Review of "The Best Phillies Team Ever"

I always love to read books that list the best of something.  They will be sure to generate debate and this book is no exception.  Here is my review of "The Best Phillies Team Ever" by John Rust. 

Title/Author:

“The Best Phiilies Team Ever” By John J. Rust

Tags:

Baseball, professional, Phillies, list

Published:

January 11, 2014

Length:

157 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

While the Philadelphia Phillies are not my favorite baseball team, I am always intrigued by books like this that list the all-time greatest in some category.  It can be music, movies or sports.  A book like this will be sure to generate some debate as to who would be the best choices to include and how much of a travesty that someone was left off.  John Rust’s book that names the best Phillies team ever will do just that.

This is more than just a listing of the best Phillies players at each position.  Rust does list them, but he does so by naming them as the everyday lineup. There are players who played in all eras included – from the 19^th century to current Phillie players.  No, I will not name any names and create the ultimate spoiler – but I will say that Rust develops a true baseball team of great Phillies players by not only including the starting eight position players but also names a starting rotation, bullpen, and bench players. 

What I like about this concept is that the players who are on this team are not necessarily all who have the best statistics , but how well they would perform in the role they have on Rust’s team is how the team is structured.  To prove how good a team this would be, he creates simulated games against various all-star teams and replays the 1950 World Series between the Phillies and the New York Yankees.  Again, no spoilers but these game recreations are entertaining as well.

This book is one that Phillies fans will certainly want to read to see if their favorite players made the team and have some great sports bar debates on who should and should not be included.   Even if the reader follows another team, this book will be an entertaining read for any baseball fan.   

I wish to thank Mr. Rust for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Did I skim?

No. 

Pace of the book: 

Very good.  Each chapter is an easy read, not too long and tells the complete story of the player named on the list.

Do I recommend? 

If you are a hard core fan of the Phillies, you will certainly enjoy this book that will certainly be the subject of a few debates.  Baseball fans, even those who like other teams, will also enjoy the book as well.  

Book Format Read:

E-Book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Phillies-Team-Ever-ebook/dp/B00HTOKN8E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1400807896&sr=1-1