Customer Reviews

Theology: How a Boy Wonder Led the Red Sox to the Promised Land

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After reading an article about the writing of this book in the UConn daily newspaper, I was hesitant to buy it. Being a Red Sox fan, I did so anyway. Unfortunately, after reading it, I feel that my initial reaction was correct.

The positive: it was an easy, quick read. And it only cost $10. There were a few bits of new information in there that were interesting; Frascella seems to have gotten at least a few people to talk to him.

The negative: According to the UConn article and Frascella himself, this book was written over the vehement opposition of Theo Epstein, who did not cooperate with the project. Unfortunately, in his indefatigable efforts to violate Mr. Epstein's privacy, Frascella has accomplished little of note and could have left well enough alone. Most of the information in this book is a compilation of quotes and tidbits that most Sox fans will recognize from feature pieces done on Theo over the years by the Globe, the Yale Daily News, and other news outlets. You can read it all yourself for free by simply typing "Theo Epstein" into Google.

The book is written in a style that is easy enough to follow but is unsophisticated and often grating. For example, Frascella describes John Henry's business by quoting straight off the company website with no other information, leaving the reader with the impression that he did not actually do any in-depth research and has no real understanding of what Mr. Henry's company does. This repeats itself several times throughout. Quotes from Theo are twisted and placed to seem like Theo said this to Frascella when in fact it is something from a newspaper story, but there are no footnotes. It is woefully apparent that Frascella is short of primary sources. He seems to have gotten former Sox assistant Bill Lajoie to open up, along with Craig Shipley, and relies heavily on them for baseball operations information throughout; the slant shows. In one section, Frascella implies dubiously that during the 2005 offseason, Shipley and Lajoie did the vast majority of the work while Ben Cherington and Jed Hoyer took all the credit, and that Shipley and Lajoie were shafted by John Henry. This would be interesting, except that Frascella leaves us with nothing except Shipley and Lajoie's perspective. He includes nothing from Henry, Cherington, or Hoyer, and the reader has no idea what their interpretation of this actually is; I can only assume that they refused to talk to him because they are reportedly much closer to Theo and did not wish to violate his confidence. The section left me feeling that Hoyer and Cherington had been unfairly maligned. This is really too bad, as it was one of the few parts with original information.

Further tainting this book is the intermittently terrible baseball analysis contained within. Some of it is solid, but some of it is simply flat-out wrong. Anyone with an affinity for sabermetrics should probably avoid these parts.

In conclusion, I think the idea of this project is an excellent one; the problem lies in the execution. It is not possible to write a truly good biography of someone without that person's cooperation and with those who will talk to you doing so in violation of his confidence. It is also quite difficult to write an appropriate perspective when your subject is only 35 years old and still in the middle of his career. This should be redone in about 40 years with a mature writer (perhaps Frascella himself with more polish; the talent is there) who can get Mr. Epstein to cooperate with the project. Until then, it is going to be sorely lacking.

This is a very well written book. The subject is in his early 30s, so there isn't a whole lot of lifetime to cover. Being a large baseball fan, I enjoyed the coverage of his rise to GM of one of the most popular teams in the Majors and his tactics for unprecedented success. The author's writing style is easy to follow and very clear and concise. I read the book in less than a day because I could not put it down. If you love baseball and the behind-the-scenes workings, then you must read this book.

In a decision that was to stun the faithful fans of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, Theo Epstein, their young and dynamic general manager at the age of 32 resigned from the team just a year after leading them to their first World Series title in 86 years. In "Theology", sports writer and baseball fan John Frascella provides a fascinating account of a remarkable man and his equally remarkable decision. Of special note is the chapter focused upon Epstein's best and worst management decisions that allows the reader to evaluate and make their own judgments. Replete with entertaining anecdotes, insights, and more than a few 'behind the scenes' secrets, "Theology" is a riveting read and recommended for all baseball enthusiasts in general, and Boston Red Sox fans in particular!

As I was looking at different sports books at a nearby book store, I happened to come across "Theology" by John Frascella. Curious, I decided to give it a look and all I can say is that I'm glad I did. This book is fresh, well written, and informative. A simple read that really grasps the reader's attention and sucks them in to enjoy the bumpy ride of the Red Sox from 2003 and beyond. I recommend this book to all baseball fans, (except maybe Yankee fans!) and cannot wait for Mr.Frascella's next offering.

I bought this on a whim at a bookstore. I probably should have realized that the absence of any admiring blurbs on the cover was a bad sign, but it was cheap and I'm a big Sox fan. I was expecting something along the lines of Moneyball -- an examination of Epstein's strategy and how it played out over his first few seasons at Boston.

What I got was the sort of hero worship fluff piece you might expect to see in a second-string newspaper, praising the hometown GM. I stuck it out through the first couple chapters on Epstein's youth and education, thinking that maybe it'd get better once it was, you know, talking about baseball. But no, once Epstein becomes GM, the author just touches on the basics of his baseball strategy and mainly focuses on telling anecdotes he apparently cribbed from articles already written on Epstein. Here's an example of the focus of the book: the entire 2005 season (i.e. opening day to last game of the regular season) was covered in maybe a page or two. There is an entire CHAPTER devoted to speculating on what Epstein's marriage was like.

If you're the type of person that gives a damn about that sort of thing, maybe you'll like this book. I give it two stars and not just one because it's an easy read so the pointless bits are easy to skip and there is a longish chapter in the end talking about Epstein's best and worst moves. Sportswriters, here is a free idea: take that chapter and then elaborate it into a book. Maybe to give it structure you could focus it on the course of a season or two. That would be a good book. It also would be completely different from this pile of who-gives-a-crap.

Theology: How a Boy Wonder Led the Red Sox to the Promised Land's documentation of Red Sox GM Theo Epstein's life is a masterfully created story. Author John Frascella gives a purely insightful look into the world of one of the biggest faces in baseball. This is a must-read for any baseball fan, let alone the Red Sox Nation. Frascella crafts the life and struggles so well, despite never actually being able to speak with Epstein himself. Though, no one has ever actually been able to interview Epstein for a book like this. The research behind the book is phenomenal. Frascella covers every angle and has words from all those who know Epstein best. Frascella's ability to analyze Epstein's methods show his truly outstanding knowledge of all things baseball. His professionalism shines through. Any baseball fan can appreciate this piece of work, as they should. Baseball fans everywhere should read "Theology" and know exactly how the magic happens. Frascella lays down all the facts, solves all the mysteries, and answers all the questions. He's in a league of his own.

This book reminds me of an article one reads in Highlights for Kids in the fourth grade. There is no new information in it-- just a compilation of information culled from newspaper articles and mlb.com. I feel embarrassed to have purchased it.

Red Sox fans, this is your kind of book. Not only does it go into detail on Theo Epstein's early life right up to the present, but it does this in a way that everyone can understand.

The book begins by talking about that Halloween night in 2005, when a man in a gorilla suit ran away from Fenway Park (the man being Theo Epstein escaping from reporters). The book then goes into Theo's early life (you know, he was born in New York) and the reasons why he loves the game of baseball so much.

The novel then goes into details in "Climbing the Ladder," "Methods, Strategies... Secrets," and "Reviving a Franchise."

These chapters essentially describe how Theo became Theo, how he used the "Yale Card" to get an internship and job with the Baltimore Orioles, then making friends and moving to the San Diego Padres (picking up a law degree on the way), and building a name for himself to be hired as the youngest General Manager ever.

The novel also talks a lot about how Theo has a slightly different way of looking at the game and the parts that many of us would consider essential to the game, like stolen bases and bunts.

Red Sox fans will enjoy this book because it truly gives you a clear understanding of why Theo left the Red Sox only to return a few months later.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the book (and perhaps also the most controversial part) is the end of the book. where it goes through Theo's Best Five and Worst Five moves since being with the Red Sox. Without trying to spoil it, Hanley Ramirez may not be on the list you think he would be on!


Overall, Theo-logy is an exciting book that details the inner workings of why and how Theo Epstein became Theo Epstein. I highly recommend it as both an avid reader and a baseball enthusiast. And so Red Sox fans, let's play ball!

Too many biographers deify their subject. Author John Frascella has done something even more effective and nuanced in his new book about Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein: he has broken down the elements that make "Boy Wonder" Epstein and the recently successful Red Sox the biggest winners in MLB for the last half-decade. By breaking down Epstein's leadership and baseball strategies into understandable elements, from his faith in Bill James-inspired "Sabermetrics" to his reliance on solid scouting and grass-roots minor league farming, to his ability to see beyond season-to-season triumph and failure, Frascella paints a picture of a mad genius with real and definite method.

Fracella, a dedicated and highly informed sports columnist, is quick to balance his respect for Epstein with valid criticisms. While the book may be titled "Theology," Frascella shows that Epstein, in his now-seven year tenure as GM of the Red Sox, cannot always feed the multitudes with his desicions. The weak and unfruitful signings of Julio Lugo, Byung-Hyun Kim, and Matt Clement get their fair treatment in the book. However, Theo emerges as a unsentimental leader, willing to swallow his pride and move on from mistakes and hardships.

The most gripping chapter in the book surrounds Epstein's sudden and mysterious resignation as GM in the late fall of 2005. Frascella avoids villainizing anyone involved. Instead, Frascella shows that the episode had many layers of ego, pride, and hurt feelings, but was no different from any other situation involving mentors, proteges, and life-long friends. As I was reading, I thought of the parallels between Theo Epstein and his dealings with Red Sox president Larry Lucchino and the Barack Obama/ Rev. Jeremiah Wright saga, where, as the protege takes on larger and larger responsibilites, the mentor feels neglected in his wake. Theo Epstein, like Barack Obama, emerges from this drama as a victim of his own meteorotic success. However, Epstein handles the situation with great sensitivity to his teachers, revealing his exceptional character.

If there is one thing author John Frascella shares with his subject Theo Epstein, it's his understanding of the personalities and characters behind the statistics and machinations of a sports team: in short, the full story. In his first book, Frascella shows the maturity to keep his ego out of the drama and allow the wonderful story to play itself out for the reader. This is a great book for anyone interested in baseball, the Boston Red Sox, high-level management, or just the story of a highly-focused and mature person facing pressures and high-stakes desicions with grace and confidence.

John Frascella's "Theology: How A Boy Wonder Lead The Red Sox To The Promised Land" is an in-depth look at Theo Epstein's ascension to Boston's General Manager position and the principles upon which he based his various moves. It is a must-read for Red Sox fans, and though it may seem tailored to their particular interests, "Theology" presents a story that any fan, casual or fanatical, of any team will find themselves intrigued by.

Epstein's story is chronicled in explicit detail by Frascella's clear, engrossing style of writing, which allows for a seamless transition between chapters and an overall breeze of a read. Those unfamiliar with Theo will learn how his intelligence, determination and hustler's mentality led to a quick rise in the baseball world, being named Boston's GM at only 28 years old - an interesting tale on its own. Fans hungry for more will be gripped by a behind-the-scenes look at Theo's transactions, his sudden resignation in 2005, and a play by play reflection on the Red Sox' historic run to baseball royalty.

In reading this book, you will learn many interesting things about Theo himself, a person abnormally insistent on keeping his personal life private, as well as "Sabermetrics," the cutting-edge approach to statistical analysis- a principle tool in Epstein's decision making process.

Overall, "Theology" proves an excellent debut for John Frascella, who at just 22 has done an exceptional job shedding light on the man most directly responsible for Boston's success over the past five years. If you're a die hard fan hungry for more, or someone looking to get acquainted with arguably the most intelligent mind in baseball, "Theology" is for you.