The Machine

The Machine by Joe Posnaski

I know That my last blog was also a baseball book, but right now I'm in a phase where all I read is baseball books. The last 6 books that I've read have all been baseball books, but I,ll read something new soon.
Anyway, The Machine is about the 1975 Cinncinatti Reds (a.k.a the big red machine.) The thing I love about this book is that unlike the Boys Of Summer, a much more famous baseball book, you really get to learn a lot about the players, after the first little bit, a felt like I personally knew all the greats on this legendary team. In the beginning of the '75 season' the Reds do not start off good at all. In fact, they were under .500 in late may. Hall of fame manager Sparky Anderson was not pleased at all. But he knew his four great players would come through for him. During spring training, the first thing he said was: "You four are royalty, (pointing to hall of famer Tony Perez, the best catcher ever Johnny Bench, all time hit leader Pete Rose, and 2 time MVP Joe Morgan) and the rest of you are turds." This was slightly unfair, considering Ken Griffey, future MVP winner George Foster, and Don Gullett, who in Sparky's mind would be one of the greatest pitchers ever if he stayed healthy. One day Don was on the mound for the Reds, and a come backer struck him in the hand. He had broke a bone, and was gonna be out for a while. You think this would make Sparky really mad, especially because he had a history of throwing tantrums. Apparently his friend"Bubsa" thought the same, so when Sparky was all Mr. happy, he was confused. What he didn't know was that Sparky had invented the modern bullpen, and changed the game forever.
During the two months that Gullet was gone The Reds went on an absolute tear. Ken Griffey hit great, Sparky's least favorite player, John Yuckovich got sent down, George Foster got in the lineup, The four non- turds hit like crazy, and Sparky pulled pitchers after any minor error. When Don got back the Dodgers were down by 20 games and completely out of the race. The Reds steamrolled the Pirates to get to the World Series in the first round of the playoffs. The surprise Red Sox met the machine to set the stage for the greatest World Series in the history of the game. The series had it all. Dramatic home runs, clutch hitting, and just drama. The BoSox didn't score in the famous incident when the runner on third misheard his third base coach, which led to a blunder that almost cost the Sox the game. Carlton Fisk was cold and tired, so when he led of the bottom of the twelfth and crushed a ball heading foul, he waved frantically for a it to go fair. And miraculously struck the foul pole. After the game, everyone acknowledged that this was the greatest game in history.
In game seven Pete Rose is furious. He's playing on the greatest team ever assembled, and they are losing to a bunch of losers. How can his team of losers can't win the world series. In the sixth inning they're losing 3-0, but the big dog, Tony Perez hit a home run. Then in the ninth, Joe Morgan ripped the game winning RBI, and three outs later the machine won the world series. Sparky built his team like a machine, when America was long hair and mustaches. In the end, the team with so many great personality's won the wold series, and cemented there place as the best team in baseball history.





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