Review of "Hardball Retrospective"

If there is one thing that every baseball fan loves, it is statistics. The statistics that have been used to measure the worth of a player, however, has changed over the years.  With the recent growth of more advanced statistics, the question of how teams and players have done across era is now easier to determine. This book by Derek Bain does an excellent job of doing just that.  Here is my review of "Hardball Retrospective" (Note the cover - my favorite baseball player of all time, Rod Carew!)

Title/Author:

“Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises” by Derek Bain

Tags:

Baseball, history, draft, statistics

Publish date:

January 25, 2015

Length:

442 pages

Rating: 

4 ½ of 5 stars (Excellent)

Review:

Speculation about player trades and movement via free agency is always a popular topic of conversation between baseball fans. Often they wonder how their favorite teams would have done had they not traded away this player or if they had signed that one instead of letting him leave as a free agent. 

This book by Derek Bain will help answer that question. He takes all thirty current major league franchises and using advanced statistical analysis, he ranks each team by evaluating players with their original teams.  He then takes these revised rosters and determines their standings each season from 1901 to the present.  It makes for fascinating comparisons between the “original” team of a certain year or era and the “actual” team.

This may sound complicated, but once a reader actually studies the charts and analysis of his or her team, it will begin to make sense.  It took me a little while to catch on while reading about the Athletics, for example, but once I remembered that this analysis was done using players who originally signed with the Athletics, not the actual rosters for that season, then it began to make sense.

The statistical analysis uses primarily the advanced statistics of Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and Win-Shares for each player. This isn’t to say that the traditional statistics that many baseball fans are familiar with such as batting average, earned run average and runs batted in are not used. They are cited frequently in the narrative for each team. However, they are not the final determination for the rankings of each team – again, it is primarily WAR and Win-Shares.

One does not have to be familiar with these statistics to get the total value of the book.  As long as a reader can follow the charts and narrative sections for the teams, then he or she will get the intended value of the book. I do not consider myself to be fluent or knowledgeable on WAR or Win Shares, but it was a lot of fun to see how my favorite team, the Minnesota Twins, did with their “original” players over the years, including their time as the Washington Senators.  This book is recommended for any baseball fan who is interested to see how his or her team fared in finding talented players throughout the last century.

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

Book Format Read

E-book (PDF)

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Hardball-Retrospective-Evaluating-Development-Modern-Era/dp/150879099X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453255988&sr=8-1&keywords=derek+bain

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hardball-retrospective-derek-bain/1121112489?ean=9781508790990

Review of "This Is Your Brain On Sports"

This book is one of several sports books that will be released in February 2016.  Between the prior book reviewed on the Iditarod and this one, it is looking like 2016 will be just as good as 2015 for excellent sports reads. This one is a very good and entertaining read on many different topics covering many different sports.  Here is my review of "This Is Your Brain On Sports."

Title/Author:

“This is Your Brain on Sports: The Science of Underdogs, The Value of Rivalry and What We Can Learn from the T-Shirt Cannon” by L. Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers

Tags:

Sports, psychology

Publish date:

February 2, 2016

Length:

288 pages

Rating: 

4 ½ of 5 stars (Excellent)

Review:

After seeing this book’s title, it was one that I knew I had to read. Like me, one might ask what the heck CAN we learn from the T-Shirt cannon that shoots cheap shirts into the stands where groups of screaming fans may push and shove each other in order to grab that precious piece of cloth.

That question, along with many others, are answered in this very entertaining book by Sports Illustrated executive editor L. Jon Wertheim and experimental psychologist Sam Sommers. Interspersing serious discussion of the function of the mind during certain situations along with many sports anecdotes which are often hilarious, the book will help explain why certain beliefs in sports either live on despite evidence to the contrary (such as if having sex just before a sporting event will sap an athlete’s strength and stamina) or are certainly true (hockey enforcers certainly do prefer to fight on home ice instead of on the road).

Something I really enjoyed about the book is that nearly every sport is covered in some way and so many stars – from Tom Brady to Serena Williams to Mookie Wilson are mentioned.  The latter was in one of the most interesting chapters that discusses a web site where ordinary people can sign up for events like having Mookie Wilson speak at a bar mitzvah or Rob Gronkoski rub elbows with guests at your barbecue. All for a nominal fee, of course. Each of these stories, along with the explanation of just what triggers these beliefs, make this book a very good read for any sports fan.

I wish to thank Crown Archtype Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Format Read

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links (pre-order at time of posting):

http://www.amazon.com/This-Your-Brain-Sports-Underdogs-ebook/dp/B00X2F7SV4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452980404&sr=1-1&keywords=this+is+your+brain+on+sports

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-is-your-brain-on-sports-l-jon-wertheim/1122150941?ean=9780553447408 b

Review of "Fast Into the Night"

Even though the calendar says 2016, I am happy that by reviewing this book, I am keeping one of the 2015 resolutions I made for this blog. One of them was to review books on offbeat sports when I could find them. When I saw that a book on the Iditarod sled dog race was available for review on NetGalley, I immediately requested a copy. I was very happy that I was approved to receive an advance review copy, and the book did not disappoint. Here is my review of "Fast Into the Night."

Title/Author:

“Fast into the Night” by Debbie Clarke Moderow

Tags:

Sled racing, dogs, Iditarod, memoir

Publish date:

February 2, 2016

Length:

272 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (Very good)

Review:

The famous Iditarod sled race in Alaska is a test of endurance for both humans and the dogs pulling the sled. It can bond the team of dogs to their “musher” or they can turn on him or her and not respond to any commands. This memoir by Debbie Clarke Moderow illustrates these emotions during her two entries in the famed race. 

She had to withdraw with less than 200 miles to go in her initial entry in 2003 as the dogs refused to run any further. Showing determination and overcoming her self-doubt, she again entered in 2005, finishing the race and showing her pride in her dogs.

This is not a typical sport memoir as Moderow does not delve deeply into her youth or talk about her early accomplishments in her sports. There are plenty of family stories about her husband Mark and her children as they all are mushers and help each other with all the duties required to train the dogs and keep them in condition to run these races.

The style of writing is the best part of this book. The format alternates between racing chapters and those on family life, but the transitions are smooth which is not easy to do with a book like this. The prose when she describes her adventures on the Iditarod course reads almost like a nature novel and her love for her dogs is always present. It made the book a very enjoyable adventure.

This is one of those few books on a sporting event that will be enjoyed even by readers who are not sports fans. Anyone who loves animals or nature will enjoy reading Moderow’s account of her two adventures on the Iditarod course.

I wish to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Format Read

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links (pre-order at time of posting):

http://www.amazon.com/Fast-into-Night-Journey-Iditarod-ebook/dp/B00SQLIYJE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452560905&sr=1-1&keywords=fast+into+the+night

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fast-into-the-night-debbie-clarke-moderow/1121116714?ean=9780544484122

Review of "Baseball's No-Hit Wonders"

Seeing a no-hitter in person is the one baseball item on my wish list that has not come true yet. It is something that is fairly rare but yet can happen at any time, by any pitcher regardless of past success.  There is an upcoming book about this special type of game that is a great read for all fans.  Here is my review of "Baseball's No-Hit Wonders." 

Title/Author:

“Baseball’s No-Hit Wonders: More than a Century of Pitching’s Greatest Feats” by Dirk Lammers

Tags:

Baseball, history, professional

Publish date:

March 15, 2016

Length:

496 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

One of the greatest feats in baseball for a pitcher is throwing a no-hitter. In the history of major league baseball, there have been 290 such games in which no batter on the opposing team was able to get a base hit. Each one of these games is mentioned in some manner in this very entertaining and informative book by Dirk Lammers.

The book is a mixture of lists of interesting facts about no-hitters, stories about the pitchers who threw them and commentary by the author who shows that he has done extensive research into no-hitters. Most of the stories are humorous and will leave the reader chuckling, such as the story of Dock Ellis, who pitched a no-hitter while high on acid.

Many obscure historical facts and pitchers are featured as well which adds to the charm of this book as it is more than just the well-known accomplishments of stars like Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax.The most interesting piece of this nature was an account of a no-hitter that wasn’t accomplished in the major leagues.Trevor May had pitched a partial game without allowing hit for a minor league team in 2014 before it was suspended. He was later called up to the Minnesota Twins before the game was resumed. Another pitcher took over and completed the no-hitter.

Stories and accounts such as these make this a very entertaining book for any baseball fan. It is highly recommended for all fans, and the format of the book makes it easy to read in short amounts to accommodate readers with busy schedules. 

I wish to thank Unbridled Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Format Read

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links (pre-order at time of posting):

http://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-No-Hit-Wonders-Pitchings-Greatest/dp/1609531256/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452561323&sr=1-1&keywords=Baseball%27s+no+hit+wonders

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baseballs-no-hit-wonders-dirk-lammers/1122205266?ean=9781609531256

Review of "South of the NBA"

Needing to find a fairly quick read and also wanting to read my first fictional sports book of the year, I searched through my author requests that I needed to complete.  I then found this one that wasn't too old - only a month - that did the trick.  It was a fun read about fictional basketball players in Argentina.  Here is my review of "South of the NBA."

Title/Author:

“South of the NBA” by Sean Kelly

Tags:

Basketball, fiction, South America

Publish date:

August 21, 2015

Length:

200 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (Very Good)

Review:

Joel Jefferson and Jesus Barbosa, two American basketball players who are playing professionally in Argentina circa 1982, are the principle characters in this fun-to-read novel by Sean Kelly.  Jefferson and Barbosa, known in Argentina as “El Negro” and “Cubano” are hoping that this journey will lead to a second chance in the NBA. They are joined by freelance writer Craig Bailey, who went to the country to write about the “Dirty War” but instead was caught up in the basketball players’ adventures. It should be noted that Bailey was also a basketball player, but was cut from walk-on tryouts by Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina.

Because the story is set in 1982, there are many references to star players from this era.  Both college (for example, Phil Ford from North Carolina) and professional (for example, Lloyd Free) players are name-dropped during the story, which is mostly about Jefferson and Barbosa but also has some backdrop with the military presence and even has some mentions of the Falkland Island war with England.

The characters of Jefferson and Barbosa are not too complex – after all, the reason they are in Argentina is to get another shot at the NBA – but yet their personalities and flaws are easy to pick up by the reader.  Readers will enjoy the exploits of both of these characters. Kelly’s basketball knowledge shines throughout the book and his game writing is superb.

The story line seems to just be about basketball throughout the book and I was having difficulty trying to figure out a plot to the story. However, by the end the reader will be able to see the final outcome and will still be left wanting to know what will become of the three main characters.  That is not a bad thing, as there are times that the ending that has to be in the reader’s mind is the best ending and that is the case for this book. If one is looking for a quick and fun read, especially if a basketball fan, then this book is recommended.   

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

Book Format Read

Paperback

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/South-NBA-Sean-Kelly-ebook/dp/B016S9MJK0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452358578&sr=1-1&keywords=south+of+the+nba  

Review of "Baseball's Game Changers"

As we are getting ready for the announcement of the 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame class, I decided to look through the ever-growing pile of review copies to be read, and I came across this gem that covers all aspects of the baseball throughout its history. This was a good choice for the first baseball read of 2016.  Here is my review of "Baseball's Game Changers." 

Title/Author:

“Baseball’s Game Changers” by George Castle

Tags:

Baseball, business, rules, players

Publish date:

February 18, 2016

Length:

240 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (Very Good)

Review:

When one thinks of a “game changer”, it usually means an event, person or moment that had a profound effect on the game or sport.  This is not always something that takes place during a game or on the field of play. It can be an athlete, coach, owner or maybe a shift in conventional thinking.  All of these types of “game changers” are covered in this book by George Castle, a longtime Chicago baseball reporter.

The book was really a collection of stories about each of these “game changers” and it was impressive in the scope of the game that is covered.  No matter what one wants to read about when it concerns the game of baseball, there are important people or events that are considered important in the history of the game.

If a reader wants to know more about rule changes, the implementation of the designated hitter and the lowering of the pitching mound after the 1968 season are two examples of profound changes that affected the game.  If one is looking for certain players, three examples are Jackie Robinson, Henry Aaron and Barry Bonds.  Does the reader want to read about how the business of the sport has changed? There are plenty of examples here, such as the advent of free agency, television, night games and arbitration.

Most of the stories are short, therefore there is not a lot of detail, but most are filled with information that will help the reader learn why that person, rule or event is important in the game’s history. The information comes from various sources and the timeline is complete, from baseball in the 19^th century up to the 2014 World Series. It is a book that is recommended for any baseball fan as it is easy to read, broken up into short stories that can be put down and picked right back up anytime and filled with good information on the history of the game from all aspects. 

I wish to thank Lyons Press for providing an advance review copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Format Read

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links (pre-order at time of posting):

http://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Game-Changers-Breakers-Sensational/dp/1493019465/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452042460&sr=8-1&keywords=baseball%27s+game+changers

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baseballs-game-changers-george-castle/1122638519?ean=9781493019465

Review of "The Legends Club"

Happy New Year!  I want to thank everyone who visited the blog in 2015 as it has grown a tremendous amount in the two and a half years it has been online.  I am humbled by not only this fact, but also by all the authors and readers who have contacted me to not only request a review or leave a comment but who also have complimented the blog and my review.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Therefore, for 2016, it is only appropriate that I start off the year with a review of a book from one of the best writers for college basketball and my personal favorite author of sports books in general, John Feinstein.  His book on Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzweski, and Jim Valvano will be published in March and should be another winner.  Here is my review of "The Legends Club." 

Title/Author:

“The Legends Club: Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzweski and Jim Valvano and an Epic College Basketball Rivalry” by John Feinstein

Tags:

Basketball, college, North Carolina, Duke, North Carolina State, rivals

Publish date:

March 1, 2016

Length:

416 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

In 1980, North Carolina was already established as a legendary basketball program with a legendary coach, Dean Smith.  That year, the two biggest rivals of the Tar Heels, Duke and North Carolina State, hired Mike Krzyzweski and Jim Valvano respectively.  That led to a decade of intense basketball between these three schools.

John Feinstein, considered by many to be one of the best writers of college basketball, captures the spirt of this three-headed rivalry by telling the story of not only the successes on the court of these three coaches, but by also exploring what made each one of them so intense despite having distinctly different personalities.

Feinstein is a no-nonsense writer as he tells stories of the recruiting wars between the three, the intensely competitive fire inside each one against one another, and insightful stories that bring the reader inside the mind of each coach. Feinstein gives each man equal time through the years that all three coached.  However, I felt that Feinstein did his best work when writing about the discovery of Valvano’s cancer and all that happened until his death in 1993. The stories have been told before, but not like this. Feinstein should also get extra kudos for getting Valvano’s widow to open up so freely about the loss of her husband. This section made for some of the best reading in the entire book.

Readers who have enjoyed Feinstein’s previous books on college basketball such as “A Season on the Brink” and “The Last Amateurs” will enjoy this one as well. Covering the game and the three schools who were coached by these three legendary coaches in his usual informative style, “The Legends Club” is a book that every basketball fan should add to his or her collection.

I wish to thank Doubleday Publishing for providing an advance review copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Book Format Read

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links (pre-order at time of posting):

http://www.amazon.com/The-Legends-Club-Krzyzewski-Basketball/dp/038553941X

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-legends-club-john-feinstein/1123107984?ean=9780385541664