Upper Middlebrow

Upper Middlebrow


Episode 98: ‘Minor League Stew,’ or John Feinstein’s Where Nobody Knows Your Name, Part II

November 17, 2025

The second half of Feinstein’s book of minor league baseball stories and characters feels very much like the first half. The reporting is extensive, and Feinstein has a knack for the well described scene, brief characterization, and finding the drama in the everyday. In spite of those virtues, the book continues to overwhelm the reader with names, numbers, and anecdotes, until they all blend together into something rather soupy. It’s not unpleasant, and it certainly has wonderful moments, but the UMBs conclude that the book fails to transcend the category of good sport reporting.  We have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/upper_middle_brow And a Discord server!https://discord.gg/h734EZ3hBU Join us!