The Batboy

“[E]very paper I wrote and every test I aced, I was working my way toward Comerica.”

As this passage indicates, The Omnipresent Influence of Baseball often has a positive effect on Brian’s life, as he uses his interest in baseball to spur himself on to greater academic heights. In this context, Brian uses the prospect of becoming the Tigers’ batboy to motivate himself to excel in school.

“Boy, that’s a big load off. I don’t think Dillon could get through the heart of the order without you watching.”

The casual tone of this quote indicates the comfortable camaraderie as Brian and Kenny watch Sunday Night Baseball together at Kenny’s house. Additionally, Brian times his departure so that he can be home in time to watch the Tigers’ best starter, Ben Dillon, who acts as pitcher at the top of the sixth inning. As Kenny jokes about the impact of baseball, he makes fun of Brian’s superstitious belief that his viewership will have an influence on Dillon’s performance. This exchange also highlights the fact that many baseball fans hold similar superstitions about the game.

“Liz Dudley had no use for baseball. She went to as many of Brian’s games as she could […] Yet he knew she wanted to be somewhere else—anywhere else—except a ballgame.”

The blunt tone of this passage separates Liz from the other central characters and emphasizes her lack of interest in the game for its own sake. Unlike Brian, Hank, Cole, Kenny, and Finn, Liz does not want baseball to consume her life, and she regularly tries to limit its influence and not take its impact too seriously.

“It was one of the beauties of sports, how fast things changed.”

This passage proves that the theme of Accepting Disappointments and Major Life Changes also applies to baseball games. During a Little League game against the Rockies, the Sting lose a large lead but come back to win it thanks to Brian. The novel therefore suggests that changes in baseball and life can be negative or positive, depending on one’s outlook.

“Mostly Brian wondered why Hank Bishop, who’d been away from baseball for as long as he had, who’d been given the baseball version of a prison sentence, didn’t look happier.”

The repetition of the phrase “who’d been” reinforces Hank’s problematic past, and the portrayal of his unhappiness suggests that baseball is not a cure-all for the complexities of life’s problems. Thus, although the sport dominates the lives of many of the characters, it doesn’t guarantee that they will find fulfillment.

“My dad says that you’re better off not knowing these guys. He says that way you’re not disappointed when you find out they’re not who you think they are. Or who you want them to be.”

The comment from Kenny’s dad indicates that the communication between baseball players and fans is not always clear. Because the fans do not know the players on an intimate level, they construct idealized versions of their baseball heroes—just as Brian persists in creating an idealized view of both Hank and the absent Cole.

“‘Your first homer in the majors, your very first one, was against Todd Wirth! How great is that, you did it again!’ ‘Fascinating.’”

In this passage, Lupica uses juxtaposition to contrast Brian’s excitement with Hank’s morose mood. Brian’s dialogue is effusive and comes with two exclamation points, while Hank’s dialogue consists of one ironic word. The shift in tone indicates that Brian’s efforts to befriend Hank continue to fail; Hank isn’t fascinated—he wants Brian to leave him alone.

“It’s like they say about the mob. Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in.”

Liz adds humor to this scene by quoting Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III. She implies that baseball is like a criminal organization that doesn’t allow its participants to lead autonomous lives. The comment also implies that she holds an unstated degree of resentment toward the game itself because of the rifts it has caused in her life over the years.

“And in that moment, Brian didn’t feel alone at all.”

At the sleepover, Brian goes to section 135 and feels a sense of comfort upon recalling his romanticized memories of his time with Cole. However, this illusory respite is temporary, as it lives only in Brian’s imagination, not in reality. Brian does not yet know how to process his melancholy over his father’s abandonment of the family, so he creates a slightly rosier version to take Cole’s place.

“He blamed you because he didn’t get a hit? That’s worse than weak. That’s like practically dead.”

In this passage, Finn uses hyperbole to stress Hank’s inappropriate response when Brian brings him the wrong bat. By characterizing Hank as “worse” than weak, Finn uses exaggeration to support Brian and reassure his friend that Hank’s response was entirely out of line.

“I’m not the guy you still want to be your hero. I was never that guy, even when I was going good. And you want to know something else? I never wanted to be that guy.”

Hank repeats the phrase “that guy” three times to reinforce to Brian that he is not the “hero” that his fans believe him to be. His rant reveals that Brian has created a romanticized version of Hank, and as Hank finally expresses his views, he forces the boy to confront his own unrealistic perspective. Ultimately, Hank doesn’t want to be anyone’s idol; he just wants to be appreciated for the person he is, and he wishes that his fans understood that he is a fallible person who possesses flaws and makes mistakes.

“I feel like we’re having a fight about something here and I don’t even know what it’s about.”

Brian and Liz have a contentious dialogue that is ostensibly focused on Liz’s burgeoning interest in baseball, but in reality, Liz isn’t sure what they’re fighting about. Her admission highlights the challenges involved in Overcoming Miscommunication and Forging New Connections and also emphasizes The Omnipresent Influence of Baseball.

“Ooooh, Mr. Hank Bishop. I didn’t know your arm was still so strong and powerful.”

The Tigers’ shortstop, Willie Vazquez, provides a steady source of humor throughout the novel. As Hank takes fielding practice and prepares to play third base, Willie teases him about his defensive capabilities. The playful diction indicates that Willie is good-naturedly mocking Hank’s fielding skills.

“I think maybe you’re a little burned out […] Maybe even you can’t eat, sleep, and drink baseball every single hour of every single day of your whole life.”

In this scene, Kenny addresses the negative influence of baseball and criticizes Brian’s all-consuming approach to the sport, suggesting that the protagonist’s constant intoxication with baseball is causing his hitting slump. However, Lupica subverts Kenny’s thesis when it becomes clear that what Brian really needs is help from a different part of the baseball world, and this help eventually takes the form of Hank’s assistance.

“He still seemed to think that a high five was the same as a hug, no matter how long it had been since you’d seen your son.”

In this scene, Cole’s underwhelming greeting to his son reveals the problematic nature of his lukewarm relationship with his family. Brian desperately wants a hug so that he can finally feel that his father does love and care for him, but with the disappointing offer of a high five, Cole essentially denies Brian the connection that he graves. Lupica juxtaposes this awkward moment with the final chapter, in which Hank lifts Brian triumphantly into the air, thereby giving him the affection that Cole has denied him.

“Look at me, Brian thought, down here on a big-league field, in a big-leaguer’s uniform. But it was as if he wasn’t here, the way he hadn’t been in the clubhouse. It was as if he didn’t matter to his dad.”

Brian wants his father to acknowledge him and recognize his hard-won position in the world of baseball. However, because Cole doesn’t make eye contact with his son, Brian reaches the conclusion that Cole does not truly care about him. Later, Lupica juxtaposes this strained moment with Hank’s 500th home-run game when Liz is in the stands and makes it a point to smile and wave at Brian.

“Things were never going to change between them, never going to get better, whether his dad was there or here. Not in a million years.”

The dramatic repetition of the word “never” in this passage indicates that Brian has accepted Cole’s inability to suddenly transform into a supportive, loving father. He finally knows that his relationship with Cole will never meet the expectations that he has constructed in Cole’s absence. As a result, Brian finally moves forward and finds a more receptive father figure in Hank.

“If you’re going to play this game, play it the right way.”

Brian notices the irony of Hank’s advice because in the past, Hank himself did not play the game “the right way” when he took steroids. Throughout the novel, Lupica uses multiple scenes to insert a broader commentary on baseball players’ problematic use of performance-enhancing drugs during the steroid era, and this subtext provides an educational aspect for young readers of the novel.

“Not today, kid.”

This terse, derisive comment reflects the moments when Hank’s surliness is at its worst, as he rejects Brian’s eagerness and support out of hand. Thus, even after Hank helps Brian with his swing, their relationship remains precarious. Brian wants to constantly communicate his excitement with Hank, but Hank is so upset over his own hitting struggles that he rejects the boy’s interest.

“In our house you break Mom’s orders and even one of those presidential pardons can’t save you.”

Using hyperbole, Finn describes the ultimate authority of mothers, ironically giving them power beyond that of the president of the United States. Through Liz’s actions, Lupica shows the wide-ranging influence of mothers on their sons. Because her life does not revolve around baseball, she remains relatively immune to its fluctuations and provides the other characters with a healthier sense of balance.

“Gave me one more person I want to prove something to. You.”

Unlike Cole, Hank acknowledges Brian’s value as a person and is thankful for the impact that Brian has had on his life. Hank now wants to “prove something” to Brian, and his statement drives home the point that Brian is now deeply important to him. Through baseball, Hank wants to show Brian that he can excel.

“The two of them pounded fists in front of the whole place, Brian feeling as if he and Hank were sharing this moment in front of the entire baseball world.”

Hank continues to honor Brian’s presence in his life, and in this scene, that acknowledgment becomes very public. After Hank’s 500th home run, the two bump fists, cementing their bond for all to see. The moment also highlights The Omnipresent Influence of Baseball in a positive way.

“She was sitting between Mr. and Mrs. Griffin, Tigers cap back on her head, and when they would lock eyes, she would shoot him a fist of encouragement.”

During the final Little League game, Liz shows her support for Brian by maintaining eye contact with him, and her behavior differs markedly from Cole’s callous disregard for his son earlier in the novel. Taken together with Hank’s new support of Brian, the narrative stresses that the protagonist has finally found the right balance of supportive adults to cheer him on in life.