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Center Field

by Robert Lipsyte
288p. 978-0-06055-705-8.
COPY ISBN
Gr 7-Up Mike Semak's chances of becoming star center fielder and senior team captain are jeopardized when he loses his temper with a geeky classmate, Zack. The sweet spot on the baseball team becomes even more elusive when a cocky cleanup batter, Oscar Ramirez, arrives out of nowhere with a murky birth date and questionable immigration status. Mike's penance for fighting is to help out at Cyber Club, but he learns that Coach Cody purposefully assigned him to spy on Zack and other "pukes" he suspects are hacking into the school network. There, he falls for Kat, a smart and contentious girl who seems the antithesis of his girlfriend, Lori, a pretty baton twirler. Conflicted about Kat, his coach's paranoia, and his father's possible role in bringing the Ramirez family to town, Mike looks to his major league idol, Billy Budd, whose blog has always provided sound advice about baseball and other life matters. Mike wins a contest to meet his longtime hero, only to be disappointed by the "dumb jock" reality, and finds his own moral compass to solve his problems. Appealing primarily to a jock culture, Lipsyte's characters are fairly stereotypical, especially in Coach Cody's military approach to sports and discipline, and in Lori's portrayal as a giggly boy pleaser with a "pert butt and boobs." Mystery and relationship subplots may engage a wider audience, but the story shines in the play-by-play game and practice descriptions. While some real major league names are dropped, fictional Billy Budd's portrayal as a celebrity carefully conceived by media handlers is an element that won't be lost on teens."Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.
Mike expects to play center field until a new superb ballplayer appears. But is Oscar over-age? An illegal immigrant? And what are the coach's motivations in determining disciplinary actions? What's his grudge against the Cyber Club? Like a well-rounded ballplayer, Lipsyte shows versatility, focus, and virtuosity in writing about hero-worship, compromise, integrity, and emotion--seemingly without breaking a sweat.
Mike is a convincing and complex protagonist. His opinions and attitudes evolve throughout the story, and his moral choices become a crucial aspect of the novel’s tension. Mike is beloved by his teammates, but Oscar is usually the superior player. Meanwhile, Oscar’s immigrant origins alienate some of the team members, putting a strain on Mike’s role as leader of the team. Such tense dynamics make the baseball scenes even more exciting. Kat has a forceful personality and an independent nature that command Mike’s attention, while a troubled background softens her edges. She is both a strong love interest and a winning character in her own right. The dissolution of Mike and Lori’s relationship comes alive in resonant details: Mike cutting her off on the phone to speak to Kat; Lori clipping her sentences and guarding her emotions. Their downward trajectory is saddening but true to life. The plot is rich and multilayered. The various subplots work in concert to create a credible and compelling picture of a young man whose life is in flux.

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