Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits (Paperback)

by David Ortiz (Author), Tony Massarotti (Author) "To be honest, I still laugh about it sometimes..." (more)
Key Phrases: Red Sox, World Series, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
"If you hear something bad about David Ortiz, it's a lie." So says Ortiz's former teammate Torri Hunter, summing up the general consensus on Ortiz, one of baseball's most beloved superstars. With help from Boston Herald columnist Massarotti, Ortiz tells his tale: growing up poor in the Dominican Republic, struggling through the minor leagues in an unfamiliar country and ultimately finding success as a late-inning hero for the Boston Red Sox. Alternating between Massarotti's third-person summaries and Ortiz's first-person accounts, the book paints a portrait of Ortiz as confident and driven, despite the doubt of scouts and managers. Even though he relies on clichés ("Life is unpredictable, bro") and occasionally mismanages a sentence, Ortiz's voice is charming-even glowing-throughout. Ortiz's affability makes the book a quick read, but devoid of dirt or controversy; though he does air grievances toward the Minnesota Twins, who first changed his swing before releasing him, Oritz gives Twins general manager Terry Ryan space to explain his decisions. A good book by a good guy, this will please fans, but won't reveal much they don't already know.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“Big Papi brings us the life and thoughts of the greatest clutch hitter in memory.”---The Boston Globe

“The only thing more amazing than the Red Sox winning a World Series is Ortiz’s remarkable story.”---Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312383444
• ISBN-13: 978-0312383442
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,010 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book About A Great Person, April 23, 2007

By	Scrooge (Cygnus X1) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits (Hardcover)

You cant help but love Big Papi. This book is just further proof of Papi's triumphs on and off the field. He overcame a lot to get where he is today, and this book tells you the whole story. He is a unique individual that has given back to the community ten fold. Hes a great baseball player, but he's even a better human being.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits, June 7, 2007

By	Glenn Paul (Boston MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits (Hardcover)

I have been a Red Sox and die-hard Boston sport fan since the mid 50's and have read many sports books especially on the local teams and personalities. Big Papi was a very fast reading and insightful story on major league and minor league baseball, the business and individual personal side, as well as the plight of the many foreign players bonding together in a strange land and the brotherhood that remains among them.
A completely different caring side of Pedro Martinez for his fellow countrymen was a interesting sidebar. Tony Massarotti from the Boston Herald does a excellent job in telling David Ortiz's story, a real gentle caring giant with much more than the "extraordinary ability to perform under pressure" and the leader that ended fifty years of misery for me. I wish my father and grandfathers were still alive to have enjoyed it. Thank you Papi.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Insight into David Ortiz, May 31, 2007

By	drebbles (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits (Hardcover)

Co-written with Tony Massarotti of the Boston Herald, "Big Papi" is the autobiography of David Ortiz, all-star slugger for the Boston Red Sox. Written as if Ortiz was talking directly to the reader, the book covers Ortiz's childhood in the Dominican Republic, his career in the minor leagues, his time with the Minnesota Twins, and of course his career with the Boston Red Sox. The book covers some of his achievements such as leading the all-star balloting, breaking Jimmie Foxx's home run record, and of course the 2004 playoffs - beating the Yankees and going on to win the World Series. While most of the book is in Ortiz's voice, there are a few chapters written by others that discuss the role Pedro Martinez had in bringing Ortiz to Boston; his friendship with Torii Hunter; and how Theo Epstein was able to bring Ortiz to play for Boston.

"Big Papi" is an interesting look at a talented baseball player. Having the book read as if Ortiz is talking directly to the reader is a nice touch (although the constant use of the word "bro" got to me after a while). The book has many fascinating aspects starting with Ortiz's childhood in the Dominican Republic when he and his friends would use anything they could as baseballs (like the heads off their sisters' dolls). One of the most fascinating aspects of Ortiz's career is that Minnesota released him after they tried to trade him and no other team wanted him. Boston came off looking good by claiming him but it's interesting to read that even they had no idea how good he could be. Other interesting bits in the book include the fact that he likes to wear a bigger uniform because he likes it to be loose and how he trains in the off-season. To his credit Ortiz is honest about admitting his mistakes, including his five game suspension during the 2004 season for throwing bats from the dugout onto the field in protest over an umpire's call. Interestingly enough, while he says he doesn't hate the Yankees he writes far more about beating them in the 2004 playoffs than he does about winning the World Series (which barely gets a full page mention). Although he talks little about his family life for privacy reasons, the brief glimpses into his personal life are interesting. Readers will be moved as he talks about the death of his mother in a car accident. And a story of how he ended up with a line of children and parents at his house on Halloween looking for candy and pictures with him is a fascinating insight into the drawbacks of being famous.

David Ortiz fans will love "Big Papi".