The Journey Home

May 18, 2015
Over the 17 seasons Posada caught behind the plate for the Yankees (1995â2012), the team climbed to the pinnacle of success, winning four World Series in five years. In this often inspiring, occasionally dry memoir, Posada calls the innings of his life play-by-play from his childhood in Puerto Rico and his days playing junior-college ball in Alabama, to his early days with the Yankees' farm club, the Columbus Clippers, and his career with the Yankees. From the time Posada was born, his fatherâa Major League scout himselfâwanted nothing more than for his son to be a ballplayer. During the summer that he turned 12, while his friends were out playing ball, young Posada spent his days shoveling the mound of dirt his father has had dumped in the driveway , carting it by wheelbarrow to the backyard; this was his father's way of making him physically and emotionally stronger. His father soon had Posada running sprints up the hills near his home to develop more strength and speed, as well as learning to switch hit so Jorge can add value to any team with his batting skills. Posada affectionately chronicles his relationships with his manager, Joe Torre, and teammates such as Derek Jeter and David Cone, as well as the difficult days following the birth of his son, Jorge Luis, who had craniosynostosis, a birth defect requiring multiple surgeries. Posada emerges as a dedicated and hardworking player, a loyal friend, a committed father and husband, and, always and forever, a Yankee.

May 15, 2015

The New York Yankees of the early 2000s are synonymous with the word dynasty. During a span of ten years, they won four World Series, made the postseason in nine out of ten chances, and perhaps had the best players in the league. Legendary catcher Posada along with collaborator Brozek (Out of Captivity) has written an autobiography that details that exciting era through the lens of Posada's life story. Posada was a Yankee and part of the "Core Four" along with Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Having arguably occupied the best seat in the house for 17 years, Posada tells the engrossing story of his humble beginnings in Puerto Rico up until his time with the Yankees. His father fueled his love for the game, while his mother kept him well-rounded. Readers take a journey through the Yankees' glory years, and Posada effectively helps them relive it pitch by pitch. His enthralling life will inspire and thrill readers of baseball history. VERDICT A must-read for any Yankees fan, especially lovers of the Core Four.--Gus Palas, Ela Area Pub. Lib., Lake Zurich, IL

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