Odd Man Out: A Year on the Mound with A Minor League Misfit by Matt McCarthy, 294 pages.The book that Matt McCarthy wrote before he went to medical school, before he became a doctor, and before he wrote his very interesting and compelling The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly.
Odd Man Out recounts McCarthy's time playing for the Provo Angels, the rookie league for the Anaheim Major League team. McCarthy was drafted by the Anaheim Angels in the 21st round of the 2002 draft and hoped that he had a shot of making it to the big leagues. As he knocks around with a colorful cast of teammates(divided between Americans and "Dominicans," with a fair amount of casual racism, anti-Mormonism, and homophobia thrown in) and a crazily inspiring coach, a harsh reality sets in for McCarthy. He was throwing 90 mph fastballs in college, but never quite gets that speed in the minors. He has good days pitching, but these are usually followed by really bad days, and consistency is valued in a pitcher. In the end, having a fall-back plan that includes Harvard Medical School doesn't seem that harsh. Because of their stature in sports, I find that minor leaguer and "also-ran" memoirs make for better reading than most accounts of their more well-known counterparts. The reader is there for the writing, and Odd Man Out is among the best of these stories of not quite making it. An enjoyable read for anyone who likes sports stories or likes the story of a valiant, but doomed effort.
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