The 33-Year-Old Rookie: How I Finally Made it to the Big Leagues After Eleven Years in the Minors

Chris Coste dreamed of playing major-league baseball from the age of seven. But after eleven grueling years in the minors, a spot on a major-league roster still seemed just out of his reach–until that fateful call came from the Philadelphia Phillies in May 2006. At age thirty-three (“going on eighty”), Coste was finally heading to the big time.

The 33-Year-Old Rookie is like a real-life Rocky, an unforgettable and inspirational story of one man’s unwavering pursuit of a lifelong goal. Beginning in a single-parent home in Fargo, North Dakota, and ending behind home plate on the flawless diamond of the Phillies’ Citizens Bank Park–where fans and teammates call him “Chris Clutch” because of his knack for getting timely hits–this intimate account of Coste’s baseball odyssey is a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and passion.

For eleven seasons, Coste hustled, fought, and gritted his way to his breakthrough–and never lost faith in his abilities. Along the way, he gained the affection and admiration of baseball fans from Ottawa and Scranton to various Mexican and Venezuelan cities. Battered by years spent behind a catcher’s mask, and faced with bracing realities–there were bills to pay, and his young daughter was entering first grade–Coste decided to give it one last shot in 2006. But that year, during the Phillies’ major-league spring training, Coste was demoted to the minors at the last minute to make room for a utility outfielder, despite having hit a blistering .463 and earning the trust of the team’s pitchers. Later that season, though, Coste finally got the call-up, and he hit .364 during the Phillies’ furious battle to nail down the final postseason berth.

Coste takes us through the 2006 spring training season–with its pulse-quickening moments and close calls–and into his first season as a major-league catcher with the Phillies. From tense stretch-run games that kept Phillies’ fans on the edge of their seats to moments of intimate personal reflection, Coste’s saga offers baseball aficionados an inside look at a remarkable life and career. In this stirring, wry, and candid look at the life of a professional baseball nomad who never surrendered his dream, we savor the sometimes bittersweet fruits of victory against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Customer Review: Felt like I was along for the ride.
In this book, Chris Coste takes you on a ride beginning with his childhood. I often felt as if I was there traveling through years of college and minor league baseball. Coste never gave up and finally received his reward of playing in the Majors at the age of thirty-three. I find myself checking the box scores every day to see if Chris Coste played and how he did if he did play. A great book about a man's love for baseball and his family. Highly recommended.
Customer Review: The Positive side of Baseball
Well written and entertaining, this book chronicles Chris's hard work and his family's sacrifices to make it to the big leagues. Being a life long, long suffering Phillies fan, I can relate to Chris's disappointments. Chris was also catching for the Reading Phillies at the Trenton Thunder when Roger the Rocket Clemens was doing his work outs to head back to the Yankees before all the allegations.

Can this be the year the Cubs finally win the World Series, well right now it is certainly to early to tell but by the way the Cubs started their season having a 14-6 record and in first place in the National League Central Division things are looking very promising.

Lou Piniella, has gotten his Cubs off to a great start and Cubs fans are absolutely ecstatic by the way the Cubs have been performing so far. Fans know how long and grueling a baseball season can be but getting off to a great start is very important it gives you early momentum and much needed confidence to excel.

This years Cubs team is very well equipped they have a potent lineup consisting of Leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano who is currently hurt but a very valuable piece to the Cubs success. They have first baseman Derrek Lee who is batting .353 with seven home runs and Third Baseman Aramis Ramirez who got off to a slow start but is recently starting to really hit. Last but not least is the Kosuke Fukudome the Japanese product who has taken the Wrigley field fateful by storm. He is currently batting .357 and has become a hitting sensation, the fans have even coined the phrase "Fukudomania" referring to how Kosuke has risen to such stardom in such a short period.

The Cubs pitching is also pretty good starting off with the ACE of the staff Carlos Zambrano, followed by Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster, Rich Hill and Jason Marquis. The key to pitching for the Cubs staff is to stay healthy, but if one of the pitchers did happen to get injured Jon Lieber, a very capable starter is certainly waiting in the wings. So far the Cubs starters have looked good but not excellent. Hill and Lilly had a few ugly starts but have seemed to be coming along fine as of late.

Cubs fans have to be excited, but I know their are still many who are yet to say that this year is the year the Cubs finally win the World Series. The Cubs fans always hold their heads up high knowing each season brings a new beginning to what they hope is one of the most memorable seasons they have ever experienced. The Fans remember how the Southside fans and the Chicago Whitesox had their glory and they are now waiting to experience a little glory of their own when they can say the Cubs are finally World Series Champs!

Even though the season is still young and the Cubs have only played 20 games, they have gotten off to one of the best starts since 1975. Cubs fans and players can only hope that the wins keep coming and maybe just maybe this can finally be the Year! Instead of having to say wait until next year, why can't this finally be the year that Cubs fans can say this is the year we won the World Series!

I am an twenty-nine year old freelance writer from Chicago. I consider myself to be somewhat of a renaissance man I love to do so many things and love everything life has to offer. You can check out more about the Cubs at my blog http://chicagocubschase.blogspot.com/

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