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When the Boston Red Sox faced the New York Yankees in the historic 2003 American League Championship Series, the meeting seemed to serve as the climax to perhaps the greatest rivalry in professional sports. Yet, following New York’s comeback victory in scintillating Game 7, both the Red Sox and Yankees entered the off-season without a world title--and with renewed conviction to finish the job in 2004.
In A Tale of Two Cities, respected baseball writers John Harper (New York Daily News) and Tony Massarotti (Boston Herald) chronicle the Yankees and Red Sox in parallel story lines through the summer of 2004. The authors take you behind the scenes with the teams, cities, and media during one of the most intense baseball seasons in history.
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Rated by buyers 
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THIS IS THE STORY OF THE 2004 AMERICAN LEAGUE PENNANT RACE. IT GOES THROUGH THE GREAT RIVALRY BETWEEN THE YANKEES AND REDSOX FROM THE BABE RUTH TRADE TO THE STARTLING AND UNBELIEVABLE COME BACK BY THE REDSOX TO THEIR FIRST WORLD SERIES VICTORY SINCE 1918. THE BOOK COVERS IN GREAT DETAIL HOW BOTH TEAMS FAIRED THROUGH OUT THE SEASON AND ALSO TOUCHES ON SOME OF THE GREAT PENNANT RACES THE RIVALS HAVE ENDURED. I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ALL BASEBALL FANS BUT ESPECIALLY FOR REDSOX FANS. A GREAT READ.
Rated by buyers 
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This is the best Red Sox book out there, and I have read quite a few. If you are a Sox fan and haven't read it, read it!
Rated by buyers -
LoL. Is that a front cover photo of A-fROD doing the illegal girlie-man move to knock the ball out of the first-baseman's glove?
Rated by buyers -
It seems highly unusual that beat writers covering the teams involved in MLB's greatest rivalry agreed almost two years ago to collaborate on writing an account of the 2004 season. For both the Yankees and the Red Sox, and their fans, that season provided both the best of times and the worst of times. It is to Massarotti's and Harper's credit that the results of their collaboration, this book, succeeds so well in recreating competition both on and off the playing field. Like a classic Dickens novel, their book offers a riveting plot, direct conflict and dramatic tension, colorful characters, memorable moments, and -- best of all -- behind-the-scenes acess to fans such as I who saw none of the Red Sox-Yankees (or if you prefer, Yankees-Red Sox) games in person.
Granted, the national sports media devoted constant and thorough attention to both teams. Only in Massarotti and Harper's account, however, did I find sufficient answers to questions such as these:
1. Why was Grady Little fired as Red Sox manager? Surely there had to be more to it than his deference to Pedro Martinzez.
2. How did the Yankees acquire Alex Rodriguez?
3. In terms of their deportment, what are the most significant differences between the Red Sox and Yankee players?
4. To what extent (if any) did Joe Torre's often strained relationship with George Steinbrenner affect the Yankees' behavior and performance?
5. In terms of their relations with the media, how do Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez differ? Why?
6. At which point during the season did the Red Sox become convinced that they could win the AL playoffs and then the World Series?
7. Who is the real Curt Schilling?
8. What is the single most interesting aspect of the Red Sox-Yankees competition during the 2004 season of which most sports fans are still unaware?
9. How to explain the fact that the Red Sox won the last eight games they played, especially after going 0-3 against the Yankees in the ALC?
10. According to Massarotti and Harper, who were the most valuable and yet least appreciated players on both teams? Why?
Soon, the MLB playoffs will begin. It remains to be seen whether or not the Yankees and/or Red Sox will participate. In that event, will they again meet in the ALC? Whatever does and does not happen, one fact seems obvious to me: The 2004 regular season and subsequent playoffs were among the most exciting thus far. I am grateful to Massarotti and Harper for providing such a revealing as well as entertaining commentary on them.
Rated by buyers -
Like any argument there are two sides and who better to rely on than two sportswriters who make their living covering the year-in-year out battle between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
While this 2005 release has the familiar ring of the classic written by Charles Dickens, it took two authors to produce a work that is worthy both of the name and the plot line of this modern day baseball classic.
Baseball beat writers John Harper of the New York Daily News and Tony Massarotti of the Boston Herald have shared writing space as well as barbs about their two hometown teams and now take their grievances public in "A Tale of Two Cities."
The idea for the book took shape just moments after Aaron Boone's ALCS-winning homer cleared the fence at Yankee Stadium in 2003. The two minds agreed that their combined beats and insights gave the reader a truthful and exciting behind the scenes look at this historic battle.
Massarotti opens his very first chapter just days after Boone's fateful, memorable shot and rolls into the firing of Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little, the placing of Manny Ramirez on waivers, the courtship and subsequent rebuff of Alex Rodriguez, the stage being set for a divorce with Nomar Garciaparra and the acquisition of Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke.
Harper responds with the news that the Yankees knew of Boone's knee injury during a pick-up basketball game for two weeks prior to releasing it to the media as well as other teams. He explains how GM Brian Cashman worked the phones, creating the trade for A-Rod along with the selling of the former Texas Ranger on a move to third base. The Daily News beat writer also includes the clandestine efforts Cashman took to prevent word from leaking out about the trade, all before taking it to George Steinbrenner.
The two authors provide insight to each team's manager, for Harper, the ex-skipper Grady Little as well as the newly hired Terry Francona after his unsuccessful stint with the Philadelphia Phillies. Harper takes the reader into the boardroom and private dining room of Steinbrenner as he proposes to extend Yankee skipper Joe Torre's contract and why the manager waffled before finally accepting.
Once the 2004 season was underway, both writers give their viewpoints to key meetings between the two squads throughout the year and no subject is off limits.
Read how Massarotti complains of the visiting press box at Yankee stadium, the air of New York fans and players. Harper pounds back with his own tongue-in-cheek shot about "Red Sox Nation" along with his own personal hatred of Pedro Martinez.
The drama continues on and off the field as the AL pennant race heats up, in April.
Pedro Martinez is without a contract, Manny Ramirez becomes a U.S. citizen, Schilling has a bum ankle and his cell phone has local sports talk radio station WEEI in its speed dial, for starters. For the Yankees, Harper reveals how boring Derek Jeter is with the media along with how fake Alex Rodriquez is with the same hoard, but at least he can give you something for your notebook.
Harper also goes so far as to mock his Boston counterparts while filing on deadline after a loss to the Yankees as well as describe the difference in how the media is perceived in the two East Coast cities.
The two authors focus on the competing shortstops, how Jeter exemplifies style, grace and competitiveness, while Garciaparra is often portrayed as shallow, selfish and sometimes weak.
The work of these two authors who have the pleasure of writing about these two ball clubs comes together brilliantly as their passion of the game and their beats glows on the work's pages.
Whether you bleed Yankee Blue or are a card carrying member of Red Sox Nation, "A Tale of Two Cities" must become a part of your baseball collection.
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