That's what Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller got to do when the Sonoma Stompers, an independent minor-league team in California, offered them the chance to run the team's baseball operations according to the most advanced statistics. The Only Rule Is It Has to Work is unlike any other baseball tale you've ever read.We tag along as Lindbergh and Miller apply their number-crunching insights to all aspects of assembling and running a team. We meet colorful figures like general manager Theo Fightmaster and boundary-breakers like the first openly gay professional player and the first Japanese manager in American professional baseball. Even José Canseco makes a cameo appearance.Will sabermetrics bring the Stompers a championship, or will they fall on their face? Will the team have a competitive advantage or is the old folk wisdom really true after all? Will the players be able to maximize their talents and attract the attention of big-league scouts, or will this be a fast track to oblivion?It's a wild ride, as the authors' infectious enthusiasm and feel for the absurd make the Stompers' story one that will speak to numbers geeks and traditionalists alike. And it proves that you don't need a bat or a glove to make a genuine contribution to the game.

    Pitchers are the lifeblood of the sport, the ones who win championships, but today they face an epidemic unlike any baseball has ever seen. One tiny ligament in the elbow keeps snapping and sending teenagers and major leaguers alike to undergo surgery, an issue the baseball establishment ignored for decades. For three years, Jeff Passan, the lead baseball columnist for Yahoo Sports, has traveled the world to better understand the mechanics of the arm and its place in the sport’s past, present, and future. He got the inside story of how the Chicago Cubs decided to spend $155 million on one pitcher. He sat down for a rare interview with Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, whose career ended at 30 because of an arm injury. He went to Japan to understand how another baseball-obsessed nation deals with this crisis. And he followed two major league pitchers as they returned from Tommy John surgery, the revolutionary procedure named for the former All-Star who first underwent it more than 40 years ago. Passan discovered a culture that struggles to prevent arm injuries and lacks the support for the changes necessary to do so. He explains that without a drastic shift in how baseball thinks about its talent, another generation of pitchers will fall prey to the same problem that vexes the current one. Equal parts medical thriller and cautionary tale, The Arm is a searing exploration of baseball’s most valuable commodity and the redemption that can be found in one fragile and mysterious limb.

    Kill the “Win.” Say goodbye to starting pitchers. And please, please stop bunting. MLB Network anchor and commentator Brian Kenny provides “an excellent, entertaining read for the all-around baseball fan” (Library Journal) and shows how baseball has been revolutionized—not destroyed—by analytical thinking. Most people who resist logical thought in baseball preach “tradition” and “respecting the game.” But many of baseball’s traditions go back to the nineteenth century, when the pitcher’s job was to provide the batter with a ball he could hit and fielders played without gloves. Instead of fearing change, Brian Kenny wants fans to think critically, reject outmoded groupthink, and embrace the changes that have come with the sabermetric era. In his entertaining and enlightening book, Kenny discusses why the pitching win-loss record, the Triple Crown, fielding errors, and so-called battling titles should be ignored. He also points out how fossilized sportswriters have been electing the wrong MVP’s and ignoring legitimate candidates for the Hall of Fame; why managers are hired based on their looks; and how the most important position in baseball may just be “Director of Decision Sciences.” “Prepare to have your brain and your assumptions challenged. Guided by data and a deep love of the game, Brian Kenny takes a cutting-edge look at where baseball is and where it is going” (Tom Verducci, Sports Illustrated). Illustrated with unique anecdotes from those who have reshaped the game, Ahead of the Curve is “a great story about the game in the age of information and technology” (Billy Beane).

    The Last Innocents is a thoughtful, technicolor portrait of these six players—friends, mentors, confidants, rivals, and allies—and their storied team that offers an intriguing look at a sport and a nation in transition. Bringing into focus the high drama of their World Series appearances from 1962 to 1972 and their pivotal games, Michael Leahy explores these men’s interpersonal relationships and illuminates the triumphs, agonies, and challenges each faced individually.Leahy places these men’s lives within the political and social maelstrom that was the era when the conformity of the 1950s gave way to demands for equality and rights. Increasingly frustrated over a lack of real bargaining power and an iron-fisted management who occasionally meddled in their personal affairs, many players shared an uneasy relationship with the team’s front office. This contention mirrored the discord and uncertainty generated by myriad changes rocking the nation: the civil rights movement, political assassinations, and growing hostility to the escalation of the Vietnam War. While the nation around them changed, these players each experienced a personal and professional metamorphosis that would alter public perceptions and their own.Comprehensive and artfully crafted, The Last Innocents is an evocative and riveting portrait of a pivotal era in baseball and modern America.

    Instead, "Baseball Prospectus 2016" contains significant improvements along with the usual key stat categories, player predictions and insider-level commentary that readers expect from Baseball Prospectus annual guide."Baseball Prospectus 2016" once again provides fantasy players and insiders alike with prescient PECOTA projections, which "Sports Illustrated" has called perhaps the game s most accurate projection model. Still, stats are just numbers if you don t see the larger context, and Baseball Prospectus brings together an elite team of analysts to provide the definitive look at all thirty teams their players, their prospects and their managers to explain away flukes, hot streaks, injury-tainted numbers and park effects.Nearly every major-league team has sought the advice of current or former Prospectus analysts, and readers of "Baseball Prospectus" 2016 will understand what all those insiders have been raving about.In a book that sports personality Ken Tremendous calls The tip of the nerd spear, the team at Baseball Prospectus is proud to bring the following improvements to the 2016 Annual:Two full years of projections PECOTA lines for 2016 and 2017Historical Peak MPH added for major-league pitchersDeserved Run Average (DRA) added for major-league pitcherscFIP added for major-league and minor-league pitchersPitcher WARP redesigned, utilizing DRA and cFIP for all pitchersRevised cFIP-driven PECOTA pitching projectionsCatcher-specific defensive stats for all catchers Double-A and aboveOutfield assists and catcher defense integrated in FRAA and WARPBallpark schematic and wall height study for every stadiumHit List, finance, and farm system ranking graphs for each teamEvery organization s key front office personnel and Baseball Prospectus alumni identified"

    It's a sport that shows us what a human being might be capable of, with extreme dedication--whether we're eating hot dogs in the stands, waiting out a rain delay in our living rooms, or practising the lost art of catching a stray radio signal from an out-of-market broadcast.From learning about America through ball diamond visits to the most famous triple play that never happened on Canadian soil, Forbes invites us to witness the adult conversing with the O Pee-Chee baseball cards of his youth. Tender, insightful, and with the slow heartbreak familiar to anyone who's cheered on a losing team, The Utility of Boredom tells us a thing or two about the sport, and how a seemingly trivial game might help us make sense of our messy lives.

    Baseball's hottest playboy.He's cocky. Rude. Arrogant.And too damn sexy.From the moment he strutted into my diner, he's had his baby blues set on me.He doesn't take no for an answer... But everything about him just rubs me the wrong way.He's too good looking, and too damn charming.And he thinks he can spit a good game.But I'm not one of his adoring fan girls, and I'm not that easy.I know his kind, and I've been burned before.I've promised myself I won't make that mistake twice...Or will I?

    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.

     From the novel, Wishbone, we have Reflection, continuing with the lives of Chelsea Hodges and Derek Huntington in book two from the Game On trilogy. When her passionate, white-hot, no strings attached relationship turns serious, Chelsea’s tragic past self-sabotages her future, propelling Derek on a voyage of discovery to win her back. With her spiral of emotions dragging her even deeper than before, will Derek make it to Chelsea in time before it’s too late?

    Author Cory McCartney includes stories about Hank Aaron, Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Bobby Cox, and so many others.Recall the harrowing experience of Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium catching fire on July 21, 1993, overshadowing the debut of Fred McGriff, and read all about Sid Bream's slide and the worst-to-first season of 1991.From the run of 14 consecutive division titles and the 1995 World Series title, to Kent Mercker's 1994 no-hitter; from the arrival of the Baby Braves in Brian McCann, Jeff Francoeur, and others, to the 2014 Hall of Fame induction of Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and Bobby Cox, the on and off the field stories are all here.This is the perfect addition to a Braves fan’s shelf!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.

    Buzzie. “Sweet Matt.” “Davvy.” Marvin. “Mac.” Juan. Jimmie Reese. Gibby & Torre. “Moff.” Keith. “Onti.” “Ras.” Pete. “Simba” & Geno, among many others along for the ride. Featuring a foreword by popular 70's baseball historian Dan Epstein and flavored by music of the era. If you love the narrative structure of cable dramas like Mad Men and House of Cards, then you will adore this rich, period love story between a man and his profession.

    They were considered years away from legitimate contention. They were derided and disregarded as a matter of course. But in 2015 the New York Mets changed their course and changed their story. The result was the best kind of amazin’. Against all expectations, these Mets surged from the starting gate, hung tough when adversity threatened to overwhelm their budding chances, and fortified themselves for a stretch drive few could have foreseen. In short order, they proceeded to capture a division title, raise a pennant, and lay claim to the heart of their city.With an unforgettable cast of characters including Matt Harvey, David Wright, Jacob deGrom, Yoenis Cespedes, and Daniel Murphy, the tale of the 2015 National League champion New York Mets is told for the ages in Amazin’ Again. Author Greg Prince—cocreator of Faith and Fear in Flushing, the blog that has distilled the heart and soul of Mets fandom for more than a decade—traces the trajectory of this championship season, from its roots in a long-ago amateur draft to its climax within the cauldron of Citi Field’s first World Series. In between, Prince re-creates the emotions of a year that culminated in the Mets making New York their kind of town once again.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.

    A half-century later, they're still trying to make sense of what they saw.Carrying to the plate baseball's heaviest and loudest bat as well as the burden of being the club's first African American superstar, Allen found both hits and controversy with ease and regularity as he established himself as the premier individualist in a game that prided itself on conformity. As one of his managers observed, I believe God Almighty hisself would have trouble handling Richie Allen. A brutal pregame fight with teammate Frank Thomas, a dogged determination to be compensated on par with the game's elite, an insistence on living life on his own terms and not management's: what did it all mean? Journalists and fans alike took sides with ferocity, and they take sides still.Despite talent that earned him Rookie of the Year and MVP honors as well as a reputation as one of his era's most feared power hitters, many remember Allen as one of the game's most destructive and divisive forces, while supporters insist that he is the best player not in the Hall of Fame. God Almighty Hisself: The Life and Legacy of Dick Allen explains why.Mitchell Nathanson presents Allen's life against the backdrop of organized baseball's continuing desegregation process. Drawing out the larger generational and business shifts in the game, he shows how Allen's career exposed not only the racial double standard that had become entrenched in the wake of the game's integration a generation earlier but also the forces that were bent on preserving the status quo. In the process, God Almighty Hisself unveils the strange and maddening career of a man who somehow managed to fulfill and frustrate expectations all at once.

    No accolade means more to players, fans or the media. No other award can claim a voting history so rich in alleged snubs, grudges, conspiracies and incompetence. Examining the most controversial ballots, this book attempts to settle some arguments and answer some compelling questions: Which of the so-called “worst MVPs” holds up to modern statistical analysis? Who cast the single worst vote in MVP history? Does racial bias influence the vote? Who really deserved the award in a given year?

    Includes annual Fielding Bible Awards, insightful essays, and lots of statistical analysis you won't find anywhere else. Lifetime stats (including playoff stats) for every player in the major leagues (plus a few others) through the end of the regular 2016 season.

    Dorfman that highlights the crucial mental components involved in hitting a baseball and playing the game, components that are as important, if not more so, than the intense physical regimen of an athlete...".helpful to hitters in little leagues or in the big leagues. The information is clear and to the point..." -- Charles Johnson, former catcher, Florida Marlins

    ''Town Ball Parks of Minnesota'' takes the reader on a tour of the state's most revered ballparks, ranging from a multi-million dollar metro complex to a rural field at the end of a dirt road--arguably the most remote ballpark in the state.

    Through a masterfully-written narrative and unforgettable images explore the long history of the Cubs and the team’s emotional intersection with America and larger cultural and political forces. And see how this year’s league-leading team lifted sports' most enduring curse in dramatic and thrilling fashion.Plus: Exclusive book adaptation from George F. Will on Wrigley Field.

    Vin Scully called the tenth-inning groundball in Game Six of the 1986 World Series--Mets versus Red Sox--that sealed a comeback, fueled a curse, and turned a batting champion into a scapegoat. But getting there was a long, hard slog with plenty of heartache. After being knocked out of contention the previous two seasons, the Mets blasted through the National League that year. They won blowouts, nailbiters, fights, and a 14-inning game that ended with one pitcher on the mound, another in right field, and an All-Star catcher playing third base. Matt Silverman covers famous baseball players including: Ron Darling, Dwight Gooden, Keith Hernandez, Darryl Strawberry and more. Going beyond the partying and excess, Silverman recounts in this book, step by step, the team's meteoric rise in 1986, when they captured their first division title in over a decade, shattered the franchise record, and then won it all.

    The book fleshes out the colorful characters, compelling narratives and statistical oddities from baseball's 294 no-hit efforts—as well as the many near misses that are also part of the national pastime's storied history.Painstaking research and personal interviews have allowed the author to pack great detail into a fun, fast-paced take on the game, revealing the stories of the no-hitter thrown by a pitcher on acid, the hitters most adept at breaking up no-hitters and other gems thrown by guys with nicknames of Bumpus, Bobo, Cannonball and Nixey. Even the game's greatest slugger is credited with a partial no-hitter, and all he did was throw a punch! Chapters detailing the best no-hitters of all time are interspersed with "Did You Know?" lists that include no-hitters by team, city and day of the week, no-hitters of the Negro Leagues, catchers who caught the most no-nos and the best pitchers not to throw a no-hitter.

    Led by John Montgomery Ward, the Players League was a star-studded group that included most of the best players of the National League, who bolted not only to gain control of their wages but also to share ownership of the teams. Lasting only a year, the league impacted both the professional sports and the labor politics of athletes and nonathletes alike. The Great Baseball Revolt is a historic overview of the rise and fall of the Players League, which fielded teams in Boston, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Though it marketed itself as a working-class league, the players were underfunded and had to turn to wealthy capitalists for much of their startup costs, including the new ballparks. It was in this context that the league intersected with the organized labor movement, and in many ways challenged by organized labor to be by and for the people. In its only season, the Players League outdrew the National League in fan attendance. But when the National League overinflated its numbers and profits, the Players League backers pulled out. The Great Baseball Revolt brings to life a compelling cast of characters and a mostly forgotten but important time in professional sports when labor politics affected both athletes and nonathletes.Purchase the audio edition.

    From the legend of Babe Ruth's called shot to Kerry Wood's dominant twenty-strikeout performance, great games, notable names and a multitude of memorable moments have played out at Clark and Addison to create baseball's most recognizable relationship: the Cubs and Wrigley Field. The authors of Wrigley Field: 100 Stories for 100 Years return to celebrate this grand anniversary with Cubs 100: A Century at Wrigley, a new collection of baseball tales, including highlights from the exciting 2015 season, from storytellers such as Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson, Len Kasper and many others who know the symbiotic connection between the historic franchise and its iconic home.

    Welcoming the break from her ex-fiancé, she takes comfort in the much needed alone time, but her sexy new neighbor, Jed Silver, has her rethinking the single life. She’s shocked when she discovers that he’s the newest member of the Kingston Crushers and the town's latest obsession. As baseball fever overtakes the town these two heat up the sheets, making for one explosive summer, until Frankie's past catches up with her. JAB by A.K. Layton Sabrina Alenin is a self-assured young woman who has a clear plan for her future. As a YouTube blogger who is gaining momentum, she needs the right type of man to help her create her own empire. A wealthy, older man who likes hot blondes. Mixed martial arts fighter Silvio Almeida doesn’t fit the bill, no matter how infuriatingly irresistible she finds him. In training for an upcoming fight, women aren't on Silvio's radar. But their paths keeps crossing, and in the end they will both have to discover if the best future is the one unplanned. SOCCER MUM by Lisa Knight When Maggie's son joins a soccer team she hopes it will be an opportunity to meet new people and move forward. A broken marriage and returning home to live with her parents wasn't quite how she'd envisioned her thirties. Agreeing to play soccer herself as part of the parents' team, Maggie requires a little extra coaching. Leo is happy to assist, and Maggie becomes captivated by the former professional player. But as her ex-husband pressures her to re-kindle their relationship, Maggie's guilt reaches overdrive. How can she consider a future with Leo when there's a chance of putting her family back together? SECOND TIME AROUND by Olivia Starke Kelly has dedicated her life to caring for the horses at her off-track Thoroughbred rescue. When she's forced to sell part of her land to cover expenses, she's shocked by who buys it—her high school sweetheart, Dustin. Seeing him brings back memories of the most painful time of her life. Not only had she lost the man she thought she would spend forever with, she also lost her twin brother. And for years she held Dustin responsible for his death. Kelly and Dustin start to rekindle the love they once shared, but that may come to screeching halt when she learns his secret. A secret that could drive her away forever. ALL YOU WANTED by Lisa Huffman Football superstar Wade McKinney is crushed when he's cut from the team. In order to make a comeback, he needs to focus on becoming the best player he can be. Leaving town for a fresh start, he takes a job as a sports reporter at a TV station. With no room in his life for anything else, Wade denies his attraction to co-anchor Rebecca Ryan. Wade only sees a future in football and Rebecca, who is busy trying to help her family deal with a tragedy, doesn’t have time for a relationship. But when fate steps in, Wade and Rebecca just might find something they weren't looking for in each other. LOVE IN VICTORY LANE by CJ Bower Racing is all Catalina has ever wanted to do. She's spent years climbing the ranks and paying her dues. Now she has finally made it to the highest level in NASCAR and is on the eve of starting her rookie season. Her new crew chief, Chad, is incredible. He’s just the guy to help her reach her goal. However, she hits a speed bump when the sizzling chemistry between them carries over to their personal lives, which could damage both of their careers.

    Whether you're a die-hard booster from the days of the Colt .45’s or a new supporter of Dallas Keuchel and Jose Altuve, these are the 100 things all fans need to know and do in their lifetime. It contains every essential piece of Astros knowledge and trivia, 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.

    Whether you're a die-hard booster from the days of the Colt .45's or a new supporter of Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, these are the 100 things all fans need to know and do in their lifetime. It contains every essential piece of Astros knowledge and trivia, 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. This World Series edition has been updated to include the team's 2017 championship season as well as a new generation of stars, including Altuve, Correa, George Springer, Dallas Keuchel, Justin Verlander, and more.

    

      Considered by Ty Cobb as “the finest natural hitter in the history of the game,” “Shoeless Joe” Jackson is ranked with the greatest players to ever step onto a baseball diamond. With his awesome talent for every aspect of baseball, the man from Pickens County, South Carolina, was destined to become one of the greatest players in the sport’s history . . . until the “Black Sox” scandal of 1919, in which Jackson and his teammates were accused of taking money to throw the World Series.   And while many have sympathized with Jackson’s ban from baseball, not much is truly known about the quiet slugger. Whether he participated in the throwing of the World Series or not, he is still considered one of the game’s best, and many have fought for his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This “engaging biography of a different era in Chicago baseball history” tells the story of the incredible life of Joseph Jefferson Jackson (Illinois Times).   Following his journey from a mill boy to a baseball icon, author Tim Hornbaker depicts the rise and fall of “Shoeless Joe,” offering an insider’s view of baseball’s Deadball Era—including Jackson’s personal thoughts on the “Black Sox” scandal, which has never been covered before.

    Herb Crehan’s intimate and detailed account of that wonderful season could not have been written without the author’s unparalleled access to the 1967 players during more than 20 years as a regular contributor to Red Sox Magazine, the team’s official program. In all, Crehan has conducted in-depth interviews with 20 members of the Impossible Dream team, plus Dick Williams and coach Bobby Doerr. He was also able to sit with Billy and Richie Conigliaro to gather their memories of their brother Tony C. The result is 14 chapters of classic Red Sox history, each including an interview and profile of a key member of the team, supplemented by the description of a critical game from 1967 that featured the player. Interspersed through the chapters is a running account of the season as it progressed, with snapshots of player stats and team standings from what may have been the most exciting pennant race of all time. Learn fresh new details about the Impossible Dream season. Get inside • Young (but already crusty) Dick Williams’ Spring Training culture change • Bill Rohr’s near no-hitter in his first big league game in April • The 10,000 fans (including the author) who mobbed Logan Airport to greet the team in July • The tragic beaning in August of star right fielder Tony Conigliaro • The superhuman efforts of Carl Yastrzemski that led to a pennant and a Triple Crown • Winning the pennant on the last day of the season, and taking the mighty Cardinals to 7 games in the World Series The book also includes a heart-felt foreword by Cy Young winner, World Series star, and New England local hero Jim Lonborg. Long-time Red Sox fans will love reliving the once-in-a-lifetime season. Younger fans will enjoy learning about the beginnings of Red Sox Nation. And all fans will appreciate the scholarship and lively writing on a magical team from a beloved era of baseball history.

     Jeff Sullivan Eno Sarris Mike Petriello Rob Arthur Emma Baccellieri Corinne Landrey Carson Cistulli Sara Novic August Fagerstrom Joon Lee ...and many other great writers. Topics include complete coverage of the 2016 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 2017, you'll discover: A new defensive metric, debuting within these pages Why pitch framing was doomed from the start Why baseball mud is chaos The widely-forgotten trophy known as The Sultan of Swat Award or Babe Ruth Crown Scott Boras’ claims in The Arm are all bark and no bite The effect of the marine layer on fly balls How much Hope & Faith there is in MLB Analysis of catcher arm strength using previously unreleased Statcast data The 1957 Kansas City Athletics, one of the most unique teams in history 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."

    Her world destroyed. He can save and heal her... Only if she dares. Trying to rebuild her life, seventeen-year-old Lacey Robinson moves from one coast to the other to start over. But the pain and devastation of her past can't be left behind-not after a loss like that. Starting over is always easier said than done... When Lacey meets the brooding, sexy Kade Maxwell, he just might have the magic touch that awakens her feminine side, and a kiss that erases her worst nightmares. As Lacey begins to heal, her dreams of playing baseball take a turn for the worse-a chauvinistic team captain has other plans. And when Kade comes face-to-face with a violent rival from his past, Lacey's fears and pain resurface, threatening to destroy what they repaired. Together, they must dare to fight, so they can dare to find a future. Color along to scenes right out of Dare to Kiss.

    Given the level of competition and the expansive length of the season, it is a remarkable accomplishment for a team to make multiple World Series appearances in a short timespan. From the Baltimore Orioles of the 1800s who would go to any length to win--including physically accosting opponents--to the 1934 Cardinals known as the "Gashouse Gang" for their rough tactics and determination, and on to George Steinbrenner's dominant Yankees of the late twentieth century, baseball's greatest teams somehow found a way to win year after year. Spanning three centuries of the game, Baseball's Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them examines twenty-two of baseball's most iconic teams. Each chapter not only chronicles the club's era of supremacy, but also provides an in-depth look at the players who helped make their teams great. Nearly two hundred player profiles are included, featuring such well-known stars as Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, and Pete Rose, as well as players who were perhaps overshadowed by their teammates but were nonetheless vital to their team's reign, such as Pepper Martin, Allie Reynolds, and George Foster. With a concluding chapter that profiles the clubs that were on the cusp of greatness, Baseball's Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them is a fascinating survey of what makes some teams dominate year after year while others get only a small taste of glory before falling to the wayside. Written in a lively style with amusing anecdotes and colorful quotes, this comprehensive book will be of interest to all fans and historians of baseball.

    "Chronicles the media and public's prominent role in baseball's union movements between 1885 and 1981"--

    It's a tale complete with Hall of Famers, has-beens, and never-weres. It includes players who are remembered for something completely different or are now forgotten because baseball has re-written them out of the record books. The forces that would help tear baseball apart and then bring it back together after the Black Sox Scandal are all here, bubbling under the surface as the Giants continue to win game after game. The streak has never been fully looked at or understood until now.

    Numbers Don't Lie: Behind the Biggest Numbers in Yankees History details the numbers every Yankees fan—from the rookie attending his first game at Yankee Stadium to the veteran who recalls Ron Guidry’s days on the mound—should know. Author Mark Simon tells the stories behind the most memorable moments and achievements in Yankees history in this full-color book full of insightful and fun infographics and history.

    Few were surprised. After all, as a high school senior and the top prep pitcher in the country his team won the California state championship, and he was named MVP. He attended USC, where his team won an NCAA title and he was chosen College World Series MVP. During the summers, he played for the elite Alaska Goldpanners college baseball team and again was MVP. Finally, he was chosen in the first round of baseball's draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. A big, strong, handsome, confident and personable slugger, he was to have become the team's first baseman long into the future. However, storm clouds formed. As he drove across the California desert toward home following his first season in the Dodgers organization a gust of wind blew Seinsoth's car over, killing him. A carton of bats emblazoned with his name may have delivered the fatal blow as his car flipped multiple times. This book chronicles the incredible life of Bill Seinsoth, whose death while en route to watch his good friend O.J. Simpson's final preseason football game a week before the running back's NFL debut paved the way for Steve Garvey to become a star first baseman with the Dodgers. The book includes interviews with former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, college coach of the century Rod Dedeaux, and former major leaguers Ron Cey (who was supposed to ride with Seinsoth but who backed out at the last minute), Jim Barr and Bill "Spaceman" Lee. While pure entertainment, this book is important to readers as a road map for overcoming adversity and achieving greatness.

    is a third generation professional baseball player whose career stopped just short of the major leagues. Born Into Baseball is a collection of Jim’s stories about his life in and around the game: • As a boy—meeting star players, being batboy, sitting in the owner’s box • As a prospect—starring in high school, making All-American at USC, being drafted in the third round • In the minors—enduring long bus trips and seedy hotels, climbing the cut-throat pro ball ladder, living and laughing through wild times But even with all the thrills and triumphs, Jim’s path in baseball was far from an easy one. With every open door came great pressure. Every success he enjoyed was followed by injustice or an injury. Jim’s elite status as a Campanis provided many opportunities, but that fame turned to infamy when his grandfather Al, longtime GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers, made his disastrous appearance on Nightline. After that, Jim’s life was never the same. From losing a race to a backwards-running Ken Griffey Jr., to learning the Kangaroo Court fine for a “dick in the spread” infraction, to breaking his wrist the very day he was told he’d be called up to the majors, Jim Campanis’s Jr.’s stories will enlighten, amuse, and inspire all fans who ever wondered what it would be like to be Born Into Baseball.

    Bobby’s dream of being part of the Dodgers comes true in 1947 when he lands the job of bat boy for the team. There’s just one thing Bobby’s not sure about. The Dodgers are planning to do something that has never been done before. An African-American named Jackie Robinson will be playing for Brooklyn. Bobby isn’t sure how to feel about it, especially since members of his family and kids in his neighborhood don’t like the idea. In order to truly become part of the Dodgers, Bobby will have to learn to accept Robinson as a member of the team and learn from his example. This fictional story looks at an important point in baseball history from a young person’s perspective and highlights the time period, including using popular slang from the East Coast in the 1940s.

    Dorfman and Karl Kuehl present their practical and proven strategy for developing the mental skills needed to achieve peak performance at every level of the game.The theory and applications are illustrated by anecdotes and insights from major and minor league players, who at some point discovered the importance of mastering the inner game in order to play baseball as it should be played. Intended for players, managers, coaches, agents, and administrators as well as fans who want a more in-depth look at the makeup of the complete baseball player.

    And that love affair with its minor league teams has endured its share of peaks and valleys, of passionate embraces, periods of frustration and despair and joyous celebrations. This eBook tells the story of men who wore the uniforms of Tulsa’s professional baseball teams and their contributions to the city’s sports history. It also tells the story of opposing players and other men who came through town and left their mark on the sport, for better or for worse. Ten major league teams, from powerhouses such as the Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals to the woeful St. Louis Browns, have placed developmental teams in Tulsa with varying degrees of success. Minor league baseball has connected with fans around the world and ranging in age three to 103 and Tulsa is certainly no exception. In addition to ticket and concession prices that are easier on the wallet and players who don’t carry cocky attitudes often found in other professional sports, minor league baseball teams have always struck gold with plenty of clever and family-friendly promotions. You can read about … How a crude invention by the manager of the 1966 Tulsa Oilers opened up baseball to be played and enjoyed by young boys and girls around the world. How a fan got fed up with constant booing from others nearby and his response was a yell that became a battle cry for Tulsa baseball fans. How a stadium usher at a 1923 home game helped a shorthanded umpiring crew and then become involved in some of major league baseball’s memorable events during the 1930s and 1940s. What happened when future Hall of Fame players and managers visited the Oil Capital of the World for exhibition contests. How the Oilers and their home stadium were involved in one of America’s darkest hours, the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. An exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals played in a college football stadium with softball-like ground rules. Baseball players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame who have connections to Tulsa. Two teams comprised of young teenagers became Babe Ruth League national champions along with the only Tulsa team to reach the Little League World Series. And how the 1966 Oilers lost nine games in a row and, incredibly, strengthened its hold on first place.

    Collecton of essays on baseball.

    You don't see people for a whole year and then here you are, face to face, and trying to make a deal." -from the Foreword by Roland Hemond, who has been attending Winter Meetings since 1952 This collection of articles about the Winter Meetings contains stories and hidden treasures that may help resolve moments of wonder that have periodically crossed your mind as a baseball fan or as a scholar. So much of baseball history happened at the winter meetings. This book provides you with a historical answer to the business of baseball over many of the early years of the minor leagues, the National League, and the American League, and even features a chapter on the Eastern Colored League Winter Meetings. Important philosophies regarding chosen identity, reactions to societal trends, agreements on how to operate, approval of new members, and player transactions emerged from the discussions and decisions made at the winter meetings. This book represents the first of two volumes to cover the history of Baseball's Winter Meetings. Volume One covers the years 1901 through 1957, and Volume Two (to be published in 2017) covers the years 1958 through 2016. The first volume covers the years of twentieth century baseball from the first year there were two "major leagues"-the American League having begun as a major league in 1901-and running through the final year before expansion to the West Coast. The second volume brings coverage of the Winter Meetings through the 2016 gathering in San Diego. Volume One comprises the collective work of a team of 38 SABR researchers and editors. The overall project was initiated by SABR's Business of Baseball Committee, the brainchild of editor Steve Weingarden. Volume Two will comprise the work of a number of the same authors and editors, but more than two dozen others. All in all, well over 60 SABR members will have contributed to this effort, including Abigail Miskowiec, Aimee Gonzalez, Andy Bokser, Bill Felber, Bill Nowlin, Bob LeMoine, Chris Jones, Christopher Matthews, Dale Voiss, Dennis Pajot, Ely Sussman, Eric Frost, Frederick C. Bush, Gary Levy, Gregory H. Wolf, Jacob Pomrenke, Jason C. Long, Jeremy Green, Jerry Nechal, Jim Howlenhaus, Jim Overmyer, Joe Marren, Marshall Adesman, Mike Lynch, Nick Klopsis, Nick Waddell, Paul Hensler, R.J. Lesch, Rich Bogovich, Roland Hemond, Silvio Sansano, Stephen R. Keeney, Steve Weingarden, Steven Bryant, Ted Leavengood, Travis Stern, and Zak Schmoll.

    

    The 16-article collection traces the arc of the Cubs’ groundbreaking year, from their spring training in Arizona all the way to their rousing Game Seven victory against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Through interviews with players, fans, team manager Joe Maddon and other key figures, as well as in-depth reporting of the games as they happened, Sullivan details how the Cubs—once deemed “the lovable losers”—overcame the odds to end the longest championship drought in sports history. The Weight allows Chicago fans to relive the 2016 season from start to incredible finish—a dream that was 108 years in the making.

    The Right Pitch Colie Adger is trying to make it in the big leagues as an athletic trainer. Working in a man's world isn't easy. Colie must figure out how to make the best decisions for all the men in her life—both on and off the field. As good as she is at making decisions for others, can Colie figure out her own heart and hit a homerun off the right pitch? Fear of Striking Out Shortstop Tate James is less than excited about his trade to the trendy City of Angels. That is until he crosses paths with beautiful Mia Tomko. She lets him know that not all L.A. women are just after fame and fortune. When someone from both of their pasts arrives, will it tear them apart or make them closer? Another at Bat Pitcher Jace Richards had it all. Fame, status, money, and the perfect girl but it wasn't enough. Laurel Darbis is the mom to ten-year-old Grey who is about to start baseball. All of the parents are thrilled when the new coach arrives, everyone except Laurel. A Diamond is Forever Pitcher Benny Martinez and his longtime girlfriend Isabel Soltero are afraid that history will repeat itself. With Benny on the road, Isabel is doing her best to be both the mother and the father to their teenage son. Throughout Benny’s travels, he watches his fellow ball players, Grant Adamson, Tate James, and Jace Richards interact with their family and he soon realizes what he’s missing. It’s time Benny makes a decision which comes first—his family or his career?

    It was a Texas-sized vision of the future, an unthinkable feat of engineering with premium luxury suites, theater-style seating, and the first animated scoreboard. Yet there were memorable problems such as outfielders’ inability to see fly balls and failed attempts to grow natural grass—which ultimately led to the development of Astroturf. The Astrodome nonetheless changed the way people viewed sports, putting casual fans at the forefront of a user-experience approach that soon became the standard in all American sports.  The Eighth Wonder of the World tears back the facade and details the Astrodome’s role in transforming Houston as a city while also chronicling the building’s pivotal fifty years in existence and the ongoing debate about its preservation.

    This coffee-table book features many of the most historically significant uniforms, jackets, hats, as well as other treasured baseball collectibles that tell us as much about the history and soul of America as they do about the game and the players.Some of the extraordinary highlights featured in this book include: Babe Ruth's road jersey from his first season with the New York Yankees (1920), the sole surviving uniform from the infamous 1919 World Series, Joe DiMaggio's rookie uniform from 1936, the Boston Red Sox road uniform Ted Williams wore during his epic 1941 season, Jackie Robinson's Brooklyn Dodgers home jersey from the 1952 season, Bill Mazeroski's Pittsburgh Pirates home uniform worn to hit the game-winning home run in game 7 of the 1960 World Series, and a visual feast of rare uniform styles.Each of the 68 entries includes sumptuous photography of the uniform and associated memorabilia, as well as a poignant and lively narrative highlighting its significance. The book also features a first-of-its-kind illustrated compendium with elaborate definitions of relevant terms that every baseball fan and collector needs to know, ranging from the All Star Game Uniform to the Zig-Zag Stitch. This book is an absolute must-have for anyone who has ever loved the game of baseball.

    Award-winning baseball historian Glenn Stout reveals brand-new information about Babe and the unique political situation surrounding his sale, including:-Prohibition and the lifting of Blue Laws in New York affected Yankees owner and beer baron Jacob Ruppert-Previously unexplored documents reveal that the mortgage of Fenway Park did not factor into the Ruth sale- Ruth's disruptive influence on the Red Sox in 1918 and 1919, including sabermetrics showing his negative impact on the team as he went from pitcher to outfielder.Winner of the 2017 Larry Ritter Award by the Society for American Baseball Research as best book of the Deadball EraThe Selling of the Babe is the first book to focus on the ramifications of the sale and captures the central moment of Ruth's evolution from player to icon, and will appeal to fans of The Kid and Pinstripe Empire. Babe's sale to New York and the subsequent selling of Ruth to America led baseball from the Deadball Era and sparked a new era in the game, one revolved around the long ball and one man, The Babe.

    When former police detective David Kenmuir tries to learn why, he becomes trapped in a collision between the make-believe world of fantasy baseball leagues and the very real world of crime-for-hire. In order to escape from it, he must end it--and manage to stay alive in the midst of lethal conflicts between a mob boss and his maverick subordinate, and between himself and a nemesis from his past. It won't be easy.

    But his tenure as commissioner carried the game through its most pivotal changes--television, continued integration, West Coast expansion and labor unrest. During those 14 years--and his 17 prior years as National League president--he witnessed baseball history from the perspective of a man who started his career as a sportswriter. This biography of Frick, whose approach to his work sparked lively debate about the commissioner's role, provides a detailed narrative of his career and the events and characters of mid-20th century baseball.

    The text explains the common statistics used to judge players and teams, along with the math and history behind those stats.

    They will also learn about baseball history and meet some of its most legendary players.

    The facts presented are grouped into categories that include positions, the early years, and championship teams. Entertaining and educational, the book is ideal for both solitary instruction and group game play.

    He is known and loved throughout the world. In this book, Tom Burgoyne and Evan Marcus demonstrate how to use the power of love to transform people and the organizations they lead.Through the eyes of the Phanatic and with 30 years of working with organizations, Pheel the Love! will radically change your life, your work and your organization.You Will:"Uncover the DNA of Love TMDiscover 7 powerful principles that create/sustain loveLearn the LOVE-15 TMBurgoyne and Marcus teach us how the power of love will unleash the fullest potential of ourselves, the people we work with and the organizations we lead.You will see how love inspires each of us to be our highest and best selves, and get an enjoyable backstage tour into the life of the Worlds #1 mascot.Your life will be changed forever!

    But nothing hypes up a crowd like a home run, a round tripper, a big bomb . . . the long ball! Hitting the ball out of the park is one of the greatest feats in baseball, and doing so in the clutch can make an average player a hero overnight.In Dingers, authors Joshua Shifrin and Tom Shea break down the 101 most memorable home runs in baseball history, telling their stories and how they affected the game of baseball. Whether it’s “The Shot Heard ’Round the World” or Hank Aaron’s 715th blast, readers will get an inside scoop on some of the most famous moments that now live in baseball lore.Whether you were there when Reggie Jackson hit three-straight home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series, watched Joe Carter’s 1993 World Series-winning home run live, or have seen highlights from Bill Mazeroski’s memorable shot in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, Dingers is for baseball fans young and old. Relive the moments you cherish to the ones you’ve only heard tales about.

    Nathan Corzine rescues the story of baseball's relationship with drugs from the sepia-toned tyranny of such myths. In Team Chemistry , he reveals a game splashed with spilled whiskey and tobacco stains from the day the first pitch was thrown. Indeed, throughout the game's history, stars and scrubs alike partook of a pharmacopeia that helped them stay on the field and cope off of it:In 1889, Pud Galvin tried a testosterone-derived "elixir" to help him pile up some of his 646 complete games.Sandy Koufax needed Codeine and an anti-inflammatory used on horses to pitch through his late-career elbow woes.Players returning from World War II mainstreamed the use of the amphetamines they had used as servicemen.Vida Blue invited teammates to cocaine parties, Tim Raines used it to stay awake on the bench, and Will McEnaney snorted it between innings.Corzine also ventures outside the lines to show how authorities handled--or failed to handle--drug and alcohol problems, and how those problems both shaped and scarred the game. The result is an eye-opening look at what baseball's relationship with substances legal and otherwise tells us about culture, society, and masculinity in America.

    They had begun the decade as the best team in all of baseball, but over the following eight years, their owner died, the great Tris Speaker retired in the face of a looming scandal, and the franchise was in terrible shape. Seeing opportunity in the upheaval, Cleveland real estate mogul Alva Bradley purchased the ball club in 1927, infused it with cash, and filled its roster with star players such as Bob Feller, Earl Averill, and Hal Trosky. He aligned himself with civic leaders to push for a gigantic new stadium that—along with the team that played in it—would be the talk of the baseball world.Then came the stock market crash of 1929. Municipal Stadium was built, despite the collapse of the industrial economy in Rust Belt cities, but the crowds did not follow. Always the shrewd businessman, Bradley had engineered a lease agreement with the city of Cleveland that included an out clause, and he exercised that option after the 1934 season, leaving the 80,000-seat, multimillion-dollar stadium without a tenant.In No Money, No Beer, No Pennants, Scott H. Longert gives us a lively history of the ups and downs of a legendary team and its iconic players as they persevered through internal unrest and the turmoil of the Great Depression, pursuing a pennant that didn’t come until 1948. Illustrated with period photographs and filled with anecdotes of the great players, this book will delight fans of baseball and fans of Cleveland.

    A tale of unsung heroes and forgotten stars who battled discrimination and other hardships to play the game they loved, told by the son of one such legend of Minnesota black baseball.

    His path was also made possible by the contributions of the several friends and associates along the way. His induction into The Baltimore Oriole's Hall of Fame was the culmination of his career, all while acknowledging that God was in control at all times.The forward is written by former Major League Baseball Commissioner, Peter Ueberroth, with an Introduction written by Roland Hemond, voted Major League Executive of the Year for three different years.The book contains testimonies from well known former Major League players, Bobby Grich, Doug DeCinces, Joe Rudi and others. These, and others were players who I partnered with in their developing their skills.He tells of God's Intervention and prayers that were answered in the process of decisions being made.