Jim Stronge is 41. The Yankees are about to release him. He's a disappointment to his mother, and the only woman he ever loved is married to someone else. His carrier choice haunts him. He hasn't reached the goal he set for himself, and now, it seems like the end. Is there anyone, anywhere, who can help? If not, his mother's wish will have been the better choice. One thing is left, a scrap of paper on which words have been written: "Vigil T. Mann, Sunshine, Alabama."
This is one of my two favorite sports novels. The Vitaman Effect is a spooky pitch, and the hero of the story, a pitcher, is also a classically trained pianist that can sight read some crazy music. (I actually looked up and tried to play Mephisto's Waltz which is featured in a couple of scenes).