Hot dogs and popcorn under the sweltering summer sun at the local ball park is an image embedded into American culture. But for the players jogging into the dugout, sweat dripping from their caps, baseball is more than just America’s pastime, it’s their career. And it’s a career unlike any other. With 162 regular season games in 182 days, major league baseball places unique demands on the players, their families, and those who work in a variety of roles to support the team.
In his book, The Grind: Inside Baseball’s Endless Season, Washington Post sports writer Barry Svrluga embeds himself in America’s pastime. In short, evocative chapters, Mr. Svrluga takes us inside the dugout and into the homes and lives of the Washington Nationals organization, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the toll the long season can take.
Barry Svrluga is the national baseball writer for The Washington Post. He was previously the beat reporter for the Washington Nationals and later covered the Washington Redskins.
