Connor Sullivan is too humble to admit it, but he's the Orioles' best player, an all-star shortstop and a beast of a clean-up hitter. The Orioles are thankful to have someone with his skill, dedication, and good nature on their Babe Ruth League team. Lately, though, he hasn't been so good natured. Maybe he's worried about things at home, or maybe he's just been working too hard--whatever the reason, his anger is out of control. When he strikes out or makes an error, he's a walking Mt. Vesuvius, slamming his batting helmet and throwing his glove. His opponents dub him "Psycho Sully." Even his best friend Jordy starts to avoid him. Coach Hammond is ready to bench him indefinitely.Then the sports editor of the school paper threatens to do a big story on his tantrums--complete with embarrassing photos. Will Connor be able to get his act together in time to help the team win the championship, or is he destined to become a champion chump on YouTube?
This story, loosely based on a challenge Cal Ripken, Jr. once faced, is filled with plenty of play-by-play action to keep baseball fans riveted.

Cody Parker is the new kid in school. He's overweight, scared and hates his new life in Dullsville, Maryland., aka Baltimore, where he's a target okay, a "big" target for brutal teasing. But he loves baseball. And despite his size, he plays third base like a dream. Too bad he's competing for the starting job on the Orioles of the Dulaney Babe Ruth League against budding hoodlum Dante Rizzo, who vows to squeeze Cody's head like a grape if he beats him out. Life gets even more complicated when Cody's school, York Middle, is beset by a rash of mysterious thefts, a crime wave that threatens to sideline Cody and ruin a golden season for the Orioles. Will Cody ever succeed in getting people to see him for who he really is?

There aren?t many Americans who didn?t feel a lump in their throat watching Cal Ripken, Jr. take a historic jog around the bases on the evening of September 6, 1995--the night he smashed Lou Gehrig?s record number of 2,130 consecutively played games. But, as "the hardest working man in baseball" will tell you, he was just doing his job. And now he tells you just how he does it, why he does it, and how it makes him feel. With the candor and grace that have endeared him to fans everywhere, Cal Ripken, Jr. tells the story of his journey to the major leagues: of his early childhood and life with a baseball manager for a father; his stint in the minors, working his way up from the Rookie Leagues to Triple-A; and finally to the permanent call from Baltimore where he began the drive to an All-Star career. Cal talks with warmth of his mentors and teammates, and with honesty of the Orioles? roller-coaster ride from the pennant to a lamentable 0-21 start in the eighties. He reveals his innermost thoughts on the game, and leads us through his strategies at the plate and on the field. Best of all, Cal reveals what makes him tick: his commitment to the game, to his family, to his career, and to the team. In this rich and rewarding memoir, we find out why he?s credited with putting the "great" back into America?s greatest game: it?s the only way he knows.

Coaching young players, developing their skills, and cultivating a love for the sport may be the most rewarding experience baseball can offer. Cal and Bill Ripken understand this like few others.

From their father, Cal Sr., a legend in the Baltimore Orioles organization for 37 years, they learned to play the game the right way. Those lessons, paired with their combined 33 years of big league experience, helped develop the Ripken Way, a method of teaching the game through simple instruction, solid explanations, encouragement, and a positive atmosphere. In "Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way," Cal and Bill share this approach to coaching and development.

Whether you're teaching your children at home, managing the local travel team, or working with high school-level players, "Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way" will help you make a difference both on and off the field, with these features:

-More than 50 drills covering defense, hitting, pitching, and baserunning

-Age-specific practice plans for players ranging from 4 to 15+

-Strategies for setting goals and reasonable expectations for your players and team

-Advice on communicating with parents, players, and staff

-Methods for creating a positive and fun environment in which kids can learn the skills and strategies of the game

Bill Ripken was once voted by his peers as one of the big league players most likely to become a manager. Cal Ripken, Jr., known as baseball's Iron Man, is a member of the game's All-Century Team and a future Hall of Famer. Together, they are proof positive that the Ripken Way is the right way to teach the game of baseball.