Behind the Plate

Overview

A candid look at the struggles and successes of an outstanding Braves catcher

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Media

Listen to Javy Lopez, author of Behind the Plate, interview on "Braves Banter" on Blog Talk Radio.

Behind the Plate author Javy Lopez was interviewed on the Petros & Money Show on Fox Sports Radio.

Behind the Plate author Javy Lopez was interviewed on the Fox Sports Tonight on Fox Sports Radio.

Javy Lopez, author of Behind the Plate, interviewed with The Daily Mountain Eagle.

Javy Lopez, author of Behind the Plate, interviewed with The Birmingham News.

Javy Lopez, author of Behind the Plate (Triumph Books, 9781600786532) will be interviewed on June 1, 2012 for the St. Clar News-Aegis (circ. 3,500). The piece will preview his June 6 book signing in the area.

Listen to Javy Lopez's interview on "The Roundtable" on WJOX radio. Lopez is the author of Behind the Plate.

Behind the Plate and co-author Gary Caruso were featured in The North County Times in an article about local authors and their books.

Javy Lopez, author of Behind the Plate, interviews on "2 Live Stews" on WQXI.

Listen to Steve Blass, author of A Pirate for Life, interview on the "DVE Morning Show" on 102.5 WDVE-FM.

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A candid look at the struggles and successes of a Braves legend

The product of a lower-middle-class background in Puerto Rico, Javy Lopez had to overcome numerous hardships-not the least of which was a language barrier-to fulfill his destiny as one of the most accomplished catchers of the modern era.

In Behind the Plate: A Catcher's View of the Braves Dynasty, former Braves All-Star catcher Javy Lopez opens up to tell his amazing story, from learning to play baseball on a neighborhood basketball court to his record of 42 home runs in a season by a catcher. There were bumps along the way to his vast success, including why he overstated his signing bonus as well as the time in the minors when he cried during an all-night meltdown due to his struggles on the field. But he went on to win a World Series, be named MVP of the 1996 National League Championship Series, and played on 11 of the Atlanta Braves' unprecedented 14 straight division-winning teams of the 1990s and 2000s.

Beyond the wins and the accolades on the field, Lopez delves into the highs and lows of his personal life, as well as his exploits as a burgeoning businessman in his post-playing career. From his relationship with teammates such as Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones and Ryan Klesko, to his failed comeback attempt with the Braves in 2008, Behind the Plate tells all about the handsome, warm, engaging Lopez and how he became one of baseball's most popular players and one of the best Braves in franchise history.

About the Authors:
Javy Lopez is a three-time All-Star and the catcher for the Atlanta Braves powerhouse teams of the 1990s, including the squad that won the 1995 World Series. He lives in Suwanee, Georgia.

Gary Caruso is a sports journalist, Braves historian, and author of The Braves Encyclopedia, Turner Field: Rarest of Diamonds and the upcoming Marietta College Baseball: The Story of the Etta Express. He lives in Vista, California.

CONTACT: Josh Williams ∙ Independent Publishers Group ∙ 312.337.0747 ∙ jwilliams@ipgbook.com

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