Life lessons from baseball

To cynics, big league baseball players might seem to be spoiled millionaires, mercenaries who get paid movie star salaries for playing a child’s game. To author David Kloser, ballplayers are studies in success -- and a source of countless life lessons for youngsters.

Kloser’s self-published book, “Stepping Up to the Plate: Inspiring Interviews With Major Leaguers” ($14.95), explores some of those lessons and how, he explains, kids can “match life situations with baseball situations.”

“I love baseball, and for me it’s a microcosm of life,” says Kloser, 43, a former college pitcher who coaches a high school junior varsity team and at camps for youngsters. “It’s more than hitting the ball or running the bases. What about the work ethic it takes to succeed? What about handling frustration and failure? What about being teased and heckled? What qualities do you look for in an ideal teammate?

“At one point I thought, ‘Let’s go talk to the major leaguers.’ ”

Kloser spent much of 2003 and part of last year interviewing more than 300 big-leaguers, including marquee names such as Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Greg Maddux as well as scrappy blue-collar guys such as Craig Counsell, Dave Roberts and Joe McEwing.

Arranging his material in chapters about inspiration, team play, handling heckling, making errors, secrets of success and signs of a champion, Kloser has compiled a volume that’s as instructional for kids as it is enlightening for their parents and coaches.

“You watch the ESPN highlights and all you see are the home runs,” Kloser says. “You don’t see the endless hours the guy spends in the batting cages hitting off a tee. You need to convey things like that.”

*

-- Kevin Bronson

Info: www.steppinguptotheplate.com