Down ten and a half games with a month to play, the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals mounted one of the most dramatic and impressive comebacks in baseball history, going on to win the World Series despite being down to their last strike—twice. Now, the team's longtime manager, Tony La Russa, gives the story behind this astonishing comeback and his remarkable career, examining the devastating injuries, crucial games, and players who made it all possible.

But this story is much more than that of a single season. Revealing his often scrutinized and frequently misunderstood approach to managing, La Russa explains his counterintuitive belief in process over result and team unity over individual talent. Along the way he shares stories from throughout his career—ultimately showing how, in a sport often governed by statistics, the secret to his success has been surprisingly human.

The end result is a passionate and remarkable look at our national pastime that takes you behind the scenes of an impossible comeback and inside the mind of one of the game's greatest managers.