CLEARWATER, Fla. - When his body failed him and his mind drained last summer, Mario Hollands went exploring. The Phillies reliever left his condo on Clearwater Beach and ventured to beaches at Indian Rocks and Madeira. He crashed matinee movie showings with Florida's robust collection of retirees. He did not watch baseball.
He read.
"Probably 30 books," Hollands said.
He read depending on his mood. He read about philosophy. He read Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers." He read non-fiction. Last week, he pulled Ta-Nehisi Coates' acclaimed "Between the World and Me" from the top shelf in his locker at Bright House Field.