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Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

California Angels scout Virgil Sweet (Edward James Olmos) goes down a mine shaft to try out a pitcher. He travels all over looking for the next phenom. His girlfriend Bobbie (Lorraine Bracco) also works for the team. New owner Gil Lawrence is going to fire every scout in the field. While Virgil is on the road with Bobbie, his car breaks down and they encounter Sammy Bodeen pitching in a dusty town. Sammy's parents allow him to go with Virgil to L.A. His mother asks Virgil to look out for him. Sammy impresses with his 102 mph fastball and Lawrence rushes him to start for the promotional opportunity.Edward James Olmos has such a stand up persona that when he starts to lose his way, it's actually quite disconcerting. Of course, it's Olmos and he cannot be anything but a stand up guy. He and Bracco have a fun older chemistry. On the other hand, Jeff Corbett is not much of an actor or at least not in this movie. It's his theatrical debut. Maybe he was an athlete-turned-actor. The big baseball game is a bit hokey. The whole movie is a bit hokey but that is sometimes baseball.

the appeal of this movie, aside from the standard cliché of the underdog and the principled hero, may be in its star, edward james olmos who gives a fine performance as baseball talent scout, virgil sweet. facing the possible end to a career and last brush with professional baseball, fate leads him to discover a great pitcher, sammy bodeen (jeff corbett) who he takes from an idyllic idaho town to playing for the California angels. of course, as the cliché goes, all of the odds are against sweet and especially bodeen, who everyone adores as the new hope for a poorly performing team, but in the end whom everyone doubts really has the talent for the game.while a nicely acted little film held together by the strength of its star in particular, there is little substance to this movie for someone seeking a more action-packed baseball drama. the movie centers largely on sweet's dynamics and as such, takes a long time to generate something more than just sweet auditioning players on the one hand and contemplating the future of his career on the other. even the final stages of the film, in which the team's new owner threatens young bodeen's chances to really prove himself, hardly offer much of a real climax but instead feel like the point of a movie where you expected the events to occur as they did as though there were not any other real way to wrap up the movie.it is a nice little time waster especially for olmos fans, but the film doesn't offer much meat on the bone.

I really enjoyed this film. It's formulaic, but the performances are excellent. I especially liked the actor who played Sammy Bodeen. He was brilliant. For real baseball fans it is fun to pick out the real professional ball players among the cast. Some of the television networks have begun to show this gem each spring as part of a kick-off to the major league baseball season and I look forward to seeing it each year. Seeing that guy who plays Bodeen is like seeing an old familiar friend. I highly recommend this film for little league coaches to show their teams. It's great for families and kids. My children love it and my wife does too.

Do not understand baseball. This is a gem. Yes the scenario where Sammy is exploited by the major lague team owner is a bit hokey - but.....don't let that ruin the great job that this movie does of capturing the feel of minor league baseball and the struggle, even the most talented have, to make it to the big leagues and succeed. And the longing of Virgil to catch a major league pitcher is conveyed perfectly by Edward James Almos - anyone who has the longing to play baseball but not quite enough talent will get the lump in their throat. Much the same as another flawed but good baseball movie - the Rookie.