{"product_id":"aces-the-last-season-on-the-mound-with-the-oakland-as-big-three-tim-hudson-mark-mulder-and-barry-zito-9780471675020","title":"Aces: The Last Season on the Mound with the Oakland A's Big Three: Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cem\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/em\u003e Bestseller \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"From the speedy rise of the Big Three to their stunning breakup, Urban's book says it all.\" -John Shea, National baseball Writer, San Francisco Chronicle \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring the 2004 season, each of Oakland's Big Three aces had something to prove. Tim Hudson was determined to demonstrate his recovery from a recurring injury. Barry Zito had to show the world that after a ho-hum 2003, his 2002 Cy Young Award was not a fluke. Mark Mulder missed the 203 playoffs entirely with a stress fracture, but the way he saw it, he simply needed to be himself--the natural-born pitcher. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiven unprecedented access to the Big Three, Mychael Urban recreates their tumultuous season through their eyes. he explores the nuts and bolts of major league pitching, examining each player's unique approach to this craft while revealing how three very different personalities cope with the demands, rewards, and challenges of sports stardom. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNow with a new afterword on the 2005 season \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUrban traces the fortunes of the Big Three after Hudson was sent to Atlanta and Mulder to St. Louis, trades which held the dramatic promise of them being reunited again-as opponents-in the playoffs. \u003c\/p\u003e\"Written with great color, style, humor, and grace, Aces takes readers on a captivating ride.\" --Mike Silver, \u003ci\u003e Sports Illustrated\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Mychael Urban's book is a fabulous read... This is hardly just a baseball book. It's about life, and he tremendous burden each pitcher carried while trying to lead the Oakland A's to the playoffs. I absolutely loved it.\" --Bob Nightengale, Senor Writer\/Columnist, \u003ci\u003eUSA Today Sports Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"From the southern fried heat of Tim Hudson to Mark Mulder's cool aloofness to Barry Zito's cerebral wanderings, Urban captures the engine of Oakland's Little Engine That Could of a team with grace and aplomb.\" --Scott Miller, National Baseball Columnist, CBS.SportsLine.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMYCHAEL URBAN is a national writer for MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, and has covered the A's since 2001. He talks about baseball regularly as a fill-in host on KNBR-680 (AM) in San Francisco and as a guest on FOX Sports Northwest TV, ESPN radio, and MLB radio.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Wiley (TP)","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50324799848722,"sku":"9780471675020","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_b14f127c-53eb-48b8-ad78-963421e96c6b.jpg?v=1727674152","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/aces-the-last-season-on-the-mound-with-the-oakland-as-big-three-tim-hudson-mark-mulder-and-barry-zito-9780471675020","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}