His lifetime batting average is still the highest of all time, and when he retired in 1928, after twenty-one years with the Detroit Tigers and two with the Philadelphia Athletics, he held more than ninety records. But the numbers don't tell half of Cobb's tale. The Georgia Peach was by far the most thrilling player of the era: "Ty Cobb could cause more excitement with a base on balls than Babe Ruth could with a grand slam," one columnist wrote. When the Hall of Fame began in 1936, he was the first player voted in.But Cobb was also one of the game's most controversial characters. He got in a lot of fights, on and off the field, and was often accused of being overly aggressive. In his day, even his supporters acknowledged that he was a fierce and fiery competitor. Because his philosophy was to "create a mental hazard for the other man,"; he had his enemies, but he was also widely admired. After his death in 1961, however, something strange happened: his reputation morphed into that of a monster - a virulent racist who also hated children and women, and was in turn hated by his peers. How did this happen? Who is the real Ty Cobb? Setting the record straight, Charles Leerhsen pushed aside the myths, traveled to Georgia and Detroit, and re-traced Cobb's journey, from the shy son of a professor and state senator who was progressive on race for his time, to America's first true sports celebrity. In the process, he tells of a life overflowing with incident and a man who cut his own path through his times - a man we thought we knew but really didn't.

    He was the clutch second baseman for the dominant New York Yankees of the 1950s. He then spent sixteen seasons managing in the big leagues, and is considered by anyone who knows baseball to have been a true baseball genius, a field manager without peer. Yet he’s remembered more for his habit of kicking dirt on umpires, for being hired and fired by George Steinbrenner five times, and for his rabble rousing and public brawls. He was combative, fiery, intimidating, and controversial, yet beloved by the everyday fan. He was hard on his players and even harder on himself. He knew how to turn around a losing team like no one else—and how to entertain us every step of the way.   Now, with his definitive biography Billy Martin, Pennington finally erases the caricature of Martin. Drawing on exhaustive interviews with friends, family, teammates, and countless adversaries, Pennington paints an indelible portrait of a man who never backed down for the game he loved. From his shantytown upbringing in a broken home; to his days playing for the Yankees when he almost always helped his team find a way to win; through sixteen years of managing, including his tenure in New York in the crosshairs of Steinbrenner and Reggie Jackson, Billy Martin made sure no one ever ignored him. And indeed no one could. He was the hero, the antihero, and the alter ego—or some combination of all three—for his short sixty-one years among us.

    Louis Cardinals in 2012. While Matheny has enjoyed immediate success, leading the Cards to the postseason three times in his first three years, people have noticed something else about his life, something not measured in day-to-day results. Instead, it’s based on a frankly worded letter he wrote to the parents of a Little League team he coached, a cry for change that became an Internet sensation and eventually a “manifesto.”    The tough-love philosophy Matheny expressed in the letter contained his throwback beliefs that authority should be respected, discipline and hard work rewarded, spiritual faith cultivated, family made a priority, and humility considered a virtue. In The Matheny Manifesto, he builds on his original letter by first diagnosing the problem at the heart of youth sports−hint: it starts with parents and coaches−and then by offering a hopeful path forward. Along the way, he uses stories from his small-town childhood as well as his career as a player, coach, and manager to explore eight keys to success: leadership, confidence, teamwork, faith, class, character, toughness, and humility.     From “The Coach Is Always Right, Even When He’s Wrong” to “Let Your Catcher Call the Game,” Matheny’s old-school advice might not always be popular or politically correct, but it works. His entertaining and deeply inspirational book will not only resonate with parents, coaches, and athletes, it will also be a powerful reminder, from one of the most successful new managers in the game, of what sports can teach us all about winning on the field and in life.

    A tape measure. A lottery ticket.These were in the pocket of Bengie Molina’s father when he died of a heart attack on the rutted Little League field in his Puerto Rican barrio. The items serve as thematic guideposts in Molina’s beautiful memoir about his father, who through baseball taught his three sons about loyalty, humility, courage, and the true meaning of success.Bengie and his two brothers—Jose and six-time All-Star Yadier—became famous catchers in the Major Leagues and have six World Series championships among them. Only the DiMaggio brothers can rival the Molinas as the most accomplished siblings in baseball history.Bengie was the least likely to reach the Majors. He was too slow, too sensitive, and too small. But craving his beloved father’s respect, Bengie weathered failure after deflating failure until one day he was hoisting a World Series trophy in a champagne-soaked clubhouse. All along he thought he was fulfilling his father’s own failed dream of baseball glory—only to discover it had not been his father’s dream at all.Written with the emotional power of sports classics such as Field of Dreams and Friday Night Lights, Molina is a love story between a formidable but flawed father and a son who, in unearthing answers about his father’s life, comes to understand his own.

    In the fall of 1992, America's National Pastime is in crisis and already on the path to the unthinkable: cancelling a World Series for the first time in history. The owners are at war with each other, their decades-long battle with the players has turned America against both sides, and the players' growing addiction to steroids will threaten the game's very foundation. It is a tipping point for baseball, a crucial moment in the game's history that catalyzes a struggle for power by three strong-willed men: Commissioner Bud Selig, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, and union leader Don Fehr. It's their uneasy alliance at the end of decades of struggle that pulls the game back from the brink and turns it into a money-making powerhouse that enriches them all. This is the real story of baseball, played out against a tableau of stunning athletic feats, high-stakes public battles, and backroom political deals -- with a supporting cast that includes Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, Joe Torre and Derek Jeter, George Bush and George Mitchell, and many more. Drawing from hundreds of extensive, exclusive interviews throughout baseball, The Game is a stunning achievement: a rigorously reported book and the must-read, fly-on-the-wall, definitive account of how an enormous struggle for power turns disaster into baseball's Golden Age.

    Baseball Prospectus 2015 brings together an elite group of analysts to provide the definitive look at the upcoming season in critical essays and commentary on the thirty teams, their managers, and more than sixty players and prospects from each team.Baseball Prospectus 2015contains critical essays on each of the thirty teams and player comments for some sixty players for each of those teams; projects each player's stats for the coming season using the groundbreaking PECOTA projection system, which has been called "perhaps the game's most accurate projection model" (Sports Illustrated). Now in its twentieth edition, this New York Times bestselling insider's guide from Baseball Prospectus, America's leading provider of statistical analysis for baseball, remains hands down the most authoritative and entertaining book of its kind.

    He lost his sight forever. To cheer him up, his mother wrote letters to baseball superstars of the day, explaining her son’s condition. Soon Ed was invited into their clubhouses and dugouts, as the players and coaches personally made him feel at home. Despite the warm reception he got from his heroes, Ed was told repeatedly by others that he would never be able to accomplish anything worthwhile because of his limitations. But Hall-of-Famer Phil Rizzuto became Ed’s mentor and encouraged him to pursue his passion—broadcasting. Ed then overcame hundreds of barriers, big and small, to become a pioneer—the first blind person covering baseball on a regular basis, a career he has successfully continued for six decades. Ed may have lost his sight, but he never lost his faith, which got him through many pitfalls and dark days. When Ed’s two sons were very young, his wife walked out and left him to raise them all by himself, which he did. Six years later, Ed’s ex-wife returned and sued him for full custody, saying that a blind man shouldn’t have her kids. The judge agreed, tearing Ed's sons away from their father's loving home. Ed fought the heartbreaking decision with appeals all the way up to the highest level of the court system. Eventually, he prevailed, marking the very first time in US history that a disabled person was awarded custody over a non-disabled spouse. Even in his later years, Ed is still enjoying a remarkably blessed life. In 2006, he married his second wife, Allison, at home plate in old Yankee Stadium, the only time that such a thing ever happened on that iconic spot. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner himself catered the whole affair, which was shown live on national television. Seeing Home: The Ed Lucas Story is truly a magical read and a universally uplifting and inspirational tale for everyone, whether or not you happen to be a sports fan. Over his long and amazing life, Ed has collected hundreds of anecdotes from his personal relationships and encounters with everyone, from kings and presidents to movie stars and sports Hall-of-Famers, many of which he shares in this memoir, using his trademark humorous and engaging style, cowritten with his youngest son, Christopher.

    Since the team moved to the shores of McCovey Cove in 2000, Giants fans have been thrilled by iconic players, historic moments, and heroic performances—not to mention three World Series championships. Giant Splash takes readers onto the field and inside the clubhouse for every unforgettable moment: Barry Bonds’ record-setting home runs, Tim Lincecum’s no-hitter, Matt Cain’s perfect game, Travis Ishikawa’s walk-off pennant winner, and many more.

    The general manager inherited a major league club that had just one winning season in the previous decade. Moore, a Kansas native who grew up as a Royals fan, implemented a plan to return the franchise to its glory years. Though not without a few bumps in the road, that plan came to fruition in 2014 as the Royals swept through the American League playoffs to take the pennant and returned the World Series to Kansas City. In More Than a Season, Moore shares how his faith and leadership principles guided his rebooting of the Royals. The general manager describes how he built one of baseball’s best farm systems and international scouting departments of out nothing. He shares insight on how he persevered through six consecutive losing seasons and the critical response to controversial trades of Zack Greinke and Wil Myers—transactions that ultimately yielded the foundation of a champion. Full of never-before-told stories from inside the Royals organization More Than a Season features a foreword by star outfielder Alex Gordon and an introduction by William F. High, CEO of the National Christian Foundation Heartland.

    She’s got a plan to save for a dream home in the suburbs and then have kids, even though her cop husband Sam doesn’t see the need to wait. The memory of her father still looms large four years after his passing. He was the cop who let her shine his boots, and she’s idolized him since she was a little girl. Even Sam can’t live up to his legacy. Then Casey receives a letter that bursts her balloon. Could her father not have been all she believed he was, and if so, how can her mother, who recently remarried and found a new faith, so easily forgive her former husband? Even the Red Sox rookies Casey and Griffin have recently befriended seem to have an inner peace that puzzles her. As Casey attempts to fit the changes life throws at her into her idealistic plan, she is challenged by the dialogue running in her head. Is it her conscience, her imagination, or the voice of the God she’s not sure she believes in?

    Pittsburghers joked their town was the city of champions…and the Pirates. Big Data Baseball is the story of how the 2013 Pirates, mired in the longest losing streak in North American pro sports history, adopted drastic big-data strategies to end the drought, make the playoffs, and turn around the franchise's fortunes.Award-winning journalist Travis Sawchik takes you behind the scenes to expertly weave together the stories of the key figures who changed the way the small-market Pirates played the game. For manager Clint Hurdle and the front office staff to save their jobs, they could not rely on a free agent spending spree, instead they had to improve the sum of their parts and find hidden value. They had to change. From Hurdle shedding his old-school ways to work closely with Neal Huntington, the forward-thinking data-driven GM and his team of talented analysts; to pitchers like A. J. Burnett and Gerrit Cole changing what and where they threw; to Russell Martin, the undervalued catcher whose expert use of the nearly-invisible skill of pitch framing helped the team's pitchers turn more balls into strikes; to Clint Barmes, a solid shortstop and one of the early adopters of the unconventional on-field shift which forced the entire infield to realign into positions they never stood in before. Under Hurdle's leadership, a culture of collaboration and creativity flourished as he successfully blended whiz kid analysts with graybeard coaches—a kind of symbiotic teamwork which was unique to the sport.Big Data Baseball is Moneyball on steroids. It is an entertaining and enlightening underdog story that uses the 2013 Pirates season as the perfect lens to examine the sport's burgeoning big-data movement. With the help of data-tracking systems like PitchF/X and TrackMan, the Pirates collected millions of data points on every pitch and ball in play to create a tome of color-coded reports that revealed groundbreaking insights for how to win more games without spending a dime. In the process, they discovered that most batters struggled to hit two-seam fastballs, that an aggressive defensive shift on the field could turn more batted balls into outs, and that a catcher's most valuable skill was hidden. All these data points which aren't immediately visible to players and spectators, are the bit of magic that led the Pirates to spin straw in to gold, finish the 2013 season in second place, end a twenty-year losing streak.

    Fame, status, money, and the perfect girl but it wasn't enough. Unable to curb his gambling addiction, he lost everything. Now banned from the MLB, he's struggling to get his feet back on the ground.Laurel Darbis is the mom to ten-year-old Grey. Her son is her world and she'd do anything for him, including putting up with her cheating ex-husband, Adam. He doesn't make things easy on her but with her friends and family by her side, she has a strong support system to help her deal with his petty drama.Grey is about to start baseball with his friends but their coach backs out at the last minute. All of the parents are thrilled when the new coach arrives, everyone except Laurel.Can the former bad boy tame his ways for the sake of his players? Will the protective mother let down her guard? Either way, no one will ever expect what happens when the two match up.

    P. Kinsella (Shoeless Joe), as well as the 25th anniversary of Field of Dreams, the film that he inspired.In addition to his classic baseball tales, W. P. Kinsella is also a critically-acclaimed short fiction writer. His satiric wit has been celebrated with numerous honors, including the Order of British Columbia.Here are his notorious First Nation narratives of indigenous Canadians, and a literary homage to J. D. Salinger. Alongside the “real” story of the 1951 Giants and the afterlife of Roberto Clemente, are the legends of a pirated radio station and a hockey game rigged by tribal magic.Eclectic, dark, and comedic by turns, The Essential W. P. Kinsella is a living tribute to an extraordinary raconteur.Table of Contents Introduction by Rick WilberTruthHow I Got My NicknameThe Night Manny Mota Tied the RecordFirst Names and Empty PocketsSearching for JanuaryLieberman in LoveThe Grecian UrnThe FogBeefDistancesHow Manny Embarquadero Overcame and Began His Climb to the Major LeaguesThe Indian Nation Cultural Exchange ProgramK MartThe FirefighterDr. DonBrother Frank’s Gospel HourThe Alligator Report—with Questions for DiscussionKing of the StreetWavelengthsDo Not Abandon MeMarco in ParadiseOut of the PictureThe Lightning BirdsPunchlinesThe Last Surviving Member of the Japanese Victory SocietyThe JobRisk TakersThe Lime TreeDoves and ProverbsWaiting on Lombard StreetShoeless Joe Jackson Comes to IowaAfterward - Where It Began: Shoeless Joe

    If you love watching "Major League," you’ll be fascinated by this inside story. Based on interviews with all major cast members plus crew and producers, it tells how writer/director David S. Ward battled the Hollywood system to turn his own love of the underdog Cleveland Indians into a classic screwball comedy. Learn how a tight-knit group of rising young stars (and a few wily veterans) had a blast pretending to play ball while creating several iconic characters. Filled with little-known facts and personal recollections about outtakes and inside jokes, batting practice and script changes, all-night location shoots, bar hopping and more, this is the ultimate guide to the film that reinvented the baseball movie and inspired a generation of belly laughs. Includes rare photos, storyboard illustrations, script excerpts, and more. With a foreword by Charlie Sheen.

    This guide to all things A's covers the team's amazing history including the Connie Mack and Charlie O. Finley dynasties, the "Earthquake Series," and all of their World Series titles. Author Susan Slusser has collected every essential piece of A's knowledge and trivia, including Billy Beane and Moneyball, Catfish Hunter, Stomper, and the "Bash Brothers," as well as must-do activities, and ranks them from 1 to 100, providing an entertaining and easy-to-follow checklist for fans of all ages.

    With four winning seasons to date, the team was purchased in 1915 by Jacob Ruppert and his partner, Cap Til Huston. Three years later, when Ruppert hired Miller Huggins as manager, the unlikely partnership of the two figures began, one that set into motion the Yankees’ run as the dominant baseball franchise of the 1920s and the rest of the twentieth century, capturing six American League pennants with Huggins at the helm and four more during Ruppert’s lifetime. The Yankees’ success was driven by Ruppert’s executive style and enduring financial commitment, combined with Huggins’s philosophy of continual improvement and personnel development. While Ruppert and Huggins had more than a little help from one of baseball’s greats, Babe Ruth, their close relationship has been overlooked in the Yankees’ rise to dominance. Though both were small of stature, the two men nonetheless became giants of the game with unassailable mutual trust and loyalty. The Colonel and Hug tells the story of how these two men transformed the Yankees. It also tells the larger story about baseball primarily in the tumultuous period from 1918 to 1929—with the end of the Deadball Era and the rise of the Lively Ball Era, a gambling scandal, and the collapse of baseball’s governing structure—and the significant role the Yankees played in it all. While the hitting of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig won many games for New York, Ruppert and Huggins institutionalized winning for the Yankees.

    Gil Hodges: A Hall of Fame Life is the story of a man who epitomized heroism in its truest meaning, holding values and personal interactions to be of utmost importance throughout his life—on the diamond, as a marine in World War II, and in his personal and civic life. A New York City icon and, with the Brooklyn Dodgers, one of the finest first basemen of all time, Gil Hodges (1924–72) managed the Washington Senators and later the New York Mets, leading the 1969 “Miracle Mets” to a World Series championship. A beloved baseball star, Hodges was also an ethical figure whose sturdy values both on and off the field once prompted a Brooklyn priest to tell his congregation to “go home, and say a prayer for Gil Hodges” in order to snap him out of the worst batting slump of his career.Mort Zachter examines Hodges’s playing and managing days, but perhaps more important, he unearths his true heroism by emphasizing the impact that Hodges’s humanity had on those around him on a daily basis. Hodges was a witty man with a dry sense of humor, and his dignity and humble sacrifice sometimes masked a temper that made Joe Torre refer to him as the “Quiet Inferno.” The honesty and integrity that made him so popular to so many remained his defining elements. Firsthand interviews of the many soldiers, friends, family, former teammates, players, and managers who knew and respected Hodges bring the totality of his life into full view, providing a rounded appreciation for this great man and ballplayer.

    Facing down batter after batter, he breaks down his though process and recounts in vivid and candid detail his analysis of the players who stepped into the batter's box against him, his control of both the ball and the elements of the day, and his moments of synchronicity with teammate Tim McCarver, all the while capturing the fascinating relationship and unspoken dialogue that carries on between pitcher and catcher over the course of nine critical innings.From the dugout to the locker room, Gibson offers a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the players, the team's chemistry, and clubhouse culture. He recounts the story of Curt Flood, Gibson's best friend and the Cardinal center fielder, who would go on to become one of the pioneers of free agency; shares colorful anecdotes of his interactions with some of baseball's most unforgettable names, from Denny McLain and Roger Maris to Sandy Koufax and Harry Caray; and relives the confluence of events, both on and off the field, that led to one of his---and baseball's---most memorable games ever.This deep, unfiltered insider look at one particular afternoon of baseball allows for a better understanding of how pros play the game and all the variables that a pitcher contends with as he navigates his way through a formidable lineup. Gibson's extraordinary and engrossing tale is retold from the unique viewpoint of an extremely perceptive pitcher who happens to be one of baseball's all-time greats.

    Inspired by his father and their shared love of the sport, Cieradkowski began creating “outsider” baseball cards, as a way to tell the little-known stories of baseball’s many unsung heroes—alongside some of baseball’s greatest players before they were famous. The League of Outsider Baseball is a tribute to all of those who’ve played the game, known and unknown. Shining a light into the dark corners of baseball history—from Mickey Mantle’s minor league days to Negro League greats like Josh Gibson and Leon Day; to people that most never knew played the game, such as Frank Sinatra, who had his own ball club in 1940s Hollywood; bank robber John Dillinger, who was a promising shortstop and took time out between robberies to attend Cubs games; and even a few US presidents—this book is a rich, visual tribute to America’s pastime. Meticulously researched, beautifully illustrated using a unique, vintage baseball-card-style, and filled with a colorful and rich cast of characters, this book is a prized collector’s item and will be cherished by fans of all ages.

    The Prospect Handbook profiles in-depth analysis and statistics of 900 players, provides a detailed amateur draft report card, a list of the top 100 prospects, and a ranking of the Major League Baseball player development programs. The Prospect Handbook is the must-have resource for information regarding the leading minor leaguers throughout baseball and is a valuable tool for fans, fantasy leaguers, and anyone who wants to know more about the player development process.

    His is the storied franchise with an accent on the story. McCoy gives fans an inside-the-dugout look that never made the daily press: the politics, the personalities, the hi-jinks, the x-rated scenes—all the classic ballpark happenings known only to those on the field. There’s the dismantling of The Big Red Machine—and what really happened to Sparky. There’s George Foster’s story of his Riverfront long ball off Cubs pitcher Willie Hernandez, which he described by saying, “I hit that ball so hard that Willie moved to the American League and changed his name.” The reader learns exactly where Pete Harnisch hid his toothbrush, visits the scene of Sweet Lou Piniella and his gumball machine, and suffers with Pokey Reese his worst day ever. In short, it’s the complete scoop from a sportswriter who led a charmed life and, even when faced with his own failing eyesight, managed to keep his life intact and still see more than the rest of us. The Real McCoy is one of the most readable—and revealing—books about baseball ever written.

    Rather than predicting batting average, for instance, this resource looks at the elements of skill that make up any given batter’s ability to distinguish between balls and strikes, his propensity to make contact with the ball, and what happens when he makes contact—reverse engineering those skills back into batting average. The result is an unparalleled forecast of baseball abilities and trends for the upcoming season and beyond.

    When he’s struck down in the line of duty, the whole city is aghast. But Oscar Flores, a 15-year old Latino boy obsessed with baseball, witnesses the gruesome crime and has a plan to assuage the city’s grief and satisfy his own vision of justice. Against the backdrop of a weekend long series with the Dodgers, the gripping crime story plays out against the city’s brightest monuments and darkest alleys.

    New sections include "On the Black" analysis of how often specific pitchers hit the corners of the plate and "Times to First Base" on how fast specific batters get to first on balls in play. And, of course, there will be first projections on what players can be expected to do next season in every facet of the game.

    So when Ian's dad's valuable signed baseball goes missing after a team sleepover, he can't believe it. The culprit could only be the pitcher, Hunter Yates. Not only is he new, but he has a brand new glove at practice the next day. The big game is coming up, but can Ian trust his teammates and work together to bring the team a win?

    A baseball superstar in the 1970s and 80s, Fisk was known not just for his dedication to the sport and tremendous plays but for the respect with which he treated the game.A homegrown icon, Fisk rapidly became the face of one of the most storied teams in baseball, the Boston Red Sox of the 1970s. As a rookie making only $12,000 a year, he became the first player to unanimously win the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1972, upping both his pay grade and national recognition. Fisk's game-winning home run in Game Six of the hotly-contested 1975 World Series forever immortalized him in one of the sport's most exciting televised moments. Fisk played through an epic period of player-owner relations, including the dawn of free agency, strikes, and collusions. After leaving Boston under controversy in 1981, he joined the Chicago White Sox, where he played for 12 more major league seasons, solidifying his position as one of the best catchers of all time.Doug Wilson, finalist for both the Casey Award and Seymour Medal for his previous baseball biographies, uses his own extensive research and interviews with childhood friends and major league teammates to examine the life and career of a leader who followed a strict code and played with fierce determination.

    He is a cynical, tough professional athlete and his book makes wonderful reading.”—New YorkerFrom the author of The Long Season—considered by many to be the greatest baseball book of all time—comes another classic sports memoir by legendary pitcher Jim Brosnan, which chronicles how his team, the Cincinnati Reds, went on to win the 1961 National League pennant.In Pennant Race, Brosnan—with his trademark wise-guy wit and plain-spoken practicality—once again offers a refreshingly candid alternative to hackneyed baseball mythologizing. Day by day, game by game, Brosnan reveals the real lives of professional ballplayers: their exhilaration and frustration, hope and despair, chronic worry over job security, playful camaraderie, world-weary cynicism, and boyish—if cautious—optimism. Although the Reds would ultimately lose the World Series to the Yankees, for Brosnan and his teammates, this was a winning season.Pennant Race vividly captures a remarkable year in the life of a ball club and the golden age of one of Major League Baseball’s most memorable eras.

    Louis Cardinals are one of baseball’s most storied franchises, and as much a part of St. Louis as Anheuser-Busch and the arch. From Lou Brock to Matt Carpenter, Ozzie Smith to Yadier Molina, Bob Gibson to Adam Wainwright, from Hall of Famers to rookie busts, the Cardinals are beloved in St. Louis. In this book, Stan McNeal provides a closer look at the great moments and the lowlights that have made the Cardinals one of the baseball’s keystone teams. Through the words of the players, via multiple interviews conducted with current and past Cardinals, readers will meet the players, coaches, and management and share in their moments of greatness and defeat. This book shares stories behind such Cardinal memories as the little-known clubhouse antics of backup catcher Bob Uecker during the teams’ memorable run in the 1960s, the excitement at Busch Stadium in the 1980s as the Cardinals reached the World Series three times, and the elation of the 2006 and 2011 World Series championships.

    

    Buoyed by a dominant regular season in which they held first place in the American League Central beginning on June 8 and never looked back. Anchored by a major league record seven All-Stars and boosted by the mid-season acquisitions of Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto, this historic team would not be denied on their way to the title.

    A beaten and battered baseball team. A fan-base who had all but given up. And a city that needed a lucky streak. Then along came Lee Sungwoo. Chris Kamler tells the story as only he can about a pennant chase, a good luck charm and a city that needed it all to break a 29 year long run of bad luck.

    Among these objects are the original ordinance banning baseball in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1791 (the earliest known reference to the game in America); the "By-laws and Rules of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club," 1845 (the first codified rules of the game); Fred Thayer's catcher's mask from the 1870s (the first use of this equipment in the game); a scorecard from the 1903 World Series (the first World Series); Grantland Rice's typewriter (the role of sportswriters in making baseball the national pastime); Babe Ruth's bat, circa 1927 (the emergence of the long ball); Pittsburgh Crawford's team bus, 1935 (the Negro Leagues); Jackie Robinson's Montreal Royals uniform, 1946 (the breaking of the color barrier); a ticket stub from the 1951 Giants-Dodgers playoff game and Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round The World" (one of baseball's iconic moments); Sandy Koufax's Cy Young Award, 1963 (the era of dominant pitchers); a "Reggie!" candy bar, 1978 (the modern player as media star); Rickey Henderson's shoes, 1982 (baseball's all-time-greatest base stealer); the original architect's drawing for Oriole Park at Camden Yards (the ballpark renaissance of the 1990s); and Barry Bond's record-breaking bat (the age of Performance Enhancing Drugs). A full-page photograph of the object is accompanied by lively text that describes the historical significance of the object and its connection to baseball's history, as well as additional stories and information about that particular period in the history of the game.

    To nearly everyone’s surprise, Murakami, known as Mashi, dominated the American hitters. With the San Francisco Giants caught in a close pennant race and desperate for a left-handed reliever, Masanori was called up to join the big league club, becoming the first Japanese player in the Major Leagues.Featuring pinpoint control, a devastating curveball, and a friendly smile, Mashi became the Giants’ top lefty reliever and one of the team’s most popular players—as well as a national hero in Japan. Not surprisingly, the Giants offered him a contract for the 1965 season. Murakami signed, announcing that he would be thrilled to stay in San Francisco. There was just one problem: the Nankai Hawks still owned his contract.The dispute over Murakami’s contract would ignite an international incident that ultimately prevented other Japanese players from joining the Majors for thirty years. Mashi is the story of an unlikely hero who gets caught up in an American and Japanese baseball dispute and is forced to choose between his dreams in the United States and his duty in Japan.

    Author Dan Connolly has collected every essential piece of Orioles knowledge and trivia, as well as must-do activities, providing an entertaining and enlightening read for any Oriole fan.

    The Moneyball strategy is not the first example of how new ideas and innovative management have transformed the way teams are assembled. In Pursuit of Pennants examines and analyzes a number of compelling, winning baseball teams over the past hundred-plus years, focusing on their decision making and how they assembled their championship teams.Whether through scouting, integration, instruction, expansion, free agency, or modernizing their management structure, each winning team and each era had its own version of Moneyball, where front office decisions often made the difference. Mark L. Armour and Daniel R. Levitt show how these teams succeeded and how they relied on talent both on the field and in the front office. While there is no recipe for guaranteed success in a competitive, ever-changing environment, these teams demonstrate how creatively thinking about one’s circumstances can often lead to a competitive advantage.Purchase the audio edition.

    Their 50 greatest games span two coasts and three centuries worth of baseball. They include:•A doubleheader that lasted six and a half innings combined•A single game that featured three teams on the field•A game in which the Dodgers didn’t record a hit – and won•The games in which the single-season and career home run records were broken•Three perfect games and two no-hitters•The longest game in major league history•The first major league game ever televised•A game in which the Dodgers’ pitcher lost consciousness on the field•An exhibition game that drew 93,103 spectators•The first integrated game in major league historyThe 50 Greatest Dodgers Games features all the best players to don the uniform: Sandy Koufax, Jackie Robinson, Kirk Gibson, Zack Wheat, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Clayton Kershaw, Steve Garvey, Don Drysdale, Pee Wee Reese and more. It also features some of the unsung heroes of baseball history, like Cookie Lavagetto, Vic Davalillo, Sandy Amoros, Al Gionfriddo and Joe McGinnity.For the first time, their performances are laid side-by-side in this account of the greatest Dodgers games ever played. Which game ranks number one?

    

    This large-format, jacketed, full-color photo book features the dynamic photographs of legendary Sports Illustrated photographer Brad Mangin. Paired with stories and essays by KNBR Sports Radio's Brian Murphy (of the "Murph and Mac" show), Championship Blood is sure to please anyone who considers themselves a San Francisco Giants fan and wants to remember the Giants' historic run in 2014.

    Following their World Series victory in 1985, the string of postseason appearances seemed likely to continue for years to come. But the winning stopped and the once-proud franchise descended into mediocrity. Bad turned to worse in the 2000s when the team lost a hundred games four times in five seasons. Players and managers came and went, but the losing continued. Mired in the longest playoff drought of any major American sports team, Kansas City became the laughingstock of baseball. Then in 2013 something strange happened: the Royals posted a winning record. Heading into the next season, KC fans harbored an optimism not seen since the glory days of Brett, White, McRae, and Saberhagen. Could this current group of Royals break the three-decade span of playoff futility? Relying on speed, defense, pitching, and old-school small ball tactics, the 2014 Royals made a second-half charge that clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 1985. And then the Boys in Blue hit the accelerator for an October ride that defied experts and captivated the nation. Battling to the final pitch in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series, the 2014 Kansas City Royals completed one of the most memorable campaigns in baseball history. Relive this epic season and learn about the players whose championship quest ended just Ninety Feet Away.

    He was another young person, trying to take it all in, sleeping on the beach with his buddy, having the time of his life soaking up the vibe and every different musical style represented there. Baker's lifelong love of music was set in motion, his wide-ranging, eclectic tastes, everything from country to hip-hop. He also caught the Jimi Hendrix Experience, who put on such a show that to this day Baker calls Hendrix the most exciting performer he's ever seen. He went on to years of friendship with musicians from B.B. King and John Lee Hooker to Elvin Bishop. This account grabs a reader from page one and never lets up.

    Jennifer Ring includes oral histories of eleven members of the U.S. Women’s National Team, from the moment each player picked up a bat and ball as a young girl to her selection for Team USA. Each story is unique, but they share common themes that will resonate with young female players and fans alike: facing skepticism and taunts from players and parents when taking the batter’s box or the pitcher’s mound, self-doubt, the unceasing pressure to switch to softball, and eventual acceptance by their baseball teammates as they prove themselves as ballplayers. These racially, culturally, and economically diverse players from across the country have ignored the message that their love of the national pastime is “wrong.” Their stories come alive as they recount their battles and most memorable moments playing baseball—the joys of exceeding expectations and the pleasure of honing baseball skills and talent despite the lack of support. With exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and administrators, A Game of Their Own celebrates the U.S. Women’s National Team and the excellence of its remarkable players. In response to the jeer “No girls allowed!” these are powerful stories of optimism, feistiness, and staying true to oneself.

    Author Colin Gunderson takes readers through Lasorda's days as a player and the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, including their two World Series Championships in 1981 and 1988. It also provides fans with a peek at what makes Lasorda tick: his relationship with his father, Sabatino, whom he emulated; his childhood growing up in Norristown, Pennsylvania, working odd jobs; and his unfailing work ethic. That work ethic helped him become one of baseball's most successful managers as he won the World Series twice, won four National League pennants and eight division titles with the Dodgers. In this book, fans will recall some of their favorite Lasorda anecdotes, and will also be privy to new information and rich background on this national baseball treasure, including memories from an All-Star roster of Dodgers stars.

    As someone who retired from the game over eighty-five years ago, he is still the leader for career batting average, second in runs, hits, and triples, and a mainstay in dozens of other categories.However, when most people think of “The Georgia Peach,” they’re reminded of his reputation as a “dirty” player. It was said that got so many of his steals because he would sharpen his metal cleats and “spike” the second basemen if they would try to tag him out. It’s also said that he was rude, nasty, a racist, and hated by peers and the press alike.As author Tim Hornbaker did for Charles Comiskey in Turning the Black Sox White, War on the Basepaths is an unbiased biography of one of the greatest players to ever grace a baseball diamond. Based on detailed research and analysis, Tim Hornbaker offers the full story of Cobb’s life and career; some of which has been altered for almost a century. While he retired in 1928 and passed away in 1961, War on the Basepaths will show how Ty Cobb really was and place readers in the box seats of his incredible life.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

    Much of that research had previously been reserved exclusively for MLB teams, and it is all updated with all the defensive stats through the end of the 2014 season.

    He was awarded the Cy Young Award in 2011 as the National League's (NL) top hurler. Then he took the prize again in 2013. In June 2014, Clayton threw the 12th no-hitter in Dodgers history. Clayton's powerful left arm brought him to the top of the baseball world. His hard work and dedication have helped keep him there. Find out all about the life of one of the baseball's greatest stars.

    We’ve been doing it for so long (this year is our 13th!), we have too many favorites, so we made some arbitrary rules. Though we’ve been foremost devoted to fiction as a journal over the years, we found ourselves pulled toward some of the baseball creative nonfiction we’ve published, and the fiction that felt like, or played with, nonfiction. Stories about Dock Ellis’ famous LSD no-hitter, Herb Washington as the only “designated runner” in MLB history, Jim Joyce and his blown call that cost the Detroit Tigers’ Armando Galarraga a perfect game.

    Louis, heads to Chicago in 1867 and meets William Hulbert, a mysterious man who tells him he plans to build a baseball field. Hulbert claims that baseball in America will be a grand new pastime and a grand new business opportunity. In 2006, Scott Banks is a devoted Cubs fan even though he’s moved to St. Louis and is married to his well-meaning, Cardinal-loving wife. Life for Banks is on cruise control until he gets the chance to fulfill a dream of a lifetime—but it comes with a curveball. Suddenly, he’s forced to face the gut-wrenching realities that have him swinging and missing life’s off-speed pitches. Modern time is intertwined with a nineteenth-century depiction of the birth of a storied rivalry in Curveballs and Changeups."

    Names like Lou Boudreau, Bob Lemon, and Larry Doby are just as familiar as Corey Kluber, Michael Brantley, and Jason Kipnis. But even the most die-hard fans don’t know everything about their beloved Indians.  In 100 Things Indians Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die, Zack Meisel has assembled the facts, traditions, and achievements sure to educate and entertain true fans. From the incredible legacy of Tris Speaker and memories from Cleveland Stadium to how the movie Major League has taken root in fans' hearts, this is the ultimate fanatics guidebook to all things Cleveland Indians. Learn about the team's history in Cleveland as the Naps; the 455-game sellout streak; and modern stars such as Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton, Roberto Alomar, and Omar Vizquel. Meisel has collected every essential piece of Indians knowledge and trivia, including stories about the 1920 and 1948 World Series, the Drummer, and the hiring of Terry Francona, as well as must-do activities, and ranks them all from 1 to 100, providing an entertaining and easy-to-follow checklist as you progress on your way to fan superstardom.

     Dave Cameron Jeff Sullivan Mitchel Lichtman Carson Cistulli Eno Sarris Erik Malinowksi Kiley McDaniel ...and many other great writers. Topics include complete coverage of the 2015 season, including the games/series that swung the balance of each division, unique takes on baseball history and cutting-edge sabermetric analysis. When you read The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2016, you'll discover: What the battlegrounds are for the next collective bargaining agreement Which umpires are the most and least consistent Why the 1904 World Series was cancelled New values for trading prospects Analysis of pitcher command using previously unreleased COMMANDf/x data The physics of the longest home runs How the New York Mets’ 2015 starting rotation compares to its predecessors Analysis of catcher pop time using previously unreleased Statcast data If you're a baseball fan yearning to keep that flame burning during the offseason, The Hardball Times Baseball Annual is for you. As Sports Weekly said, "There are several baseball books that come out every year for the holiday season, but none as well-rounded and complete as The Hardball Times Baseball Annual."

    Join Quick at Spring Training as he hunts down a game used jersey that might be worth a fortune. Along the way, he meets the Fungo Society, a group of old ballplayers who are looking for revenge. Throw in some jealous lovers and a drug kingpin and Quick might just be in over his head!

    This photo-driven book will feature tons of full-color action photos and simple and engaging text. This is the definitive guide for baseball fans everywhere and a perfeect introduction to America's favorite pastime!

    Remove all of the players that your team acquired through trades and free agency. Would you be able to field a competitive team? All right, let us re-populate the roster with every player that the organization originally drafted and signed. Yes, we will include undrafted free agents and foreign players who signed with their first Major League team, as well. How does the team stack up now? Is the club better or worse than the squad that you imagined at first? I applied these criteria to every Major League Baseball franchise of the modern era (1901-present) in order to establish the proficiency of each organization with respect to scouting, development and performance.

    Biography of a young man with remarkable talent, a terrific work ethic and was terrified of success, even when he was a member of the New York Yankees.

    With a foreword by Branch Barrett Rickey (grandson of Branch Rickey), this book fills the void in Dodgers scholarship, exploring their impact on popular culture and revealing lesser-known details of the team's history. Personal stories are included from the fans who embraced Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Carl Erskine, Roy Campanella and other icons of Ebbets Field. Drawing on archival documents, contemporary press accounts and fan interviews, the author brings to life the magic of the Dodgers, chronicling in detail the genesis, glory and demise of the team that changed baseball--and America.

    He was a Minor League player, a Major League player, a coach, a farm director, a general manager, a scout, and a consultant. During his six and a half decades in baseball, he knew, played with or against, or worked for or with many of baseball’s greats, including Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Rogers Hornsby, Mickey Mantle, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker, George Steinbrenner, Casey Stengel, Bill Veeck, and Ted Williams. The lively autobiography of Robinson, Lucky Me highlights a career that touched all aspects of the game from player to coach to front-office executive and scout. In it Robinson reveals for the first time that the 1948 Cleveland Indians stole the opposition’s signs with the use of a telescope in their drive to the pennant. This edition features a new afterword by C. Paul Rogers III.

    He also happened to play the game of baseball exceptionally well. Called up to the Chicago Cubs in September 1943, Pafko helped give hope to a club in turmoil. He was a part of the franchise's last World Series in 1945 and blossomed into a five-time All-Star as both an outfielder and a third baseman. In June 1951 he was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers. That October, Pafko watched the New York Giants' Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World" sail over his head into the leftfield bleachers at the Polo Grounds. The next year he helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series, where they lost to the New York Yankees. After being traded to the Braves, Pafko was instrumental in back-to-back World Series appearances in 1957 and '58 against the Yankees, helping Milwaukee win the crown in '57. He retired after the 1959 season and spent the next decade as a coach and scout. In his twilight years, Pafko frequented Old-Timers games, autograph sessions and made public appearances for the teams he played on professionally.

    Drawing on research and interviews with Miller and others, Marvin Miller, Baseball Revolutionary offers the first biography covering the pivotal labor leader's entire life and career. Baseball historian Robert F. Burk follows Miller's formative encounters with Depression-era hard times, racial and religious bigotry, and bare-knuckle Washington politics to a successful career in labor that prepared Miller for his biggest professional challenge--running the moribund Major League Baseball Players Association. Educating and uniting the players as a workforce, Miller embarked on a long campaign to win the concessions that defined his legacy: decent workplace conditions, a pension system, outside mediation of player grievances and salary disputes, a system of profit sharing, and the long-sought dismantling of the reserve clause that opened the door to free agency. Through it all, allies and adversaries alike praised Miller's hardnosed attitude, work ethic, and honesty. Comprehensive and illuminating, Marvin Miller, Baseball Revolutionary tells the inside story of a time of change in sports and labor relations, and of the contentious process that gave athletes in baseball and across the sporting world a powerful voice in their own games.

    Best-selling author Amy Gutierrez, the San Francisco Giants in-game reporter for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, adds to her heart-warming story with this easy and instructional big league scorebook.

    

    

    By the end of the Golden Era of baseball, a period in and around the 1950s, there would be an unprecedented number of notable black players in the major leagues, including Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Jackie Robinson. While this era is defined by integration, it was also the age of the “boys of summer” Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankee dominance, and the first major change in the geographic landscape of the big leagues in half a century.In The Golden Era of Major League Baseball: A Time of Transition and Integration, Bryan Soderholm-Difatte explores the significant events and momentous changes that took place in baseball from 1947 to 1960. Beginning with Jackie Robinson’s rookie season in 1947, Soderholm-Difatte provides a careful and thorough examination of baseball’s integration, including the struggles of black players who were not elite to break into the starting lineups. In addition, the author looks at the dying practice of player-managers, the increasing use of relief pitchers and platooning, the iconic 1951 pennant race between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers, and more. Soderholm-Difatte also tells the stories of three central characters to this era, whose innovations, strategies, and vision changed the game—Branch Rickey, who challenged the baseball establishment by integrating the Dodgers; Casey Stengel, whose 1949-1953 Yankees won five straight championships; and Leo Durocher, whose spy operations was a major factor in the Giants’ 1951 pennant surge. In an age when baseball was at the forefront of American society, integration would come to be the foremost legacy of the Golden Era. But this was also a time of innovative strategy, from the use of pinch hitters to frequent defensive substitutions. Concluding with an overview of how baseball is still evolving today, The Golden Era of Major League Baseball will be of interest to baseball fans and historians as well as to scholars examining the history of integration in sports

    While he was there to report on the action that occurred on the field, as well as the many disruptions occurring in the locker room—especially during the tumultuous seventies when Billy Martin and the “Boss” were constantly at one another’s throats—that directly affected the team’s performance on the field, Pepe also saw a world that never made the papers.Yankee Doodles humanizes the legends we have come to love and worship. We get to know the players as Pepe did, once the lights and cameras were turned off. For instance, Pepe recounts the story of Jackson’s miraculous three homerun World Series game when, in his exhilaration, Jackson literally gave Pepe the pants off his butt! This simple story shows a side of Reggie Jackson—a Yankees superstar—that reminds us that these men are often nothing more than boys playing a game they love.Other favorites include the time Pepe went shopping with Berra, who was looking for a birthday present for his wife; the day Yankees pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich swapped wives, children, homes and even pet dogs; when Mantle graciously paid for a stranger’s dinner; and so much more!This book offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at some of the greatest Yankee heroes. It is a must-read for Yankee fans and baseball lovers alike!Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

    It was a ride which began with a dramatic, extra-innings wild-card game victory over the Oakland A's and continued through a Major League record nine-straight postseason wins; ending only with a Game 7 loss in the club's first World Series appearance since 1985. Now, fans have a new opportunity to share every moment of the 2014 season through the eyes of the players, coaches, scouts, and front office staff who made it happen - and are making it happen again in 2015.From the Guys Who Were There ... The Kansas City Royals takes you inside the clubhouse and onto the field, as the Royals recount the moments that mean the most to them.When you read From the Guys Who Were There ... The Kansas City Royals, you'll feel the same rush of emotion as the team. You'll picture yourself sitting between manager Ned Yost and pitching coach Dave Eiland as they plot their postseason strategy game by game. You'll re-live everything that made the 2014 season so special, while also watching the Royals race toward a 2015 post-season which may end yet another drought for the Boys in Blue.Looking to the 2015 season, you'll also gain access to the front office as, with the trade deadline looming, they worked to add ace starting pitcher Johnny Cueto and jack-of-all-trades Ben Zobrist to the roster for the upcoming playoff run.Though they undoubtedly caught teams off-guard with their enthusiasm and grit, the Royals are underdogs no more. Ned Yost and general manager Dayton Moore give you a feel for what it takes to build a strong team and put the best 11 players on the field, supported by an entire team of scouts and personnel - as well as a city full of fans.If you are a Royals fan, this is a must-have for your sports library. As an added bonus, the players who helped the Royals become a powerhouse from 1976 through 1985 discuss the secret to their massive success and share about how special it was to follow their young brethren last year.

    The residual effect of loving and losing her dad has made her cautious, until two men enter her life: a ballplayer and a sports writer. With the support of her mother and two friends, she begins to work through her grief. A dedicated employee, she successfully navigates her career, and becomes a director in the team’s organization. However, Francesca realizes that she can’t partition herself off from the world, and in time, understands that sometimes love does involve taking a risk.

    2014 marked the end of his brilliant 20-season career with the New York Yankees, during which he led the Yankees to five championships and great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Jeter was one of the most heavily marketed athletes of his generation, and his personal life received attention throughout his career.Baseball Immortal brings readers real quotations and media excerpts from his life, presenting an incredible portrait of his early life, groundbreaking career, best moments and legacy. Danny Peary is a bestselling baseball writer and co-author of Tim McCarver's Baseball for Brain Surgeons. He has collected and curated the most important quotes and articles to give a unique picture of Derek Jeter's life--the perfect gift for baseball fans of every stripe.

    Numbers Don't Lie: Behind the Biggest Numbers in Tigers History details the numbers every Tigers fan—from the rookie attending his first game at Comerica Park to the veteran who recalls Denny McLain's days on the mound—should know. Author Danny Knobler tells the stories behind the most memorable moments and achievements in Tigers history, including 2: the number of no-hitters Justin Verlander has in his career; .366: Ty Cobb's career batting average, the highest in MLB history; and 1,918: the number of games played together by Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker as a record-setting, double-play combination. Featuring over 50 entries that span more than a century of Tigers magic, this fan book is an engaging, unique look back at the history of one of baseball's most entertaining franchises.

    It's a mess. There has to be a better way.“The Baseball Hall of Fame Corrected” brings order to the chaos. It starts with specific standards based on the current composition of the Hall. Then it compares each existing Hall-of-Famer's record to the standards to determine whether he really deserves the honor. It also uses the same standards to review the credentials of each viable candidate not in the Hall. But this is no dry recitation of stats. The book also loaded with stories, humor, and digressions into everything from psychology to American history. Do not expect each player to be treated with reverence; author Eddie Daniels has opinions and isn’t afraid to share them. Inspired by the likes of Bill James and Baseball Prospectus, Daniels combines the precision of an academic with the wit of an oddball comedian. Does Jeff Bagwell deserve the Hall? What about Curt Schilling? Did Jim Rice and Bert Blyleven deserve their selections? How do steroid accusations affect the credentials of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens? Where does Derek Jeter stand among the all-time greats? “The Baseball Hall of Fame Corrected” covers it all.Of course, “The Baseball Hall of Fame Corrected” reviews more than just modern players. You might learn something new about Ty Cobb or Mickey Mantle. And you’ll be introduced to obscure Hall-of-Famers like Jake Beckley and Tommy McCarthy. By the end, you’ll know more about baseball history than all of your friends combined.And all players will be profiled and judged in Eddie Daniels’ goofy, rambunctious style. Excitement is guaranteed. You’ll pay for the whole seat, but you should consider renting out the back half of it, because you’ll only need the edge. (No refunds available for any seats or portions thereof.) “The Baseball Hall of Fame Corrected” is for casual fans and hard-core baseball nerds alike. EDDIE DANIELS is well-known among his friends and family. No one else has ever heard of him. He’s written a ton, but nothing else has been published anywhere besides Web sites. But take a chance on him. C’mon, it’s cheap. The reviews are in! “‘The Baseball Hall of Fame Corrected’ is the best book I’ve ever read! And I can’t read!” -- Eddie Daniels“Once in a generation, an author comes along who changes the face of literature about the Baseball Hall of Fame written by people named ‘Eddie Daniels.’ Eddie Daniels is not that author. But while you’re waiting for something better, it wouldn’t kill you to buy this book.”-- Eddie Daniels“These book profiles are supposed to be a maximum of 4,000 characters long. At this point I’m at only 2,841. I don’t think I actually have to get to 4,000, but 2,841 (now 2,910) seems too short. It’s sort of like if your professor gives you a maximum page count for a paper; you don’t want to go too far below it. But I’ve already explained the book well enough, so now I’m just talking nonsense to get to a reasonable total. Dum dee dum dum dum. Scooby doobie doo. You are great, and I love you. OK, now I’m at 3,251. That’s probably enough, right? Let’s just call it at this point. See you in the book! If you’ve read this far, you have an admirably high tolerance for my writing style and thus could enjoy my book! So buy it!”--Eddie Daniels

    Here is an insider's perspective on America's national pastime that is funny, honest, and above all, real. The man behind this fascinating account of baseball and its players was not a sportswriter but a self-proclaimed "average ballplayer"—a relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Called "Professor" by his teammates and "Meat" by his wife, Jim Brosnan turned out to be the ideal guide to the behind-the-scenes world of professional baseball with his keen observations, sharp wit, and clear-eyed candor.His player's diary takes readers on the mound and on the road; inside the clubhouse and most enjoyably inside his own head. While solving age-old questions like "Why can't pitchers hit?" and what makes for the best chewing tobacco, Brosnan captures the game-to-game daily experiences of an ordinary season, unapologetically, "the way I saw it"—from sweating it out in spring training to blowing the opening game to a mid-season trade to the Cincinnati Reds.In The Long Season, Brosnan reveals, like no other sportswriter before him, the human side of professional ballplayers and has forever preserved not only a season, but a uniquely American experience."One of the best baseball books ever written. It is probably one of the best American diaries as well."—New York Times

    He's embarrassed the team with doping bans and lawsuits. Worst of all, he's washed up! They want him off the team and off the books, so they hire the famous French hitman, Sébastien, and tell him to make it look like an accident. Meanwhile, under the tutelage of Barry Bonds, Rodriguez works to regain his MVP form--and his fans. It seems there may be life in that old bat yet. Can A-Rod turn back his clock before Sébastien stops it? Can Hank Steinbrenner channel his late father and bully this one through? Come for the laughs, stay for the thrills: it's...SLUGGERHUNT!

    The book contains exclusive Hall of Fame content including plaque images, photography, player biographies and statistics as well as unique commentary on the 2015 Hall of Fame class.This is a comprehensive reference book to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It contains exclusive Hall of Fame player plaque images of all of the members, unique photography from the Hall’s famous archives, player biographies and statistics, commentary on the 2015 Hall of Fame induction class, and capsules of recognized executives, umpires, and managers in the Hall of Fame. For baseball fans who have visited the Hall of Fame & Museum, this book is the perfect companion to their visit. For fans that have not yet been to Cooperstown, the book provides a taste of the experience.