Hardball

by Steven Barwin

Baseball season has begun for the South Coast Sharks. As a senior, Griffin has college in his sights and plans to land himself a baseball scholarship. His determination causes him to turn a blind eye to the hazing of new players by the team captain, Wade. But when Griffin senses that his cousin Carson is getting the brunt of Wade’s aggression, Griffin finally stands up to him. Soon after, steroids are found in Carson’s locker, and he’s kicked off the team. Can Griffin stop Wade’s reign of terror, prove his cousin’s innocence and still stay on track with his baseball dreams?

Genres: Sports

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

STEVEN BARWIN is a writer and a teacher who lives in Toronto. He has written for television shows as well as DVD interactive games. His previous Sports Stories novels, Slam Dunk and Roller Hockey Blues, were both Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice selections.

Reviews

[Jack Furey · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first found this book, I though it wasn't going to be a good book, I don't enjoy baseball or reading about it. As a senior, Griffin has college on the way and plans to get himself a baseball scholarship. Griffin has a cousin named Carson, Wade, a player on the baseball team is hazing his cousin and Griffin stands up to him. Then steroids are found in Carson's locker and it makes Griffin try to stop Wade from doing anything else to people on the team.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardball is a story based on Griffin, a high school senior grinding out for a one way ticket to college baseball.
This book has a great story line planted with plot twists and other amazing twists and turns.
The story starts of at the beginning of his senior year when baseball season is on the horizon. Another year comes new players which introduces Griff's cousin Carson. Even Griff knows how tough Wade can be on the freshmen. Griffin doesn't want the freshman to be threatened but doesn't have the guts to do it.
The weeks come and go and the season is already here, but Griff has something else on his mind. A couple days ago his cousin Carson is accused of doing steroids and is suspended for a large chunk of the season. Griff knows Carson would never do drugs.
The first game of the season is underway and Griffin realizes that his chances of the scholarship are running thin. With Wades unbelievable play and Griff as the second man make the chances low. All game long Wade pounded balls into his notorious " Lake Wade."
Then Griff realized something "Maybe Wade was the one who planted the drugs in Carsons stall. This would explain Wades unbelievable talent and why Wade was hot tempered.They couldn't report this so they needed evidence, and the chase was on.
This the place in all books were you just get hooked and you can't stop reading. For me I wanted to find out if Griff and Carson would actually catch Wade red handed, so I kept reading.
The first step was to figure out if Wade was buying or dealing. There first suspect was a surfer dude who ripped them off with Tylenol pods.
Then Carson found key evidence, one of Wades buyers. Well now they knew that Wade was dealing but for a long time they had run dry one evidence.
One day at the golf course Griffin spotted someone he recognized, Wades Uncle Jim. Griff greeted him but the stubborn man didn't reply back. Griff felt curious and checked the bag for drugs considering the were nephew and uncle. There, wrapped in a gym towel were three steroids. When all hope had been lost they finally had new evidence. With that they also had another possibly suspect.
Adrian, another freshman possibly hiding the drugs that Wade had given them. They new Adrian was a good kid but they needed to know the location of the drugs. He squeaked and told us the location. Now they had enough information.
The next day they informed coach and his was breath taken. He had no clue his star player had been doing drugs.
Now with Carson back on the team Griff was ready to play harder than ever for that scholarship. A couple weeks later he heard the most beautiful words "Your going to college.

[Eden Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written, high-interest contemporary fiction for middle and high school boys, particularly those with a low reading level.

[Cameron Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drugs and harsh treatment come between two friends in the novel Hardball, by Steven Barwin, which was written in a way that entertains and intrigues throughout the length of the story. The author’s writing style was easy to read and comprehend while also allowing room for metaphors and analogies to add some depth to the text, which caters towards a reader that enjoys high school conflicts, with a lower reading level. Additionally, the message conveyed by the story, the best parts, and even the shortcomings are written in a way that is fitting for a younger audience.

Hardball, is the tale of a high school baseball team filled with Turmoil. The two seniors of the team Wade and Griffin, are at odds over the treatment of freshman. Wade believes in a harsh treatment while Griffin thinks otherwise, and this disagreement is the root of the conflict in this story. As the two continue to clash, it comes to Griffin‘s attention that Wade is using steroids. In turn, sparking an investigation by Griffin and his cousin, to prove to the coach, that he is illegally using drugs. Through these events, Steven creates the message that standing up for what is right, even if it's not the easy thing to do is the best course of action. He does this primarily through his character, Griffin, who stood up to Wade even though he was his friend. This can be a difficult thing for a teenager to do, but often it has to be done to keep them out of trouble and on the right path.

The best part of this novel was how genuinely relatable the story is. Hardball deals with the presence of drugs in high schools and the way those drugs affect the people and relationships a high schooler has over their four years. For example, Griffin’s character relates to many high school students who are being pressured out of their comfort zones into drugs and other illegal activity. There, however, is a lesson to be learned because Griffin can resist that pressure and do the right thing, and eventually is rewarded for his actions. The story’s relatableness along with the easy style in which the story was written, this book truly caters itself towards a high schooler that is looking for a fun and intriguing read. The author’s style is easy to understand because of his combination of simple text and analogies such as “being seniors means that we’re at the top of the food chain,” which gives the book another level of understanding, without overcomplicating the text.

On the other side, one might believe that some of the situations in the book are unrealistic, and some might see the straightforward writing style as a sign of weak writing, but really, it just hints at Steven’s target audience. The unrealistic situations only seem that way to people who went to school at a different time and are unaware of today’s social norms. Whereas to a high schooler, and more specifically a high school boy, like myself, the entire book seems realistic.

This book is an excellent read for high school students and any other students that are looking for an interesting book that combines sports with high school drama. While it can offer an interesting read for others, it will most likely be hard to relate to and will seem uninteresting. With the right audience this a fantastic novel.

[Issadora Gourley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a great book. I'm not only saying that because I love baseball, but this book that a great kind of thrill to it. And it had a major plot twist. I really liked this book. would recommend to anyone who likes baseball

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
An Orca Sports hi-lo book about hazing on a high school baseball team.
Griffin is focused on winning a baseball scholarship so that he will be able to go to college as his golf caddying tips won't be enough. This causes him to ignore the horrible things that team captain, Wade, is doing to the new players. Once Griffin's cousin is targeted, though, he has to make some tough decisions about what he thinks is right and wrong.

[E.R. Yatscoff · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this story is attempting to get reluctant readers, boys, to pick up books more, it fails on many counts. Plain and simple it's thin. Very little imaging and descriptions of characters and nothing happens until about chapter four. It's about baseball but I don't feel any baseball emotion--condition of the field, fans, opponents, etc.

[Kenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. If you like books about sports and books that have a lot of action, you would like this. It had a lot of in-game action which I really liked, because I am into sports.

[Star Tyson]

Good book. Many lessons for high school athletes. Don't use steroids, it lessons your chances at scholarships to colleges.