November 2006    

Feeding the Monster: How Money, Smarts, and Nerve Took a Team to the Top Author: Seth Mnookin Publisher: Simon & Schuster $26.00 Cloth (433 p.) ISBN-13: 9780743286817 B&T         YBP Boston and the surrounding region have probably the most intense sports media contingent in the country. It is nearly impossible to sort through the multitude of articles about the Boston Red Sox on a daily basis and ever come out with the truth. Seth Mnookin is probably the first writer ever allowed complete access to the club. During the 2005 season following the team's championship year, Mnookin was trusted with a key card to go anywhere he chose in Fenway Park. The agreement with team owner John Henry included the stipulation that Mnookin was free to write about anything he chose with the exception of specific bookkeeping details on the business side. After the 2004 World Series win, the Red Sox garnered so much attention that Mnookin commented on the millions of trees that were murdered to produce all of the various fan books. There were many, but none of them told the story beyond the excitement on the field. Feeding the Monster starts off with some historical background on the team, but the real focus of the book begins after the 2001 season when John Harrington and the Jean Yawkey Trust put the team on the market. In the Boston media, the process of finding new owners pitted all sides against one another, and the various media outlets branded the eventual victors as carpetbaggers. John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner did not have roots in Boston as did the other top bidders. They did, however, have the financial footing, as well as the business and baseball acumen necessary to be accepted by Major League Baseball. The nod of the commissioner would be necessary to move forward, and the Henry group had the clout. Business details surrounding issues such as NESN, the partially team-owned TV affiliate, as well as the future of Fenway Park itself are all covered in detail. The book does an excellent job of dispelling the rumors and misinformation surrounding the sale. We come away with a better understanding of the process and realize it was not a sweetheart deal as it is often portrayed (Henry & Co. were seen as favorites of Commissioner Bud Selig). Probably the biggest story in recent Red Sox lore (aside from David Ortiz's bat) is the emergence of Theo Epstein as the youngest general manager in baseball history. Epstein was hired as a last resort when a deal struck with Oakland's Billy Beane fell through. Epstein came up under Lucchino in the San Diego organization. Epstein would prove to be the perfect fit, and would help usher in a new era with an emphasis on statistics and on-base percentage that would help the team win it all in just his second season as GM. Mnookin tells the story of Epstein and his growing stardom that would even rival that of the players themselves. Privacy factors and issues of autonomy with team president Larry Lucchino wrap up the story as Epstein quits the job, only to be rehired just before the start of the 2006 season. With as much attention as Red Sox players receive in New England and elsewhere, the book was an enjoyable read with many excellent insights into the business of baseball, and a warts-and-all look at the day-to-day life of a baseball club. This is not a typical fan book. The players do, however, play a large part in the story, perhaps maybe too much for many Sox fans who have already had their fill thanks to the Boston media. The players' stories deal mostly with the difficulties of managing them, catering to their wishes, and other issues. In the book are the real stories behind the signings of Curt Schilling and David Ortiz, the Nomar Garciaparra trade, the attempted acquisition of Alex Rodriguez, the annual off-field sagas of Manny Ramirez, the antics of Kevin Millar, and loss of both Pedro Martinez and Johnny Damon to various parts of New York. Aside from his Fenway Park access, Mnookin also obtained through interviews much of the information regarding the notable trades from the players' perspectives after they had left the team. Not only is Feeding the Monster an excellent book on the Red Sox, but it will be noted along with Moneyball as one of the better books on the game. Jonathan Colcord Published by YBP Library Services 999 Maple St., Contoocook, NH 03229 USA v: 800.258.3774   f: 603.746.5628 w: www.ybp.com   e: academia@ybp.com All rights reserved.