Lose Yourself

by Vince Wetzel

It’s the final game of the season
All-Star Brett Austen has a chance to secure the first .400 batting average for a season in more than 80 years. However, increasing pressure and his own hubris threaten the apex of his career.

Meanwhile...A sideline reporter wrestles with a choice between her career and her mom in crisis.A retiring usher takes in his final game before moving in with his son’s family.A lanky 15-year-old can’t understand his future stepdad while pining for a girl from school.A lemonade vendor agonizes over a big score to settle gambling debts and fulfill his daughter’s dreams.An adult daughter navigates uncomfortable family dynamics at home while her father lies in hospice.Will their choices meet the moment?

Genres: Baseball

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2024

About the author

Vince Wetzel is a husband, father, sports fan, and storyteller who writes contemporary fiction rooted in authenticity and heart, with vivid, emotionally resonant characters navigating the complexities of relationships, identity, and redemption. His work blends humor, heartache, and humanity—stories that are heartfelt, relatable, and nostalgic, capturing the quiet triumphs and stumbles that define everyday life.

With a degree in journalism, Vince began his professional career as a sportswriter for the Oakland Tribune and Antelope Valley Press, later contributing op-eds to the Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle, and Los Angeles Times. His sharp eye for detail and ear for dialogue now fuel his fiction, where the stakes are personal and the characters unforgettable.

After launching into empty-nest life with a wife who loves curling up with a good book, Vince rediscovered the joy of storytelling. In 2021, he released Friends in Low Places, a novel chronicling the 20-year evolution of five male friends through their annual guys’ trip to the mountains above Fresno, CA. The book explores how enduring friendships weather the storms of failure, growth, and forgiveness.

In 2024, Vince followed up with Lose Yourself, an award-winning novel told through six interwoven stories unfolding during a single baseball game. From a player chasing a .400 batting average to a sideline reporter balancing ambition and family crisis, each character faces a pivotal moment that echoes far beyond the stadium walls.

Vince is currently working on his third novel, Landslide, a redemption story about a cranky columnist who loses everything and slowly discovers the power of gratitude.

Please sign up for his weekly newsletter for authentic storytelling, heartfelt reflections, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the humor and humanity that inspire his work.

Reviews

[Pete]

This book started good and only got better. Several storylines crossing paths and entwined and all converging in an early autumn day in Oakland. It kept me on the edge of my seat!

[Alison]

For the love of the game! Enjoyed the way the story marvelously weaves the lives and perspectives of 6 individuals around one baseball game. As an A's fan, the story hit a special place in my heart too. Well done Vince! 👏

[Julie]

When I say I cried at the end

[Catherine Hunn]

LOSE YOURSELF is a compelling baseball adventure full of rich characters and thrilling action! Wetzel’s journalistic skill is evident in the details as he expertly describes the game and makes the reader feel right in the moment. With multiple points of view, Wetzel manages to fully develop his characters, showing realistic family dynamics and heartfelt emotional struggles. I love the real-time pacing, and the chapter by chapter scorekeeping kept me on the edge of my seat. Wetzel pulls all his characters together with perfect pacing to provide for a riveting conclusion. Get this for the baseball fan in your life then watch them read the whole the thing in one afternoon!

[Sofi]

Lose Yourself by Vince Wetzel is a compelling journey into the depths of self-discovery and transformation. Wetzel's prose is both poignant and powerful, drawing readers into a world where the protagonist's struggles and triumphs resonate deeply. The narrative is expertly crafted, blending emotional intensity with moments of profound insight. Each page is imbued with a sense of urgency and authenticity, making it impossible to put down. This novel is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring quest for meaning, ensuring it leaves a lasting impression on anyone who reads it.

[Amber P]

Such a wonderful book, especially if you’re an Oakland As fan. The build up of characters seemed odd to me at first, but I was truly thankful for it in the end!

[Tom Gase]

One of the best books I'll read and one of the best non-fiction baseball books I've ever read, right up there with Shoeless Joe, If I Never Get Back and the John R. Tunis novels. This book follows six different stories revolving around an A's game against Seattle in Oakland during a game that ends the season. You follow the A's sluggling left fielder, a journalist, an usher, a lemonade vendor, a mom and her family, a fan and a gambler. All the stories interwine with each other, but the drama fills and gets intense as the game goes on. Written very well, I cried at the end. Won't let you know if it's a good cry or bad cry, no spoilers! But I highly recommend this book by Vince Wetzel. I'll look into reading some of his other books now and I hope he keeps writing about baseball. This book was the right one at the right time for me, and I randomly picked this book while supporting a friend at a book fair. Some books, authors, they just find you.

[Matt Hawkesworth]

This book starts out building out the background of 6 unique individuals. As the story progressed, we were able to take a journey through these 6 people and their friends and family to see how they are intertwined in a professional baseball game.

The early chapters spent a lot of time in the backstory and I wondered when and how the baseball portion of the story would play out. Once the game begins, it all starts to come together. I was invested in the character’s stories as I was the outcome of the baseball game. You don’t need to be a baseball fan to enjoy this book, but it certainly helps.

While this story isn’t real, it was a great reminder that in every setting, people bring their own experiences and life situations with them. What others see on the outside doesn’t necessarily represent what’s going on inside.