Ned Colletti's baseball journey took him from Bleacher Bum at Wrigley Field to becoming general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Colletti, with the assistance of former Tribune baseball writer Joseph A. Reaves, provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes account of his 35 years working in the front office of the Cubs, Giants and Dodgers. Cubs fans will be interested in his recollection of how the team blundered in failing to keep Greg Maddux in 1992, especially when the future Hall of Fame pitcher wanted to stay. Colletti writes about his "interesting relationship" during his stint as assistant general manager of the Giants with the mercurial Barry Bonds. The meat of the book, though, details his nine-year run as GM of the Dodgers from 2005 to 2014. He faced a supreme challenge in working for embattled owner Frank McCourt, who was eventually forced to sell the team. Colletti provides insights into what goes into making crucial decisions and the process behind trades. He writes about his negotiations with then-Boston GM Theo Epstein, including an on-the-edge deal that sent slugger Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers. While he is no longer on the job, Colletti had a hand in assembling many of the players on the current Dodgers team, which has the best record in baseball. More than anything, Colletti shows how being a GM is a 24/7 thrill ride, with the phone constantly ringing, usually with unexpected developments. "Chaos and crisis management," Colletti writes about the heartbeat of the job. "Pick a day. Any day. That was a day in my life."
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