"If These Walls Could Talk" by Jerry Remy and Nick Cafardo

233 pages; Published by Triumph Books ©2019

“If These Walls Could Talk” by Jerry Remy and Nick Cafardo is an all-encompassing look at the professional and personal life of Remy, a former second baseman for the Boston Red Sox and California Angels who went on to be a color analyst for the Red Sox games on television. It covers his career as a player and a broadcaster and gives you a behind-the-scenes look at his life outside of baseball, including how he met his wife, Phoebe, and what a major league baseball player does during the offseason. Professionally speaking, Remy talks about the different play-by-play announcers he worked with during his 33 years in the broadcast booth and how his time as a player helped him as a television analyst, especially when it came to talking to the players.

“ITWCT” follows Remy’s life from a player to a color commentator to being a cancer patient. Every chapter of the book takes you through a different chapter in Remy’s life. Remy talks about his struggles with cancer and depression. Reading about the adversities he faced with his health will inspire anyone who reads this book and, hopefully, someone suffering from either of these issues will find comfort and inspiration. The book has something for everyone from casual baseball fans to diehard fans of the Red Sox and “The Remdawg”.

To his credit, Remy does not shy away from talking about his son, Jared, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of Jennifer Martel. Martel was Jared's girlfriend and the mother of his child. Her death and Jared’s incarceration led to an uncomfortable situation where Jerry and Phoebe needed to come to an agreement with Jennifer’s parents regarding care and custody of the child.

ITWCT gives interesting behind-the-scenes and anecdotes of a local guy from Massachusetts who got to be a professional baseball player. Despite playing in the 1970’s and ‘80's and working in the booth in the ‘90’s and early 21^st century, the reader doesn’t experience any pining for the way things used to be. Jerry Remy gives baseball fans a book that they will enjoy reading. It certainly is something every fan will want on their shelf.