Review of "Ahead of the Curve"

Baseball has entered a new stage in which computers and analysts are just as important to a team's success as scouts and managers. Between advanced statistics and new ways of thinking when managing a game, the old line of thinking is becoming questioned more and more each season.  This book on the new way of reading statistics and managing some game situations is a terrific read that everyone who enjoys baseball should read.  Here is my review of "Ahead of the Curve." 

Title/Author:

“Ahead of the Curve: Inside the Baseball Revolution” by Brian Kenny

Tags:

Baseball, strategy, statistics

Publish date:

July 5, 2016

Length:

368 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Brian Kenny built a following when he worked as a baseball analyst at ESPN and his reputation as an outspoken commentator has grown even larger since he moved over to the MLB Network. One reason for this is his continuous questioning of traditional statistics and strategy when evaluating players and the best course to take during certain game situations.

In this entertaining book, he explains many of his positions in a manner that might make some fans uncomfortable, but will certainly be topics of discussion the next time a reader wants to debate the merits of a bunt or if it is wise to not have a team’s best relief pitcher not appear in a game unless it is the ninth inning and the team is ahead by three runs or less.

Those two examples are just a small sample of the types of conventional wisdom he questions and then provides an alternative based on statistics, logic and analysis. While this may sound fairly dry, the writing and creativity is entertaining.  For example, in his explanation of why it is not good strategy to leave a starting pitcher on the mound as long as possible and then not put the best reliever into the game until the ninth inning in a “save” situation, he calls his alternative strategy “Bullpenning.” In this chapter, just about every piece of conventional wisdom is thrown out and a new idea, based on statistical analysis is proposed.  The reader may or may not agree with Kenny’s radicalism, but it is written in such a manner that one will at least acknowledge that it is something to consider.

Kenny’s attack on old-school values is not limited to strategy – it also goes into statistics that have been the basis for awards, big-money contracts and even votes for the Hall of Fame. There are great write-ups on each of these three topics, along with several others, on why the stats that most fans are familiar with (home runs, batting average, the Triple Crown and so on) are poor indicators of a player’s value and talent and instead more advanced statistics such as WAR (Wins Above Replacement) and OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) are much better.  There are many new statistics used in which a reader, including this one who has been one of those who has relied on the traditional statistics, may need explanations, which Kenny includes at the end of the book.

What really sets this book apart from others touting these advanced statistics, or “sabermetrics” as first coined by Bill James (who Kenny calls one of the seven most influential people in the history of the game), is the writing style.  Yes, Kenny questions those who are slow to embrace these changes, but when the traditional statistics and strategy works, he acknowledges it. An example is when early and mid-20^th century writers elected worthy players to the Hall of Fame, which are backed up with advanced analysis not available at that time.  Therefore, it is not a complete vilification of those who have not embraced the new wave of analysis – but at times the criticism of this line of thinking can be biting (but not snarky).

This book is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys the game. If the reader is one who has embraced sabermetrics, he or she will love findings like those on which big-money free agents were worth the big contract and which ones were busts. If the reader is one who held on to traditional thinking, like this reviewer, then the solid research, reasoning and logic explaining why those values need to change will make the reader at least think, if not embrace these ideas.

I wish to thank Simon & Schuster for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Ahead-Curve-Inside-Baseball-Revolution/dp/1501106333/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1467247250&sr=1-1&keywords=ahead+of+the+curve

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ahead-of-the-curve-brian-kenny/1122858654?ean=9781501106330

Review of "The Black Prince of Baseball"

One of the most interesting characters in baseball during the early 20th century was first baseman Hal Chase.  Known on the field mostly for his slick fielding, he was also a known gambler and was believed to be a key figure in the 1919 World Series gambling scandal. However there is so much more to the man's story and it is told in great detail in this book by Donald Dewey and Nicholas Acocella.  Here is my review of "The Black Prince of Baseball."

Title/Author:

“The Black Prince of Baseball: Hal Chase and the Mythology of the Game” by Donald Dewey and Nicholas Acocella

Tags:

Baseball, biography, gambling, Yankees, Reds, White Sox, Cubs

Publish date:

May 1, 2016

Length:

436 pages

Rating: 

4 ½ of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Throughout his career in not only the major leagues, but also in semipro baseball and “outlaw” leagues in California (including the early days of the Pacific Coast League), Hal Chase was known alternately as one of the best fielding infielders in the early 20^th century or one of the most crooked players in the game as it was the era of fixed games and shady deals on and off the field.

This extensively researched and well-written biography by Donald Dewy and Nicholas Acocella is an exhaustive look at the man and his accomplishment – both positive and negative.  While the common line is that Chase was banned from the game because of his gambling, that was not the case as Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis did not ban Chase as he did the eight players from the Chicago White Sox for throwing the 1919 World Series. It is true he never played again in the major leagues after 1920, but that was more because teams didn’t want to take a chance on a 36-year-old infielder with a history of injuries and a poor reputation.

That, in a nutshell, is the case the authors are trying to prove with their research – that Chase, while far from an innocent person in the era of gambling in baseball, was merely one part of the entire operation that was a black eye on the game. Chase was an excellent personification of the lifestyle of the well-to-do at that time. His off-the-field exploits that included more gambling, shadier deals and many women (despite being married twice) is also well documented in the book. By giving this portrait of Chase, the authors also are allowing the reader to not only learn about the man and the times, but to also draw his or her own conclusion on how much Chase had to do with the gambling plaguing the game.

The book is not a quick or easy read. The writing is very detailed, especially when the topic is one of several grand jury trials in which Chase had to testify or was the subject of others’ testimony. While they can be slow to read and digest, these passages, along with the details of Chase’s interactions with others such as White Sox owner Charles Comiskey make for very interesting reading.  It was not easy to finish this book, but like the fictional story that seemed to never end until it did, this one had that same feeling.  The reader will wonder just how much more dirt can be dug up on Chase, but once it ends, it results in a very satisfying book. 

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

Paperback

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Prince-Baseball-Chase-Mythology/dp/0803299397/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1466559076&sr=8-1&keywords=black+prince+of+baseball

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/product/Black-Prince-of-Baseball,677209.aspx

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-black-prince-of-baseball-donald-dewey/1122887957?ean=9780803299399

Review of "Tony C"

The subject of this book is a player of whom I heard a lot about, mainly because because he was hit in the eye by a pitch during the his prime years. But after reading this book, I realized there is a LOT more to the story of Tony Conigliaro.  Here is my review of "Tony C."

Title/Author:

“Tony C: The Triumph and Tragedy of Tony Conigliaro” by David Cataneo

Tags:

Baseball, biography, Red Sox

Publish date:

April 15, 2016

Length:

276 pages

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (good)

Review:

When a baseball fan hears the name “Tony Conigliaro” the first thought that comes to mind that his story is a tragedy – he was young, talented, good-looking, a heartthrob to young women, and was playing for his hometown Boston Red Sox when he was struck in the eye by a pitch in August 1967. While he came back to play baseball after recovering from the injury, he was never the same player again. His story is told in this biography by sportswriter David Cataneo.

The book is well researched and the reader will have a complete picture of Conigliaro’s life, not just his baseball career or the events of that fateful plate appearance. His high school and minor league success is well documented, as is his love for his high school sweetheart.  He lived the life of a playboy off the field, and on the field he is portrayed as a cocky, self-assured young man, and then goes out and backs up his bravado with outstanding play.

The narrative is very supportive of Tony and portrays him in a very favorable light in most instances.  Even in situations that one may question his actions or why he thinks in the manner he did, Cataneo explains why this happened and frames it in a way that will make the reader take Conigliaro’s side in nearly every case. I didn’t think it was necessary in every case and one in particular, why Conigliaro would never shake the hand or speak to the pitcher who threw the pitch that hit him, Jack Hamilton, the writing seemed to be making excuses for Conigliaro’s behavior. I also thought that the author was too critical of others who did not approve of Conigliaro’s behavior, such as Red Sox manager Dick Williams. While Williams had a well-deserved reputation of being hard on his players, this is another case where the author seemed to be taking one side of the dispute and not clearly illustrating why Williams was acting the way he was.

Nonetheless, the overall quality of the book is fine and well worth the time to read, mainly because Cataneo does a very good job of covering the entire story of Conigliaro.  In fact, I thought some of the best writing came later in the book after Conigliaro’s playing days were through. It was here when the previous thoughts I had about objectivity didn’t matter as Cataneo writes poignantly about Canigliaro’s last years.

Readers who were fans of Conigliaro and the Red Sox in the 1960’s will especially enjoy reading this book.  If the reader wishes to learn more about this player whose career was cut short by an errant pitch, this is one to pick up. 

I wish to thank Summer Game Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (PDF)

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Triumph-Tragedy-Conigliaro/dp/1938545702/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466275581&sr=8-1&keywords=Tony+C

http://www.summergamebooks.com/titles/upcoming/tony-c-the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-tony-conigliaro-detail  

Review of "The Utility of Boredom"

When I received this book and read the description, I wasn't sure what to expect. Collections of short stories are usually a mixed bag at best - not this one - I loved each story and many of them will be loved by all baseball fans.  Here is my review of "The Utility of Boredom."

Title/Author:

“The Utility of Boredom: Baseball Essays” by Andrew Forbes

Tags:

Baseball, collection, short stories, Blue Jays

Publish date:

April 4, 2016

Length:

160 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

No matter the genre or topic, a book that is a collection of essays or short stories will usually be a mixed bag with some good ones, some not-so-good ones and some that are so-so.  That is not the case with this collection of baseball essays penned by Andrew Forbes. Each story is one that Forbes writes from the heart and expresses his love for the game of baseball and his favorite team, the Toronto Blue Jays.

Of the essays that talk mostly about the game on the field, his love of the Blue Jays shows, especially the ones about the 1992 World Series championship team and the emotions he was experiencing during the 2015 postseason that ended with the Blue Jays losing to the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series.

One of the passages in that essay is a great illustration of the terrific writing Forbes exhibits in each story. When describing his joy when Jose Bautista hit a home run in the deciding fifth game of the Division Series, Forbes describes when he “lost it” in this fashion:

“It was the most gloriously and deliriously deterministic moment imaginable…It was fantasy made real, anti-logic captured on live TV. It was a bullet to the brain of objectivity. It made no sense whatsoever and it was beautiful.”  That is quite the description of a moment that many fans will experience when their favorite team has a dramatic moment – in this case it was Bautista’s home run and subsequent bat flip. I thought the description of his emotions and passions in that paragraph was vivid and beautiful.

Other essays that were excellent included one on San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Baumgarner, defunct teams such as the Seattle Pilots and the essay that matches the title of the book. I will end this review with an excerpt from that essay as it had the best explanation I have read that tells why I and many other fans believe that baseball is the greatest game on earth:

“You have to think of the long game. Baseball’s an exercise in concentration, a chance to train the brain to ignore the echoes of other forms of entertainment offering easier enticements. You sit through nine innings because that’s how long a game is and you want to watch a game. You sit through blowouts. You endure a game devoid of offense and call it a pitcher’s duel. When you attend a game, you show up early and stay until the final out is recorded, transit schedules and traffic be damned. This is your quiet commitment.  This is your loyalty and your investment., your faith that every recess and concavity will eventually be mirrored by something amazing. Slow and steady, you say.”

Amen.

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

Book Format Read:

Paperback

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Utility-Boredom-Baseball-Essays/dp/1926743695/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466036795&sr=1-1&keywords=utility+of+boredom  

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-utility-of-boredom-andrew-forbes/1123895368?ean=9781926743691

Review of "Ali and Liston"

After learning of the death of Muhammad Ali, I naturally wanted to read a book on him to review here. Before hitting the bookstore, however, I scoured the large pile of books on the shelves and on the e-readers and discovered this one that I bought soon after publication but never got around to reading.  Since I am always intrigued by books on boxing and also by the life of Sonny Liston, this was the one to read.  Here is my review of "Ali and Liston." 

Title/Author:

“Ali and Liston: The Boy Who Would Be King and the Ugly Bear” by Bob Mee

Tags:

Boxing, professional, history, race

Publish date:

October 11, 2011

Length:

336 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) and Charles “Sonny” Liston took very different paths to arrive at the heavyweight championship fight that took place on February 25, 1964 in Miami. What the two men did to reach this point in their boxing careers and their lives is captured in this engrossing book by boxing analyst Bob Mee. 

The research is through and the writing detailed as the reader will learn much about both men, especially Liston as it is universally accepted that he was a very complex character and that the truth about many parts of his life was hard to confirm. Not only does Mee cover Liston’s boxing and his criminal past, there is also coverage of the alleged ties to organized crime that constantly dogged Liston during his boxing days. While there are some books and publications that cover his life more thoroughly, Mee does a credible job of explaining Liston’s life and personality.

He also does the same for Ali, but does not go into the detail that many other sources do as Ali’s life has been chronicled many other times in all forms of media. The writing about Ali is slightly less detailed and covers more of his life in shorter chapters, but still is a good source of information for the casual boxing fan. Just like the writing about the darker aspects of the Liston’s life, the writing about Ali’s involvement with the Nation of Islam and his brash personality is informative and detailed if not revealing new information that hasn’t been reported in other sources.

The book is more about the lives and management of the two men than it is about the actual fights in Miami and Lewistown, Maine. The questions about Liston’s injury in the first fight and the very quick knockdown in the second fight are covered in an objective manner and Mee shows no bias or gives a strong opinion about either of these controversies. The reader will have to make his or her own conclusions from the information given.

This is a book well worth the time to read if one wants to learn more about these two fighters.  If the reader has read other books on them, especially Ali, there won’t be a lot of new information, but Mee does present a fresh view of the fighters and the two bouts that is both informative and entertaining.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Ali-Liston-Would-King-Ugly-ebook/dp/B005V2EGDE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465774752&sr=8-1&keywords=ali+and+liston+the+boy+who+would+be+king+and+the+ugly+bear

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ali-and-liston-bob-mee/1104273735?ean=9781620875643

Review of "Mickey Mantle:Inside and Outside the Lines"

Given that there are many books available on this legendary baseball player, I wasn't sure what to expect or why this one would be any different than other ones available.  All I will reveal that isn't already in the review is that this book is a little different.  Here is my review of "Mickey Mantle: Inside and Outside the Lines."

Title/Author:

“Mickey Mantle: Inside and Outside the Lines” by Tom Molito

Tags:

Baseball, biography, Yankees

Publish date:

May 12, 2016

Length:

154 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Given that there are many books about this legendary Yankee, something that this book offers that is different from most books on Mantle is that the author draws upon personal experiences as well as research in order to write about Mantle’s baseball career and his life.

Tom Molito was able to meet the Mick in both personal and professional circumstances and as a result, he provides an inside look at Mantle that is not possible for all writers. Molito also states early in the book that he was a lifetime fan of Mantle from the first time he saw him patrol the outfield at Yankee Stadium until his death in 1995. Because of this, some of the writing is not objective in its scope.  But the enthusiasm Molito shows for Mantle is evident and read from the perspective of the fan makes it a book that fans of Mantle or the Yankees will certainly enjoy.

For readers who just want to know more about Mantle between the lines, there is plenty of information and his career is re-evaluated using more advanced statistics. For readers who want to know more about Mantle the man, there are plenty of stories for that as well, both happy and not so happy.  I found the stories about Mantle’s life after baseball as the best ones and they are all easy and quick to read.

This is not a typical sports biography or memoir and that alone makes it an intriguing book to pick up. The reader will then be entertained and informed at the same time in a short time. This is certainly one that Mantle or Yankee fans will want to read.

I wish to thank Black Rose Writing for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying links:

https://www.amazon.com/Mickey-Mantle-Inside-Outside-Lines-ebook/dp/B01F2LEV1U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465521298&sr=8-1&keywords=mickey+mantle+inside

Review of "Wartime Basketball"

With the start of the NBA Finals taking place, it was time to switch up and find a decent basketball book.  This one certainly fit the bill, and it was very informative as I was not familiar at all with any level of basketball during this era.  Here is my review of "Wartime Basketball."

Title/Author:

“Wartime Basketball: The Emergence of a National Sport During World War II” by Douglas Stark

Tags:

Basketball, professional, college, history, race

Publish date:

May 1, 2016

Length:

384 pages

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Before there was the National Basketball Association, professional basketball was largely a regional game, with leagues who would send teams to the World Professional Basketball Tournament to determine the champion. This tournament, as well as the collegiate tourney many now call “March Madness” both started just prior to the United States entering World War II.  How the game changed and adapted to wartime conditions is illustrated in this detailed book by Douglas Stark.

The research is extensive and thorough as Stark writes about the professional leagues that cropped up and had teams in towns that most people don’t think of as “professional” when discussing pro sports. For example, one of the best teams in the National Basketball League (NBL) during its existence was the Oshkosh (Wisconsin) All-Stars. There are many stories about this team and its players, as well as others in this league and its counterpart, the American Basketball League. There is another team worth mentioning in the NBL – the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, who stayed in business through the turbulent times for the sport after the war, and entered the NBA when it was formed. The franchise still exists today as the Detroit Pistons.

The college game is included in this book and how its tourney and also the National Invitational Tournament grew in popularity, especially in the eastern part of the country.  The development of these tourneys and the growing popularity made for good reading.

However, the best part of the book was about teams that formed on military bases and units so that the men who were serving their country during war could have some recreation and keep their games sharp. The best team of this time, at least according to the book, was the one assembled by the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, as this teams was always a winning team against other military teams.

The topic of racial integration is also examined in depth as not only did professional teams in both leagues become integrated, but there were also two all-black teams prominently mentioned in the book – the Harlem Globetrotters and the New York Renaissance, or Rens for short. Their stories, especially those about the Rens, were just as entertaining and informative as the others.

Because of the extensive detail, this is not a quick and easy read. The reader must carefully work his or her way through each chapter in order to get the full picture and detail that Stark is describing. How these teams and the sport adjusted to life during war and kept restocking players is the underlying topic and that is woven nicely into the basketball writing. While it took me awhile, I am glad I finished this book and highly recommend it to readers who are interested in basketball history.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying links:

http://www.amazon.com/Wartime-Basketball-Emergence-National-during/dp/0803245289/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465000625&sr=8-1&keywords=wartime+basketball

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wartime-basketball-douglas-stark/1122764949?ean=9780803245280