Kindle Edition Amazon Mexico Bad Politics Rich Culture Category:  Action/Thriller Publisher: Black Rose Writing ISBN-10:  1612961371 Type: Fiction Pages: 272 Copyright: June 9, 2014 ISBN-13: 9781612961378 Price: $2.35 (eBook) A plunge into the heart of Mexico and its loves, fiestas, conflicts and a baseball team transformed from ragtag hasbeens into a funloving, storytelling, spitball throwing, winning collection of diversely loveable characters led by a teenaged refugee and his harem of enthusiastic fans. Running away from his failures in trying to compete with professional baseball stars, fifteen-year-old Alejandro Lòpez winds up destitute in a seaside city in western Mexico. Although the runaway Cuban attempts to conceal his abilities on the diamond several members of a ragtag semi-pro team—the San Arturo Zancudos—drag him back into playing the sport he loves. An instant success, both on the field and with the town’s teenaged flirts he sparks the formerly last-place has-beens into a contender for the league championship. “Baseball the way it should be played!” enthuses the team’s quirky leftfielder as he and the oddball collection of ballplayers battle, lie, joke and celebrate both on and off the field. Their antics—and successes on the diamond—spark a contagious community following until Alejandro’s abilities attract the attention of Major League scouts and his illegal immigration status is revealed. Alejandro is forced to choose between a professional contract to play in the United States and staying with the team. His decision and the responses of his teammates provide a dramatic climax to an entertaining and vivid look at baseball, at Mexico, and at how human relationships struggle and prosper.

A Peek at the Colorful World of Latin American Baseball

Running Out The Hurt paints a vivid picture of the colorful world of Latin American baseball. The story begins with a Cuban player, drafted by Yucatan in the Mexican professional league, who decides his younger brother has more natural talent and should take the opportunity in his place. Fifteen year old Alejandro Lopez posing as his older brother is not mature enough to play at the professional level and suffers "the hurt" of failure and bringing shame to his family. He runs away to hide in the small coastal town of San Arturo.

Like most small towns, San Arturo prizes its amateur baseball team, a collection of colorful players ranging from the catcher Sergio with some professional experience to Paco, the crafty old junk ball pitcher who could have taught Gaylord Perry a thing or two about doctoring baseballs, to El Jipi, the outfielder able to slug the odd home run and to an assortment of other players of varying ability. All work to support their families but live to play baseball.

Cipriano, the second baseman, recognizes the runaway boy's athleticism, befriends him and coaxes him to come to a practice. Alejandro tries without success to hide his baseball talent and is soon drawn back into the game. The team adopts him as one of their family, finds work and lodging for him, immerses him in female admirers, introduces him to sex, even arranges a false Mexican identity for him. In return, Alejandro transforms the team from perennial losers to league contenders with both his outfield play and pitching. However, this is not one of those stories of an unsung hero coming out of nowhere to lead a team to glory. It is a realistic story with losses as well as wins, a story of amateurs with dreams of what might have been and the ability to nurture a boy with the talent to live their dream.

Stout cleverly keeps readers immersed in the Latino baseball culture with unique experiences such as post game parties, saucy if not risqué interplay between sexes, dialog structured as though translated from Spanish, and a liberal sprinkling of Spanish words in his prose. There is no need for a knowledge of Spanish to read the book. In fact, a sensitive soul is better off not translating the more commonly used words. Nor is a knowledge of baseball necessary to appreciate this story of human relationships and aspirations. It's a well written, entertaining book.

running out the hurt
I played baseball, fast pitch & slow pitch softball (coed, men’s) until I decided to retire at 53. I played every position on the field. Finally I mostly pitched or played LF, CF or Rover (softball). Most summers I was the RBI King. 1 in the park solo home run in my entire career. Base hits that’s me anywhere. I also played football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, bowling, golf, water/snow skied, & fished/hunted. I tried my hand at all the other many sports also.

When I was 16, I pitched for the Denver Bears (Cubs) practices who I think were Triple A in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Never got hit by a line drive thank God.

The humorous part of this book “concubine” or “whore” in the US we call them “groupies.”

In a sense sports is still a very diverse community thing. But nowadays even all the yrs. I coached several sports; kids are watched at a very young age. Will/can they become the next college hopeful or professional superstar? Parent(s), guardian(s) & foster parent(s), pay enormous fees & equipment is a must for their kiddo’s.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A fairly well written ethnic/cultural baseball book. It wasn’t always very easy to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great cultural baseball movie, animated cartoon, or mini TV series. I would recommend this for a older teen athlete. All that said I will still rate it at 5 stars.


Running Out the Hurt
his is a book with a good message about friends who become like family, about overcoming self-doubt and finding inner strength and success. I enjoyed the book, in spite of not being a baseball enthusiast, and in spite of the hundreds of Spanish words interspersed within the text. Some of the Spanish I could decipher from context, but a glossary with translations would have been helpful. One loose end that I would have like to have had tied up would be what happened to Alexandro’s brother Jaime, what were the consequences to his future? Overall, this book is a good read, and I recommend it, especially to baseball fans.