Lupica, Mike. Wild pitch, a novel.

Penguin, Berkley. 332p. c2002.0-425-19204-0. $799. A

Columnist and sports reporter Mike Lupica hits one out of the park with Wild Pitch, a comeback story that is both touching and hilarious. Showtime Charlie Stoddard used to throw a stinging fastball, but injured his arm. He always blamed the injury on his best friend, but finally deals with the truth that his drinking caused the fall that left him a nobody. Unable to pitch, he buries himself in booze and babes, losing his marriage and his relationship with his son. Then he meets a miracle worker with an attitude, a chiropractor named Chang who fixes him up enough for one last chance at the big time. He finally gets to pitch again with the Boston Red Sox, recovers the former wife who never gave up on him, and patches up things with his son, who has also become a Boston pitcher. Irreverent adult humor, behavior, and language color the story of a man who finally comes out of denial. The baseball background is authentic and the dialogue takes you out to the ballgame with its sass, wit, in-jokes, and wry observations (mostly obscene) about parenting, sports medicine, drinking, chasing skirts, and beating the Yankees. Okay, so you know all along that everything's going to turn out fine, but the journey is the point, and it's a grand ride. Janet Julian, Grafton, MA