ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza on Yanks, Her New Book & Breaking Barriers
Every Sunday night, Jessica Mendoza has one of the best seats to Major League Baseball's marquee game that week. There are many people who would consider it the best job in the world and you don't need me to tell you, those jobs in baseball broadcasting are largely reserved for men.
Mendoza isn't in the seat between Matt Vasgersian and Alex Rodriguez because she's a woman. She's there because she's good. After her days at Stanford and as a member of Team USA, Mendoza poured herself into the sport of baseball in addition to her work on ESPN's softball coverage. Her father coached college baseball and she has a forward-thinking approach to the game. At times, that causes a butting of heads of sorts in the booth with A-Rod and, in turn, compelling conversation around that Sunday night's game.
Mendoza's first book, There's No Base Like Home, released this week and it tells the story of family, friendship and softball.