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Batting Order
A New York Times bestseller
From acclaimed author of the Home Team series comes a brand-new novel about the heart and soul of baseball.
On or off the field, Matt and Ben couldn’t be more different. Ben Roberson is an all-or-nothing he’s big, he’s bold, and he’s brash. Ben’s swing can hit a ball right out of the park—but that’s if he can get a hit at all.
Matt Baker is small, and shy, and his stutter has him avoiding the spotlight—even if he’s the best all-rounder on the team. But while Matt knows he’s got the chops, a part of him has always envied “Big Ben” and his attention-grabbing charm.
So it’s a total shock when Ben asks Matt to help him work on his swing. Because Ben can’t put the ball into play, and his showboating comes at the expense of the team. And even though Matt’s trying to help, Ben doesn’t seem to take him seriously, especially when it means toning things down.
The end of the season is fast approaching—is there enough time for Ben to realize bigger isn’t always better? For Matt to understand that sometimes, being the bigger person means standing up for yourself?
Or will they have to accept defeat?
From acclaimed author of the Home Team series comes a brand-new novel about the heart and soul of baseball.
On or off the field, Matt and Ben couldn’t be more different. Ben Roberson is an all-or-nothing he’s big, he’s bold, and he’s brash. Ben’s swing can hit a ball right out of the park—but that’s if he can get a hit at all.
Matt Baker is small, and shy, and his stutter has him avoiding the spotlight—even if he’s the best all-rounder on the team. But while Matt knows he’s got the chops, a part of him has always envied “Big Ben” and his attention-grabbing charm.
So it’s a total shock when Ben asks Matt to help him work on his swing. Because Ben can’t put the ball into play, and his showboating comes at the expense of the team. And even though Matt’s trying to help, Ben doesn’t seem to take him seriously, especially when it means toning things down.
The end of the season is fast approaching—is there enough time for Ben to realize bigger isn’t always better? For Matt to understand that sometimes, being the bigger person means standing up for yourself?
Or will they have to accept defeat?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2019
61 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Mike Lupica
111 books1,218 followersMichael Lupica is an author and American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 15, 2019
great book
October 4, 2021
It was a good book that described all the characters and friendships well. The characters were very realistic because they did things that real people would do. Sports fans would enjoy this book.
June 23, 2024
3.5 stars - A fantastic middle grade read for baseball lovers.
November 23, 2019
For baseball fans this story is a must read. The characters are in middle school and dealing with growing up, and also the main character is faced with a severe stuttering problem that he is inspired to make part of his success in baseball.
December 18, 2018
Thanks to Edelweiss Plus and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
This was a standard Lupica book. The focus is mainly on the sport (this time being baseball) with some of the lessons/learning about life taking place alongside. It was perfectly OK. The kids in my building who love sports books and who read everything that Lupica puts out will love this one. Readers who aren't fans of the genre, or of baseball, won't find much for them here.
Matt has always been the littlest guy on the field, but he doesn't let that stop him from doing his best. He knows the game of baseball and he knows that even with his small size, he can still do great things. That, along with his stutter, try to hold him back, but he continues to work to get better. His teammate Ben on the other hand, seems to have it all together. He's bigger, faster, and stronger. And man can he play, when he wants to. But baseball isn't his passion and his dad seems intent on having him always swing for the fences, even if that means striking out and not helping out his team. As the boys try to work together to play the game, they both come to realize that sometimes it's OK to ask for help.
The positives about this book are the looks at gender norms (Matt's mom becomes the first base coach for his team) and the idea of helping out friends. There is no language or adult situations, making this a solid middle grade read.
This was a standard Lupica book. The focus is mainly on the sport (this time being baseball) with some of the lessons/learning about life taking place alongside. It was perfectly OK. The kids in my building who love sports books and who read everything that Lupica puts out will love this one. Readers who aren't fans of the genre, or of baseball, won't find much for them here.
Matt has always been the littlest guy on the field, but he doesn't let that stop him from doing his best. He knows the game of baseball and he knows that even with his small size, he can still do great things. That, along with his stutter, try to hold him back, but he continues to work to get better. His teammate Ben on the other hand, seems to have it all together. He's bigger, faster, and stronger. And man can he play, when he wants to. But baseball isn't his passion and his dad seems intent on having him always swing for the fences, even if that means striking out and not helping out his team. As the boys try to work together to play the game, they both come to realize that sometimes it's OK to ask for help.
The positives about this book are the looks at gender norms (Matt's mom becomes the first base coach for his team) and the idea of helping out friends. There is no language or adult situations, making this a solid middle grade read.
July 29, 2019
I love how Mike Lupica's sports books are about more than the game. It's about the players, their families, the friendships, and life in general. Batting Order is about Matt, a boy who plays on his town's all-star baseball team. Matt is small, but has a powerful throw. His teammate, Ben, is a bit player that plays big all the time. Seemingly opposites, Matt discovers that he and Ben have more in common that he first thinks.
Matt's mom is what we wish every parent could be. (Probably too good to be true.) She's a single mom who loves baseball and was a great softball player in her day. She's able to take on the role of assistant coach to the team with hardly any struggles. Even when she's confronted by an upset parent, she's able to shrug it off and not get upset. I wish she could have been a little more human, but I realize this book isn't about her, so it's probably not so important.
Finally, I have to say that as a lifelong Astros fan, I adored how Matt's favorite team was the Astros and his favorite players were Altuve and Springer. Bonus points there!! LOL.
B rating.
Matt's mom is what we wish every parent could be. (Probably too good to be true.) She's a single mom who loves baseball and was a great softball player in her day. She's able to take on the role of assistant coach to the team with hardly any struggles. Even when she's confronted by an upset parent, she's able to shrug it off and not get upset. I wish she could have been a little more human, but I realize this book isn't about her, so it's probably not so important.
Finally, I have to say that as a lifelong Astros fan, I adored how Matt's favorite team was the Astros and his favorite players were Altuve and Springer. Bonus points there!! LOL.
B rating.
July 21, 2019
I really liked this book. The main character was a kid who had some issues with stuttering, but he was a great baseball player. He battled his stuttering, and a relationship with Ben, pretty much the opposite kind of person then him. Ben is a big kid, who swings for the fences every time he's up to bat. I really liked the story-line, even though I don't really like baseball, and the graceful way it was written really drew me in, especially with the outgoing characters that were so easy to relate to. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes sports.
June 5, 2019
Most of my students don’t watch or play baseball so it will be tough to get my students excited about it. For kids who love baseball and follow MLB, I think it would be an enjoyable book. It’s a fun feel good story once you get past the first 4-5 chapters filled with baseball references and jargon.
Thanks to Netgalley for my advance copy for review.
Thanks to Netgalley for my advance copy for review.
June 5, 2019
Outstanding book for our young baseball/softball players! Lupica did a sweet job, focused on a great young kid in Matt and reminded us all that one can't judge anyone because we don't know what is happening in other's lives. He also underscored how valuable friendship is.
Great story. Go Astros!
Great story. Go Astros!
August 30, 2019
A great written story, giving its feel of a real world scenario inside a realistic fiction story. Matt is the small kid on the team, while Ben is really tall. Matt plays smart. Ben sluggs for miles. Matt has a great average. Ben strikes out... a lot. But the two must put their differences aside, because a championship season might be on the line.
July 16, 2019
Matt Baker is a small 12 yr old playing All Star baseball. The manager of his team is fantastic and I love a strong, sports savvy mom! Great resolution 😊
September 4, 2022
This book is outstanding. I loved reading it aloud to my son.
First, because the mom was a pitcher, and the mere fact there is a book with a softball pitcher as a character blows me away. I can think of no other examples.
Second, the resistance the mother faces as she tries to coach her son’s baseball team resonates so deeply. It doesn’t matter what you know, or what you could add, you always get dismissed. And either you make a scene, over insert yourself, or step back and ignore it…regardless of what you choose, the fact remains that even well-meaning people always ask for dads, as if the mere fact you are male qualifies you to know something.
Third, I love the voice motif throughout the story. It is literal as Matt struggles with his stutter, but it goes into powerful figurative realms with some of the other characters as well. If you have a kid with a learning disability or a physical challenge, this text does a great job of showing how you can succeed in spite of it. And it is well done, not unrealistically cheesy, at least in my opinion. Even if you don’t have a kid who struggles, it offers a different narrative about disassociating one challenge from success in life as a whole. In short, it’s great for empathy building.
Fourth, if you love baseball, you will enjoy the strategy laid out in this book. Lupica talks about hitting details, pitching details, and fielding details that will stir your heart if you spent years dissecting the minutia of big swings vs shortening your stride, how positions shift for backups and coverage, when and where to pitch to a batter, going with the pitch verse trying to pull it, laying down bunts when your team struggles to get around on a pitcher, and the conversation in your mind when you spend too much time in your head. I had so many of these conversations with my dad, and I wish he knew this book had been written. He’d have loved it.
Finally, if you want to have conversations about equity, team, friendship, and standing up for what’s right, this book is a beautiful entry point. The only thing I don’t like is that the mom talks about being one of the guys instead accepting her place as a mom who knows a lot about baseball. But besides that, I so appreciated the way they explore the interplay of team vs self.
First, because the mom was a pitcher, and the mere fact there is a book with a softball pitcher as a character blows me away. I can think of no other examples.
Second, the resistance the mother faces as she tries to coach her son’s baseball team resonates so deeply. It doesn’t matter what you know, or what you could add, you always get dismissed. And either you make a scene, over insert yourself, or step back and ignore it…regardless of what you choose, the fact remains that even well-meaning people always ask for dads, as if the mere fact you are male qualifies you to know something.
Third, I love the voice motif throughout the story. It is literal as Matt struggles with his stutter, but it goes into powerful figurative realms with some of the other characters as well. If you have a kid with a learning disability or a physical challenge, this text does a great job of showing how you can succeed in spite of it. And it is well done, not unrealistically cheesy, at least in my opinion. Even if you don’t have a kid who struggles, it offers a different narrative about disassociating one challenge from success in life as a whole. In short, it’s great for empathy building.
Fourth, if you love baseball, you will enjoy the strategy laid out in this book. Lupica talks about hitting details, pitching details, and fielding details that will stir your heart if you spent years dissecting the minutia of big swings vs shortening your stride, how positions shift for backups and coverage, when and where to pitch to a batter, going with the pitch verse trying to pull it, laying down bunts when your team struggles to get around on a pitcher, and the conversation in your mind when you spend too much time in your head. I had so many of these conversations with my dad, and I wish he knew this book had been written. He’d have loved it.
Finally, if you want to have conversations about equity, team, friendship, and standing up for what’s right, this book is a beautiful entry point. The only thing I don’t like is that the mom talks about being one of the guys instead accepting her place as a mom who knows a lot about baseball. But besides that, I so appreciated the way they explore the interplay of team vs self.
March 22, 2023
Batting Order: Mike Lupica
Batting Order by Mike Lupica is about a middle school baseball player named Matt Baker. Matt is on the smaller side and stutters. He is a contact hitter and he has a great batting average. He lives with his mom. The book takes you through his whole summer baseball season, from practices to speech sessions and hanging out with teammates and friends. It is 750 Lexile Reading Level.
The subject of the book is Matt’s summer baseball season. I really like the aspects of everything he does for baseball season. For example, he always watches any MLB game that he can on some nights. Also it shows almost everything they do at practice, from drills to coach speeches. This also shows all the extra work from Matt and his teammates, going to the field together for extra practice, and just hanging out. I also like how he shows that people are insecure about some things. That also shows the ways words can affect people ”I was just thinking how ashamed I was when I couldn't speak for myself to that guy (p189)… you know there’s nothing to feel ashamed about”.(201). I really like that he also has really good role models for him that he looks up to. “He thought about how George Springer had managed to find all the words, perfectly, when he’d accepted the World Series MVP trophy, in front of the whole country that time”(p.292). My theme that I pulled from the book is never give up and always play the cards your delt. This is good for this book because Matt is a small guy so he decides to not give up and just do his best. This helps his team and they eventually end up winning the championship trophy in the end.
I like that this book is very easy to follow and comprehend. It was also very realistic and believable. I think it is a perfect reading level for middle schoolers, because it is easy to understand, it's not confusing, and it's never choppy. I really liked the relationship between Matt and his Mom, they are so good for each other. I really like the ending because it is a very happy moment for Matt and the team. This book is also great for many middle schoolers because they can relate to some of the challenges he faces in baseball.My overall rating is 8.6/10. Very great book.
Batting Order by Mike Lupica is about a middle school baseball player named Matt Baker. Matt is on the smaller side and stutters. He is a contact hitter and he has a great batting average. He lives with his mom. The book takes you through his whole summer baseball season, from practices to speech sessions and hanging out with teammates and friends. It is 750 Lexile Reading Level.
The subject of the book is Matt’s summer baseball season. I really like the aspects of everything he does for baseball season. For example, he always watches any MLB game that he can on some nights. Also it shows almost everything they do at practice, from drills to coach speeches. This also shows all the extra work from Matt and his teammates, going to the field together for extra practice, and just hanging out. I also like how he shows that people are insecure about some things. That also shows the ways words can affect people ”I was just thinking how ashamed I was when I couldn't speak for myself to that guy (p189)… you know there’s nothing to feel ashamed about”.(201). I really like that he also has really good role models for him that he looks up to. “He thought about how George Springer had managed to find all the words, perfectly, when he’d accepted the World Series MVP trophy, in front of the whole country that time”(p.292). My theme that I pulled from the book is never give up and always play the cards your delt. This is good for this book because Matt is a small guy so he decides to not give up and just do his best. This helps his team and they eventually end up winning the championship trophy in the end.
I like that this book is very easy to follow and comprehend. It was also very realistic and believable. I think it is a perfect reading level for middle schoolers, because it is easy to understand, it's not confusing, and it's never choppy. I really liked the relationship between Matt and his Mom, they are so good for each other. I really like the ending because it is a very happy moment for Matt and the team. This book is also great for many middle schoolers because they can relate to some of the challenges he faces in baseball.My overall rating is 8.6/10. Very great book.
October 29, 2021
It was the start of the school ball league and our main character is named Matt Baker. Matt Baker is a small stuttering kid but boy can he play baseball along with his good friend “Big” Ben Robertson. First day of practice and their team name is the Astros and Matt was excited that his team name was his favorite MLB team, And he also got number 27 that’s his favorite number because of his favorite player Jose Altuve number 27 Second baseman on the Houston Astros.
Ben Robertson was up to bat and everybody backed up because they knew that this guy could hit a home run most of his at-bats, and he did. Coach Sarge liked Ben’s at-bats but he liked Matt’s a lot better because of his line drives and ball placements. So after practice Ben asked Matt if he could get a few batting tips and Matt was surprised to hear Ben Robertson, the Home run king, ask him for batting tips. So Matt asked why and Ben said “Coach says he likes to play baseball not watch the outfielders watch the ball go over their head we need line drives”. So on the weekend Matt and Ben met up at the field and started batting practice.
In the middle of batting practice not one line drive was made during the first half hour. So Ben got frustrated and started yelling. Matt told Ben that you have too much power and you need to tone it down. Ben is now realizing that this is pointless and leaves Matt at home plate. As games go by and Ben’s home runs keep racking up and Coach Sarge not liking it Ben finally realizes that bigger is not always the way to go. Last two weeks of Baseball are here and Ben doesn’t have much time before it’s over and so tells Matt that he is sorry and will do anything to get his swing down. They work on the weekends, after practice and now it’s the last game. It’s the Bottom of the tenth tied 2-2 Ben’s up to Bat and there is a person on second. He puts all his focus into this next pitch and crack it is a line drive between second and third. The Astros win 3-2.
Ben Robertson was up to bat and everybody backed up because they knew that this guy could hit a home run most of his at-bats, and he did. Coach Sarge liked Ben’s at-bats but he liked Matt’s a lot better because of his line drives and ball placements. So after practice Ben asked Matt if he could get a few batting tips and Matt was surprised to hear Ben Robertson, the Home run king, ask him for batting tips. So Matt asked why and Ben said “Coach says he likes to play baseball not watch the outfielders watch the ball go over their head we need line drives”. So on the weekend Matt and Ben met up at the field and started batting practice.
In the middle of batting practice not one line drive was made during the first half hour. So Ben got frustrated and started yelling. Matt told Ben that you have too much power and you need to tone it down. Ben is now realizing that this is pointless and leaves Matt at home plate. As games go by and Ben’s home runs keep racking up and Coach Sarge not liking it Ben finally realizes that bigger is not always the way to go. Last two weeks of Baseball are here and Ben doesn’t have much time before it’s over and so tells Matt that he is sorry and will do anything to get his swing down. They work on the weekends, after practice and now it’s the last game. It’s the Bottom of the tenth tied 2-2 Ben’s up to Bat and there is a person on second. He puts all his focus into this next pitch and crack it is a line drive between second and third. The Astros win 3-2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 24, 2022Batting order by Mike Lupica. Batting order is about Matt and Ben on and off the field and they couldn't be more different. Ben being an all-or-nothing player he would sacrifice strike outs just to get one home run but Matt on the other hand nearly never struck out and had the highest batting average in the team. But that's just their baseball skills. Ben is big and bold and Matt is small and shy with his stutter keeping him out of the spotlight. Even though Matt is the best all around player on the team he still envied Ben with his attention grabbing charm. So it's a total shock when Ben asks Matt to help with his swing. Because even though Ben can hit nukes he isn't the best with hitting the ball all the time. Even after Matt tries to help, Ben just couldn't seem to listen and gives up on trying to learn and just keeps swinging to the stars to make his dad happy. As the end of the season is approaching, is there enough time for Ben to realize bigger isn't always better? Or for Matt to understand, sometimes being the bigger person means standing up for yourself.
On page ( 257 ) it says” ‘i'm glad you're letting me come to,’ ‘were a team remember?’ and on page ( 255 ) it says”Maybe it's time Bob and I had a man to man talk.’ ” I loved how the author made Matt's mom strong enough to stand up for herself and Ben even when she really didn't need to but she realized it was best for the team and as a coach that's what you need to do. And I just think that the book is really smooth, and everything makes sense.
I really like this book and recommend it to anyone that likes baseball, and people that like small drama fiction books. This is a really great book with the challenge Matt has but it really hasn't stopped him from doing his best and he just always keeps going for a fiction book. It sounds really real and it's a really good book that everything makes sense in.
On page ( 257 ) it says” ‘i'm glad you're letting me come to,’ ‘were a team remember?’ and on page ( 255 ) it says”Maybe it's time Bob and I had a man to man talk.’ ” I loved how the author made Matt's mom strong enough to stand up for herself and Ben even when she really didn't need to but she realized it was best for the team and as a coach that's what you need to do. And I just think that the book is really smooth, and everything makes sense.
I really like this book and recommend it to anyone that likes baseball, and people that like small drama fiction books. This is a really great book with the challenge Matt has but it really hasn't stopped him from doing his best and he just always keeps going for a fiction book. It sounds really real and it's a really good book that everything makes sense in.
April 17, 2022
Matt Baker is an all-star second baseman who excels on the field, but he is always aware of two things: his small size and his stutter. Though he has supportive friends, a great mom, and a helpful speech therapist, Matt wishes his stutter would go away. It rarely affects him on the baseball field, but other times he suddenly feels "blocked," unable to push the words out. This summer, he just wants to have fun and win the All-Stars tournament.
Ben Roberson is one of Matt's teammates, and the biggest guy on the team. He's a power-hitting first baseman, but he also leads the team in strikeouts. Egged on by his father to "swing for the fences," Ben has a hard time adjusting his swing even when he pops up in crucial situations. He asks Matt for advice on shortening his swing, but doesn't always follow through. As Matt gets to know Ben better, he realizes that Ben, the most confident-seeming guy on the team, has more going on than he realized.
This is a sweet, fast-paced story with plenty of baseball action. I loved how Matt and his best friend, Jose, would practice baseball for hours in the park; I was similarly obsessed with the sport at their age, though none of my friends shared my passion. I also loved Matt's mom, and found it refreshing to have a mom take the field and coach. Part of me hoped that Matt's dad would make an appearance and see what an amazing son he had, but that wasn't the focus of the book. Sports fans will enjoy this book.
Ben Roberson is one of Matt's teammates, and the biggest guy on the team. He's a power-hitting first baseman, but he also leads the team in strikeouts. Egged on by his father to "swing for the fences," Ben has a hard time adjusting his swing even when he pops up in crucial situations. He asks Matt for advice on shortening his swing, but doesn't always follow through. As Matt gets to know Ben better, he realizes that Ben, the most confident-seeming guy on the team, has more going on than he realized.
This is a sweet, fast-paced story with plenty of baseball action. I loved how Matt and his best friend, Jose, would practice baseball for hours in the park; I was similarly obsessed with the sport at their age, though none of my friends shared my passion. I also loved Matt's mom, and found it refreshing to have a mom take the field and coach. Part of me hoped that Matt's dad would make an appearance and see what an amazing son he had, but that wasn't the focus of the book. Sports fans will enjoy this book.
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February 21, 2020Batting Order by Mike Lupica is a baseball book about a kid named Matt. Matt is a small kid who stutters often. Matt plays on his town's all-star team for baseball. On his team, they have a really big kid named Ben who has a lot of power so he can hit a lot of home runs. But Ben misses the baseball more times than he actually hits it. So Matt tries to help him but it doesn’t work because his dad insists for him to have the same swing as before. But Matt keeps trying to help Ben and so does Matt’s mom who was an amazing softball player. But when Bens’s dad finally snapped did it put the Astros season in danger? Overall this was a very good book to read and I’m glad I read it. I would give this book a 5 out of 5 for its excitement when you don’t know what’s going to happen next. The theme of this book is to keep trying and be a good friend. So if you like sports or football then this is the book for you.
April 20, 2023
I *believe* this was the last baseball book by Lupica that I hadn’t yet read (outside of the two within larger series) and it was, as expected, wonderful. I’ll say it again: Lupica’s books belong on classroom shelves. Solid *genuine* representation and the friendship modeling is always spot on. “Batting Order” was another warm hug; sweet characters that aren’t cookie cutter clichés, a good balance of sports play-by-play, and plenty of beneficial themes. Lupica’s target audience is slightly younger but I never find myself thinking his work is as cheesy as other Middle Grade novels are. His characters are simply…real.
May 3, 2020
I always give four stars to any book that makes me cry. Solid read for baseball fans or fans of Mike Lupica. Matt is small and stutters, but is also the best and hardest working player on his Little League team. Working through some personal challenges through the season ends up making him a better teammate and friend. Slightly sentimental, totally current and a pleasure for those who love the game.
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December 10, 2020I chose to read this book because I love playing sports and reading books about them, so I knew I would like this book. I would rate it a 5/5. I think the author did well with having the characters have different personalities and made the book very interesting. I think something that the author could have done better is just put a little more detail into the book. I would recommend this book to my friend Addison because she really loves softball so she would find it interesting.
June 26, 2020
This was the first book one of my sons read and then asked me to read. He's going into fourth grade and it was a cool gesture. So I'm channeling myself at his age to write this. This is a good book for kids who love sports. Unlike authors like Matt Christopher, Lupica grounds this in the present so the hero watches the MLB Network and roots for current players.
August 13, 2020
I received this e-ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Like many of Mike Lupica's middle grade novels, this is a great story hidden in a sports book. Matt and Ben are two great characters, but all of the characters in this are great. It's a great book for students who stutter to find some strength in, and for every reader to get behind.
Like many of Mike Lupica's middle grade novels, this is a great story hidden in a sports book. Matt and Ben are two great characters, but all of the characters in this are great. It's a great book for students who stutter to find some strength in, and for every reader to get behind.
October 28, 2025
My son and I have been reading this book together. Great timing as it’s baseball season now. It was wonderful to see his emotions come out while reading about Ben’s dad and to hear his opinions on how the adults acted, the interactions of Matt and the kid who bullied him and more. I admit that I cried a bit at the end.
March 22, 2020
Not as good as his others. Dwelt too much on home life and not enough on baseball.
September 17, 2020
I loved the book like I do all of Mike Lupica's book
September 25, 2020
I like what it is about and I am like Matt!
October 28, 2020
it was a good book and it was really interesting.
September 27, 2024
Very cliche.
September 4, 2025
It was okay, but not very much happened and the resolution felt rushed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews