Sugar (2009)

Gary and I both really liked this.

Sugar is a young man trained in his native Dominican Republic in the hopes of being recruited for American baseball. Their daily workouts come complete with "repeat it back" drills in helpful on-the-field phrases like "I got it! I got it!" and "Homerun!" These boys are drilled hard when it comes to the sport, but not hard enough in English, cultural differences, and preparedness for the inevitable loneliness that being so far from everything familiar will cause.

Just incredibly authentic, with equal parts pain and hope. The lead was beautifully cast in this gently-told story.

B+