Best of
Baseball

2019

The MVP Machine: How Baseball's New Nonconformists Are Using Data to Build Better Players


Ben Lindbergh - 2019
    As bestselling authors Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik reveal in The MVP Machine, the Moneyball era is over. Fifteen years after Michael Lewis brought the Oakland Athletics' groundbreaking team-building strategies to light, every front office takes a data-driven approach to evaluating players, and the league's smarter teams no longer have a huge advantage in valuing past performance.Lindbergh and Sawchik's behind-the-scenes reporting reveals:How the 2017 Astros and 2018 Red Sox used cutting-edge technology to win the World SeriesHow undersized afterthoughts José Altuve and Mookie Betts became big sluggers and MVPsHow polarizing pitcher Trevor Bauer made himself a Cy Young contenderHow new analytical tools have overturned traditional pitching and hitting techniquesHow a wave of young talent is making MLB both better than ever and arguably worse to watchInstead of out-drafting, out-signing, and out-trading their rivals, baseball's best minds have turned to out-developing opponents, gaining greater edges than ever by perfecting prospects and eking extra runs out of older athletes who were once written off. Lindbergh and Sawchik take us inside the transformation of former fringe hitters into home-run kings, show how washed-up pitchers have emerged as aces, and document how coaching and scouting are being turned upside down. The MVP Machine charts the future of a sport and offers a lesson that goes beyond baseball: Success stems not from focusing on finished products, but from making the most of untapped potential.

Ballpark: Baseball in the American City


Paul Goldberger - 2019
    In the changing locations and architecture of our ballparks, Goldberger reveals the manifestations of a changing society: the earliest ballparks evoked Victorian society in the accommodations--bleachers for the riffraff, grandstands for the middle-class; the "concrete donuts" of the 1950s and 60s made plain television's grip on the public's attention and the new need for stadiums that could also accommodate football; and more recent ballparks, like Baltimore's Camden Yards, signal a new way forward for stadium design and for baseball's role in urban development. Throughout, Goldberger shows us the ways in which baseball's history--its concurrent rise with the railway system, the origins of the American and National Leagues, the first stolen base--is clued into the important architectural, material, engineering, and site details and requirements that shaped our most beloved stadiums. A fascinating, exuberant ode to the Edens at the heart of our cities--where dreams are as limitless as the outfields.

Homegrown: How the Red Sox Built a Champion from the Ground Up


Alex Speier - 2019
    The best team in Major League Baseball-indeed, one of the best teams ever-the Sox won 108 regular season games and then romped through the postseason, going 11-3 against the three next-strongest teams baseball had to offer.As Boston Globe baseball reporter Alex Speier reveals, the Sox' success wasn't a fluke-nor was it guaranteed. It was the result of careful, patient planning and shrewd decision-making that allowed the Boston to develop a golden generation of prospects-and then build upon that talented core to assemble a formidable champion. Speier has covered the key players-Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Jackie Bradley, Matt Barnes, and many others-since the beginning of their professional careers, as they rose through the minor leagues and ultimately became the heart of this historic championship squad. Drawing upon hundreds of interviews and years of reporting, Homegrown is the definitive look at the construction and ascendency of an extraordinary team.It is a story that offers startling insights for baseball fans of any team, and anyone looking for the secret to building a successful organization. Why do many highly touted prospects fail, while others rise out of obscurity to become transcendent? How can franchises help young players reach their full potential? And why, when teams invest tens of millions of dollars in young talent, are they so poor at providing them with a framework to thrive?Illustrated with eight pages of color photographs, Homegrown is the fascinating inside account of one of the greatest baseball teams ever, and a meditation on how to build a winner.

Chumps to Champs: How the Worst Yankee Teams in History Became the Torre-Era Dynasty


Bill Pennington - 2019
    The untold story of the time when the New York Yankees were a laughingstock—and how out of that abyss emerged the modern Yankees dynasty, one of the greatest in all of sports

Oscar Charleston: The Life and Legend of Baseball's Greatest Forgotten Player


Jeremy Beer - 2019
    During his prime he became a legend in Cuba and one of Black America’s most popular figures. Yet even among serious sports fans, Oscar Charleston is virtually unknown today. In a long career spanning from 1915 to 1954, Charleston played against, managed, befriended, and occasionally fought men such as Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Jesse Owens, Roy Campanella, and Branch Rickey. He displayed tremendous power, speed, and defensive instincts along with a fierce intelligence and commitment to his craft. Charleston’s competitive fire sometimes brought him trouble, but more often it led to victories, championships, and profound respect. While Charleston never played in the Major Leagues, he was a trailblazer who became the first Black man to work as a scout for a Major League team when Branch Rickey hired him to evaluate players for the Dodgers in the 1940s. From the mid‑1920s on, he was a player‑manager for several clubs. In 1932 he joined the Pittsburgh Crawfords and would manage the club many consider the finest Negro League team of all time, featuring five future Hall of Famers, including himself, Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson, and Satchel Paige. Charleston’s combined record as a player, manager, and scout makes him the most accomplished figure in Black baseball history. His mastery of the quintessentially American sport under the conditions of segregation revealed what was possible for Black achievement, bringing hope to millions. Oscar Charleston introduces readers to one of America’s greatest and most fascinating athletes.

K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches


Tyler Kepner - 2019
    We can grip it and hold it so many different ways, and even the slightest calibration can turn an ordinary pitch into a weapon to thwart the greatest hitters in the world. Each pitch has its own history, evolving through the decades as the masters pass it down to the next generation. From the earliest days of the game, when Candy Cummings dreamed up the curveball while flinging clamshells on a Brooklyn beach, pitchers have never stopped innovating.In K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches, Tyler Kepner traces the colorful stories and fascinating folklore behind the ten major pitches. Each chapter highlights a different pitch, from the blazing fastball to the fluttering knuckleball to the slippery spitball. Infusing every page with infectious passion for the game, Kepner brings readers inside the minds of combatants sixty feet, six inches apart.Filled with priceless insights from many of the best pitchers in baseball history--from Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, and Nolan Ryan to Greg Maddux, Mariano Rivera, and Clayton Kershaw--K will be the definitive book on pitching and join such works as The Glory of Their Times and Moneyball as a classic of the genre.

They Bled Blue: Fernandomania, Strike-Season Mayhem, and the Weirdest Championship Baseball Had Ever Seen: The 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers


Jason Turbow - 2019
    That it culminated in an unlikely World Series win—during a campaign split by the longest player strike in baseball history—is not even the most interesting thing about this team. The Dodgers were led by the garrulous Tommy Lasorda—part manager, part cheerleader—who unyieldingly proclaimed devotion to the franchise through monologues about bleeding Dodger blue and worshiping the “Big Dodger in the Sky,” and whose office hosted a regular stream of Hollywood celebrities. Steve Garvey, the All-American, All-Star first baseman, had anchored the most durable infield in major league history, and, along with Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey, was glaringly aware that 1981 would represent the end of their run together. The season’s real story, however, was one that nobody expected at the outset: a chubby lefthander nearly straight out of Mexico, twenty years old with a wild delivery and a screwball as his flippin’ out pitch. The Dodgers had been trying for decades to find a Hispanic star to activate the local Mexican population; Fernando Valenzuela was the first to succeed, and it didn’t take long for Fernandomania to sweep far beyond the boundaries of Chavez Ravine.They Bled Blue is the rollicking yarn of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ crazy 1981 season.

Mission 27


Mark Feinsand - 2019
    With the previous season's failed playoff bid still as fresh as the paint job on the new Yankee Stadium, a 27th championship flag represented both the floor and the ceiling in the eyes of a squad. It was the last title for the "Core Four"—Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte—who would each retire over the course of the next five years. It would be the lone title for Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett, and Nick Swisher, each of whom saw memorable peaks and valleys during their time in the Bronx. For CC Sabathia and Brett Gardner, it was their first championship, though the veterans were still in pinstripes as the latest generation of Yankees arrived for what they hope will be the next dynasty. Mission 27 is a thoroughly reported examination of an unforgettable season, packed with interviews with the full cast of key players, team executives, broadcasters, and more.

Edgar: An Autobiography


Edgar Martinez - 2019
    At last, his path is destined for one last stop: the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.Long before he cemented his status as one of the finest players of his generation, Martinez honed his batting skills by hitting rocks in his backyard and swinging for hours at individual raindrops during storms. Loyal and strong-willed from a young age, he made the difficult decision at only 11 to remain behind with his grandparents while his family relocated to New York, attending school and then working multiple jobs until a chance Mariners try-out at age 20 changed everything.In this illuminating, highly personal autobiography, Martinez shares these stories and more with candor, characteristic humility, and surprising wit. Highlights include the memorable 1995 and 2001 seasons, experiences playing with stars like Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr., and Alex Rodriguez, and life after retirement as a family man, social advocate, and Mariners hitting coach. Martinez even offers practical insight into the mental side of baseball and his training regimen, detailing how he taught himself to see the ball better than so many before and after him.Interwoven with Martinez’s own words throughout are those of his teammates, coaches, and contemporaries, contributing a distinctive oral history element to this saga of a remarkable career.

Last Ride of the Iron Horse: How Lou Gehrig Fought ALS to Play One Final Championship Season


Dan Joseph - 2019
    For much of the 1938 season, Gehrig -- dubbed the Iron Horse for his strength and reliability -- struggled with slumps and a mystifying loss of power. Fans booed and sportswriters called for him to be benched. Then, as the Yankees battled for the pennant in August, Lou began pounding home runs like his old self -- a turnaround that in retrospect looks truly miraculous. It may have been a rare case of temporary ALS reversal.Using rare film footage, radio broadcasts, newspapers and interviews, author Dan Joseph chronicles Gehrig's roller coaster of a year. The story begins in Hollywood, where the handsome "Larrupin' Lou" films a Western that would be his only movie. As the year unfolds, he holds out for baseball’s highest salary, battles injuries that would sideline a lesser man, wins his sixth World Series ring, and enters the political arena for the first time, denouncing the rising threat of Nazism.Joseph also answers questions that have long intrigued Gehrig's admirers: When did he sense something was wrong with his body? What were the first signs? How did he adjust? And did he still help the Yankees win the championship, even as his skills declined?1938 would be Gehrig's last hurrah. With his strength fading, he ended his renowned consecutive games streak the following May. A few weeks later, doctors at the Mayo Clinic diagnosed him with ALS. On July 4th, the Yankees retired his number in a ceremony at Yankee Stadium. All along, Gehrig showed remarkable courage and grace, never more so than when he told the stadium crowd, "I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for."

Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond


Eric C. Gray - 2019
    Little did he know, that simple question would soon take on a life of its own. As the question made its way to a surprising collection of incredibly diverse stories and perspectives. Thus, Bases to Bleachers was born.Much more than your average baseball book, the many special and unique stories shared with readers here, whether they're about watching or playing, either at the Major League level or Little League, represent a wide gamut of experiences. Some entail meeting the stars or attending famous games—and some offered are personal, intimate moments involving family connections and the importance of baseball in people's lives.Unlike most baseball books, this is not a biography, or a discussion of a team, or an analysis of a season. Baseball here is a setting in which both astounding feats and some of the most beautifully touching moments in peoples' lives have happened. Whether it's the first game, falling in love in the park, or even a beloved baseball glove that survived World War II, these stories are about more than just baseball. They reflect the joys, triumphs, and disappointments of the human condition, and often illustrate what's truly important in life—those things we hold most dear in our hearts.

Baseball Prospectus 2019


Baseball Prospectus - 2019
    The 2019 edition of The New York Times Bestselling Guide.PLAY BALL! The 24th edition of this industry-leading baseball annual contains all of the important statistics, player predictions and insider-level commentary that readers have come to expect, along with significant improvements to several statistics that were created by, and are exclusive to, Baseball Prospectus, and an expanded focus on international players and teams.Baseball Prospectus 2019 provides fantasy players and insiders alike with prescient PECOTA projections, which The New York Times called “the überforecast of every player’s performance.” With more than 50 Baseball Prospectus alumni currently working for major-league baseball teams, nearly every organization has sought the advice of current or former BP analysts, and readers of Baseball Prospectus 2019 will understand why!

They Said It Couldn't Be Done: The '69 Mets, New York City, and the Most Astounding Season in Baseball History


Wayne Coffey - 2019
    Things scarcely got any better for the ensuing six years--they were baseball's laughingstock, but somehow lovable in their ineptitude, building a fiercely loyal fan base. And then came 1969, a year that brought the lunar landing, Woodstock, nonstop antiwar protests, and the most tumultuous and fractious New York City mayoral race in memory--along with the most improbable season in the annals of Major League Baseball. It concluded on an invigorating autumn afternoon in Queens, when a Minnesota farm boy named Jerry Koosman beat the Baltimore Orioles for the second time in five games, making the Mets champions of the baseball world.     It wasn't merely an upset but an unprecedented, uplifting achievement for the ages. From the ashes of those early scorched-earth seasons, Gil Hodges, a beloved former Brooklyn Dodger, put together a 25-man whole that was vastly more formidable than the sum of its parts. Beyond the top-notch pitching staff headlined by Tom Seaver, Koosman, and Gary Gentry, and the hitting prowess of Cleon Jones, the Mets were mostly comprised of untested kids and lightly regarded veterans. Everywhere you looked on this team, there was a man with a compelling backstory, from Koosman, who never played high school baseball and grew up throwing in a hayloft in subzero temperatures with his brother Orville, to third baseman Ed Charles, an African-American poet with a deep racial conscience whose arrival in the big leagues was delayed almost a decade because of the color of his skin.     In the tradition of The Boys of Winter, his classic bestseller about the 1980 U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, Wayne Coffey tells the story of the '69 Mets as it has never been told before--against the backdrop of the space race, Stonewall, and Vietnam, set in an ever-changing New York City. With dogged reporting and a storyteller's eye for detail, Coffey finds the beating heart of a baseball family. Published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Mets' remarkable transformation from worst to best, They Said It Couldn't Be Done is a spellbinding, feel-good narrative about an improbable triumph by the ultimate underdog.

After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood of the '69 Mets


Art Shamsky - 2019
    When the 1969 season began, fans weren’t expecting much from “the Lovable Losers.” But as the season progressed, the Mets inched closer to first place and then eventually clinched the National League pennant. They were underdogs against the formidable Baltimore Orioles, but beat them in five games to become world champions. No one had predicted it. In fact, fans could hardly believe it happened. Suddenly they were “the Miracle Mets.” Playing right field for the ’69 Mets was Art Shamsky, who had stayed in touch with his former teammates over the years. He hoped to get together with star pitcher Tom Seaver (who would win the Cy Young award as the best pitcher in the league in 1969 and go on to become the first Met elected to the Hall of Fame) but Seaver was ailing and could not travel. So, Shamsky organized a visit to Tom Terrific in California, accompanied by the #2 pitcher, Jerry Koosman, outfielder Ron Swoboda, and shortstop Bud Harrelson. Together they recalled the highlights of that amazing season as they reminisced about what changed the Mets’ fortunes in 1969. With the help of sportswriter Erik Sherman, Shamsky has written After the Miracle for the 1969 Mets. This is a book that every Mets fan—and every baseball fan—must own.

One Base at a Time: How I Survived PTSD and Found My Field of Dreams


David R. Mellor - 2019
    Anchored by a love for his family and the game, he survived incomprehensible catastrophes and PTSD to become a pioneering ballfield artist and head groundskeeper for Fenway Park.” —Buster Olney, ESPNOn July 10, 1981, David Mellor was just a baseball-crazed kid, a star high school pitcher preparing to go to college and dreaming of one day taking the mound in Fenway Park for his beloved Boston Red Sox. His dream was derailed as he crossed the parking lot of a McDonald’s. He heard the racing engine, but couldn’t defend himself against the car coming straight at him. It sent him flying through the air and into a wall, where it hit him again and pinned him, severely damaging his knee and destroying his hope of ever being a Major League pitcher. In the wake of the accident, even as he reached the major leagues as a groundskeeper, David was tortured by the aftermath of his injuries and additional traumas, including being struck by a car again, this time in the outfield of Milwaukee’s County Stadium while he was working on overhauling the field for the Milwaukee Brewers. He suffered terribly from anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks, completely unaware that he was experiencing the debilitating symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly known as PTSD. One Base at a Time recounts in vivid detail his subsequent twenty-nine-year struggle with PTSD. This harrowing but inspiring story, documents the remarkable journey of a man debilitated by physical and psychological injuries who refused to give up even when everything seemed hopeless. After a fortuitous event, he admitted to needing help, sought effective treatment and turned his life around. It’s a powerful, helpful outline of the steps one needs to take to overcome the powerful hold PTSD has on one’s life. One Base at a Time is a must read for anyone suffering in silence or anyone who knows someone suffering in the wake of severe traumatic events. Those who seem broken can be fixed and live a happy, fulfilling life. “Dave is a truly unique person. His passion, hard work, creativity, and love for baseball gives life to Fenway Park. It gives intensity to us as ball players and pushes us to put on a show night after night. Dave is as much a part of the Red Sox team as anyone and his life and the adversity he has overcome is really inspiring.”—David “Big Papi” Ortiz “The true star of Fenway Park is not one of the Red Sox players; it is the esteemed groundskeeper David Mellor. This is a powerful memoir, taking David from his days as a potential big league pitcher through the time when, after his dreams came to a traumatic halt, he battled PTSD and eventually returned to the diamond after conquering his demons. It is an inspiring story, and I encourage all baseball fans to read this motivating book.”—Tom Werner, Chairman of the Boston Red Sox “Every now and then someone really special comes into your life. David Mellor is one of those special people. Whether he’s hand cutting the infield grass or making it possible for 30,000 people to run across the plate at Fenway you know you are in the presence of greatness. If you feel the need for inspiration or motivation, read his book, get up off the couch and get back in the game.”—Lenny Clarke, Comedian/Actor “David’s long battle with PTSD and chronic debilitating pain, all while he worked a demanding job full time, is a powerful story that will help many who suffer silently with these conditions. You cannot help but be captivated and inspired by his road to recovery, fueled by a determination to never give up, never give in.” —Padma Gulur MD, Professor of Anesthesiology, Vice Chair, Operations and Performance, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University  “The reality is that PTSD is not only found in men and women returning from battle. It rears its ugly head in all aspects of our society, from those abused as children to people scarred from having observed a terrible crime…. If you have PTSD or know someone who does, read this book!”—Jeff Arle, MD, PhD, Neurosurgeon, Harvard Medical School

Let's Play Two: The Legend of Mr. Cub, the Life of Ernie Banks


Ron Rapoport - 2019
    He outslugged Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Mickey Mantle when they were in their prime, but while they made repeated World Series appearances in the 1950s and 60s, Banks spent his entire career with the woebegone Chicago Cubs, who didn't win a pennant in his adult lifetime.Today, Banks is remembered best for his signature phrase, "Let's play two," which has entered the American lexicon and exemplifies the enthusiasm that endeared him to fans everywhere. But Banks's public display of good cheer was a mask that hid a deeply conflicted, melancholy, and often quite lonely man. Despite the poverty and racism he endured as a young man, he was among the star players of baseball's early days of integration who were reluctant to speak out about Civil Rights. Being known as one of the greatest players never to reach the World Series also took its toll. At one point, Banks even saw a psychiatrist to see if that would help. It didn't. Yet Banks smiled through it all, enduring the scorn of Cubs manager Leo Durocher as an aging superstar and never uttering a single complaint.Let's Play Two is based on numerous conversations with Banks and on interviews with more than a hundred of his family members, teammates, friends, and associates as well as oral histories, court records, and thousands of other documents and sources. Together, they explain how Banks was so different from the caricature he created for the public. The book tells of Banks's early life in segregated Dallas, his years in the Negro Leagues, and his difficult life after retirement; and features compelling portraits of Buck O'Neil, Philip K. Wrigley, the Bleacher Bums, the doomed pennant race of 1969, and much more from a long-lost baseball era.

Son of Havana: A Baseball Journey from Cuba to the Big Leagues and Back


Luis Tiant - 2019
    In his white polyester uniform, with a barrel-chested physique and a Fu Manchu mustache, Tiant may not have looked like the lean, sculpted aces he usually faced off against, but nobody was a tougher competitor on the diamond, and few were as successful. There may be no more qualified 20th-century pitcher not yet enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.His big-league dreams came at a steep price--racism in the Deep South and the Boston suburbs, and nearly fifteen years separated from a family held captive in Castro's Cuba. But baseball also delivered World Series stardom and a heroic return to his island home after close to a half-century of forced exile. The man whose name--El Tiante--became a Fenway Park battle cry has never fully shared his tale in his own words, until now.In Son of Havana, Tiant puts his huge heart on his sleeve and describes his road from fields strewn with rocks and rubbish in Havana to the pristine lawns of major league ballparks. Teammates, opponents, family, and media also weigh-in--including a foreword by fellow Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski and the first in-depth interview ever with Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk on the magic behind these Boston batterymates.Readers will share Tiant's pride when appeals by a pair of U.S. senators to baseball-fanatic Castro secure freedom for Luis's parents to fly to Boston and witness the 1975 World Series glory of their child. And readers will join the big-league ballplayers for their spring 2016 exhibition game in Havana, when Tiant--a living link to the earliest, scariest days of the Castro regime--threw out the first pitch.

The Conman: A Baseball Odyssey


Mike Murphey - 2019
    He’s been released from professional baseball contracts ten times over a sixteen-year career, but he’s overcome every obstacle to finally reach The Show when he’s a decade too old. As he faces the specter of injury-forced retirement, he becomes a man neither he nor his wife recognizes. During his career, Conor avoided the trap of alcohol and drugs because his drug was baseball. And what can an addict do when he realizes he will never get that high again? Conor climbs treacherous Camelback Mountain, drinks a bottle of Champagne, recalls people and events, and seeks an answer. Who is Conor Nash if he can’t pitch? The Conman is based on the Life of Keith Comstock. Keith pitched professionally for sixteen years, including Major League time with The Seattle Mariners, the San Diego Padres, the San Francisco Giants and the Minnesota Twins. Following his retirement in 1992, Keith has held minor league coaching and managing positions with several organizations. For the past decade he has served as the rehabilitation instructor for the Texas Rangers.

Homegrown: How The Red Sox Built a Champion from The Ground Up


Alex Speier - 2019
    The best team in Major League Baseball—indeed, one of the best teams ever—the Sox won 108 regular season games and then romped through the postseason, going 11-3 against the three next-strongest teams baseball had to offer.As Boston Globe baseball reporter Alex Speier reveals, the Sox’ success wasn’t a fluke—nor was it guaranteed. It was the result of careful, patient planning and shrewd decision-making that allowed Boston to develop a golden generation of prospects—and then build upon that talented core to assemble a juggernaut. Speier has covered the key players—Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Jackie Bradley Jr., and many others—since the beginning of their professional careers, as they rose through the minor leagues and ultimately became the heart of this historic championship squad. Drawing upon hundreds of interviews and years of reporting, Homegrown is the definitive look at the construction of an extraordinary team.It is a story that offers startling insights for baseball fans of any team, and anyone looking for the secret to building a successful organization. Why do many highly touted prospects fail, while others rise out of obscurity to become transcendent How can franchises help their young talent, in whom they’ve often invested tens of millions of dollars, reach their full potential And how can management balance long-term aims with the constant pressure to win nowPart insider’s account of one of the greatest baseball teams ever, part meditation on how to build a winner, Homegrown offers an illuminating look into how the best of the best are built.

Not Your Average Girl (Angels Book 1)


Becca Jones - 2019
    Never expecting to run into one of the Los Angeles Angels most eligible bachelors, who is even better looking in person then he is in 4K. Everyone wants him. Including me, but I’m not that girl who throws herself at the front-page bad boy. He has better, easier options, so it should be easy to get him to move on to the next woman. But when he doesn’t. When he sets his sights on me, there is only so much a sane woman can resist before she agrees this can be for fun. We aren’t staying in LA forever and he isn’t offering forever. Bentley:I’ve sworn off women and am focusing back on my career. The career I set on fire and almost destroyed being the Not so Angel Bad Boy. I hate the nick name and want nothing more than to get my life back on track. But after one night out with the guys and a tiny blond who turned me down. I may be off of all women…but her. How do I get her to see that I’m not that guy and I want so much more than just right now?

Opening Day: A Bad Boys of Baseball Short Romance


Amber Lynne Hughes - 2019
    Perfect for readers who want spice and heart, or those looking for stories that are hot with a plot. Check it out; I bet you’ll fall in love, too.

I Should Have Quit This Morning: Adventures in Minor League Baseball


Kathy Diekroeger - 2019
    Every year there are over 5,500 players trying to work their way to the top of the tiered minor league system. Very few people know what life is really like for these aspiring players -- until now. This collection of stories from actual minor league players is a hilarious, heartbreaking and honest account of the struggle to make it to the big leagues. In this book, you will learn: * How it feels to be the first pick in the MLB draft ("everyone started screaming") and how it feels for a player to not hear his name called at all ("Three days came and went and I didn't get picked.")* Why some players don't sign a minor league contract ("It was an unbelievably tough decision.")* Who the players meet when they show up as a rookie on day one ("It's a very rude awakening.")* Where players go in the off season ("You can make some serious dough in the Dominican and Venezuelan leagues.")*What Spring Training is like for minor leaguers ("The difference between big league camp and minor league camp is night and day.")* Where players live and how they eat ("I became a pro at cooking in the 'kitchen bathroom' in the hotel.")* Which minor league ballpark promotions the players enjoy the most ("It's time for Cowboy Monkey Rodeo!")* What really happens during road trips ("It was straight out of a horror movie.")* Why crazy things happen on the field ("Our manager stormed out there and just started unloading on the umpire.")* What it's like to get promoted, demoted and traded ("It was the first time I actually cried when someone got moved or traded.") * How players get released and how they make the decision to retire ("I remember everything about that last game.")* What it's like when players get the ultimate call up to the Major Leagues ("It was still during the game and everyone was like, 'Dude, go call your parents or something.")And so much more!_________________________________________Kathy Diekroeger has watched her three sons play over 2,100 baseball games. She stopped counting when two of them made it to professional baseball. After hearing stories about minor league life for four years, she felt compelled to document and share those experiences with anyone who considers themselves a fan of baseball. This is her first book

Ron Shandler’s 2019 Baseball Forecaster: Encyclopedia of Fanalytics


Brent Hershey - 2019
    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.

Full Count: The Education of a Pitcher


David Cone - 2019
    Even when he was in trouble, he carried himself like a pitcher who said, 'I'm the man out here.' And he usually was." -- Andy Pettitte on David Cone.To any baseball fan, David Cone was a bold and brilliant pitcher. During his 17-year career, he became a master of the mechanics and mental toughness a pitcher needs to succeed in the major leagues. A five-time All-Star and five-time World Champion now gives his full count -- balls and strikes, errors and outs -- of his colorful life in baseball.From the pitchers he studied to the hitters who infuriated him, Full Count takes readers inside the mind of a thoughtful pitcher, detailing Cone's passion, composure and strategies. The book is also filled with never-before-told stories from the memorable teams Cone played on -- ranging from the infamous late '80s Mets to the Yankee dynasty of the '90s. And, along the way, Full Count offers the lessons baseball taught Cone -- from his mistakes as a young and naive pitcher to outwitting the best hitters in the world -- one pitch at a time.

A Fine Team Man: Jackie Robinson and the Lives He Touched


Joe Cox - 2019
    As we celebrate Robinson's 100th birthday in January 2019, Stealing Home profiles nine figures whose lives were altered by the "great experiment," as the integration of baseball was called then. Profiled here are Rachel Robinson, the stoic but thoughtful wife; Branch Rickey, the mercurial but far-sighted manager/owner of the Dodgers; Baseball Commissioner "Happy" Chandler, who quietly paved the way for integration; Clyde Sukeforth, the scout whose assessment of Robinson was crucial to the player's success; Red Barber, whose own views on integration were altered by Robinson's example of grace under pressure; Wendell Smith, the prominent black journalist who helped Robinson navigate through the trappings of a racist society; Burt Shotton, who managed Robinson during Robinson's majestic MVP season in 1949; Pee Wee Reese, the Dodgers captain who united the team behind Robinson; and finally, Dixie Walker, the veteran Dodgers star who vowed never to play alongside Robinson, but who was eventually so moved by Robinson's courage that he spent his last years working to improve the skills of such African-American players as Maury Wills, Jim Wynn, and Dusty Baker. As Joe Cox concludes, "Perhaps the ultimate measure of the glory of Robinson's quest is that it converted those inclined against it to see all men as equal, at least on the great field of baseball."

Baseball Card Vandals: Over 200 Decent Jokes on Worthless Cards (Baseball Books, Adult Humor Books, Baseball Cards Books)


Beau Abbott - 2019
    Now the fruits of this completely unnecessary labor have been collected in this stunningly absurd book of the same name.A collection of over 200 "expertly" vandalized cards—including dozens of never-before-seen artworks—that blend the Vandals' signature oddball humor and artistic flair with a charming dose of sports nostalgia.Featuring an introduction on the Baseball Card Vandals' history and process as well as a beautiful design inspired by vintage baseball cards.Beau Abbott, a copywriter, and Bryan Abbott, an art director, are a pair of artistically inclined baseball nerds who began a project called Baseball Card Vandals in 2012 as an attempt to entertain themselves and some friends. Their hobby gained a following, a website, and now, a book. All stemming from an obsession with baseball cards. Baseball Card Vandals will be a home run with sports fans, art lovers, memorabilia collectors, pop culture watchers, Internet geeks, comedy connoisseurs, and permanent marker sniffers everywhere.Smart, clever and funny book featuring 200 baseball cards that have been extraordinarily and cleverly defaced. A perfect coffee table, bathroom, or bar top conversation-starting bookMakes a perfect birthday, Father's Day, or holiday gift for baseball and baseball card fansReaders will find something new each time they pick up this book

Mike Hargrove and the Cleveland Indians: A Baseball Life


Ingraham Jim - 2019
    . .There were spectacular highs--Rookie of the Year, All Star, World Series . . . And devastating lows--the end of his playing days, a tragic accident in his second year as manager, a heartbreaker in the World Series, being fired from the job he loved . . . Mike Hargrove truly spent a lifetime in baseball. From the sandlots of tiny Perryton, Texas, to the biggest stage, Game 7 of the World Series, he played, coached, managed . . . lived the game for four decades.The Cleveland Indians were at the center of Hargrove's baseball life for more than 20 years. He played for some mediocre Indians teams in the 1980s. He managed some of the best Indians teams ever in the 1990s--including five consecutive division titles, one of the most powerful offensive lineups in baseball history (Lofton, Belle, Baerga, Murray, Thome, Ramirez) and two trips to the World Series.Not bad for a kid who didn't play baseball in high school, was a walk-on in college and an afterthought 25th-round draft pick.One constant in Hargrove's roller-coaster career: Sharon Hargrove. Their 50-year marriage in an unsteady business (from 1970 to 1995, the Hargroves lived in 23 different houses) is inspiring.This book takes a close-up look at a life and career long under-appreciated--by us, not by him--perhaps because much of it was spent in the shadows of so many big personalities. But Hargrove's story includes big moments--both heartbreaking and heart-stopping.

Dear Baseball Gods: A Memoir


Dan Blewett - 2019
    Why did this happen? It wasn’t fair. Dan sat by a tree, staring at the ground trying to decide what he would do next. The doctor had just explained that everything he worked for was now ruined. A second Tommy John surgery? Does anyone come back from that? What team would want an injury-prone right-hander? A Story About a Ballplayer He had been through a lot already. Beginning as a walk-on in college, Dan had to earn everything. Pitching on three hours sleep, living in the clubhouse, playing for a team that collapsed mid-season, fighting through more arm pain than any kid should. He had to keep going, so he took a deep breath and gathered up his strength. His story had a special ending…he just knew it. A Story About Identity Years later, he was finally forced to hang up his cleats. The next morning, Dan looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the man peering back. If no longer a ballplayer...what would he do? What had been the point of all of it? Who was he? When we choose a sport, we don't realize that it may one day consume us whole. A Deeper Account of the Game In this philosophical memoir by former pro baseball player Dan Blewett, you'll find out that the pinstripes don't wash off so easily. The Baseball Gods never made it easy…and maybe that was the point.

FIGHT FINISHED. The Official Washington Nationals World Series Championship Season Commemorative Book


Scott Gummer - 2019
    The one and only Official Washington Nationals 2019 World Series Championship Season Commemorative Coffee Table Book

Mrs. Morhard and the Boys: One Mother's Vision. the First Boys' Baseball League. a Nation Inspired.


Ruth Hanford Morhard - 2019
    At twelve years old, fiercely independent Josephine left her family's Pennsylvania farm to start a new life. Coming of age during one of the most devastating times in America, and weathering two bad marriages, Josephine put her personal problems aside to insure a productive future for her daughter and son. But Junior was a volatile boy of eight--until his mother came upon a novel sports idea to encourage discipline, guidance, and self-worth in her son. Out of a dream, an empty lot, and the enthusiasm of other neighborhood kids, Josephine established the first boys' baseball league in America. Her city--and the country--was watching.Beyond all expectations, the Cleveland Indians rallied behind her project. Indians legends Bob Feller, Jeff Heath, and Roy Weatherly helped hone the boys' skills; renowned sports reporter Hal Lebovitz became an umpire; and they were given permission to play in historic League Park. All the while, as Josephine's Little Indians graduated into the Junior American and Junior National Leagues, and finally a Little World Series, she instilled in her boys strong values, good sportsmanship, and an unprecedented sense of accomplishment. Some of them, like Ray Lindquist and Jack Heinen, would become Minor League players. Not one of Mrs. Morhard's boys would ever forget her.In this stirring biography of an unsung American heroine, Josephine Morhard's daughter-in-law recounts the extraordinary life and accomplishments of a resilient, selfless, and determined woman. Her inspiring true story--a long time coming--is something to cheer for.

The Legendary Harry Caray: Baseball's Greatest Salesman


Don Zminda - 2019
    Always a baseball enthusiast, Caray once vowed to become a broadcaster who was the true voice of the fans. Caray's distinctive style soon resonated across St. Louis, then Chicago, and eventually across the nation. In The Legendary Harry Caray: Baseball's Greatest Salesman, Don Zminda delivers the first full-length biography of Caray since his death in 1998. It includes details of Caray's orphaned childhood, his 25 years as the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals, his tempestuous 11 years broadcasting games for the Chicago White Sox, and the 16 years he broadcast for the Chicago Cubs while also becoming a nationally-known celebrity. Interviews with significant figures from Caray's life are woven throughout, from his widow Dutchie and grandson Chip to broadcasters Bob Costas, Thom Brennaman, Dewayne Staats, Pat Hughes, and more.Caray was known during his final years as a beloved, often-imitated grandfather figure with the Cubs, but the story of his entire career is much more nuanced and often controversial. Featuring new information on Caray's life--including little-known information about his firing by the Cardinals and his feuds with players, executives, and fellow broadcasters--this book provides an intimate and in-depth look at a broadcasting legend.

Chasing the Big Leagues: A Novel


Brett Baker - 2019
    Working as a furniture mover and bouncing between meaningless relationships, he's convinced that his baseball dreams are over. But after the 1994 Major League Baseball strike prematurely ends the season, the playoffs, and even the World Series, Jake is about to get his lucky break. Strike be damned, the owners will have a team for the '95 season, even if they have to open tryouts and spring training to anyone who can hit or throw the ball.After scoring contracts for the Toronto Blue Jays, Jake, his best friend Brian Sloan, and an unlikely cast of new teammates have just six weeks to learn how to play like never before, amid a slowly building crescendo of public curiosity, media scrutiny, and a labor dispute that could put them on the field come Opening Day--or dash their dreams at any minute. Based on the true stories of the 1994-95 replacement players, Chasing the Big Leagues is an exciting novel about shared dreams and competing interests, best friends and second chances, growing up and finding love.

Pastime Lost: The Humble, Original, and Now Completely Forgotten Game of English Baseball


David Block - 2019
    It had the same basic elements as modern American baseball, such as pitching and striking the ball, running bases, and fielding, but was played with a soft ball on a smaller playing field and, instead of a bat, the ball was typically struck by the palm of the hand. There is no doubt, however, that this simpler English version of baseball was the original form of the pastime and was the immediate forerunner of its better-known American offspring. Strictly a social game, English baseball was played for nearly two hundred years before fading away at the beginning of the twentieth century. Despite its longevity and its important role in baseball’s evolution, however, today it has been completely forgotten. In Pastime Lost David Block unearths baseball’s buried history and brings it back to life, illustrating how English baseball was embraced by all sectors of English society and exploring some of the personalities, such as Jane Austen and King George III, who played the game in their childhoods. While rigorously documenting his sources, Block also brings a light touch to his story, inviting us to follow him on some of the adventures that led to his most important discoveries.  Purchase the audio edition.

Strike Four: The Evolution of Baseball


Richard Hershberger - 2019
    It evolved rapidly over the second half of the nineteenth century, with innovations and rule changes continuing throughout the twentieth century and into the modern era. But why and how did these changes take place?In Strike Four: The Evolution of Baseball, Richard Hershberger examines the national pastime's development, from the reasoning behind new rules and innovations to the consequences of these changes--both intended and unintended--that often led to a new round of modifications. Topics examined include the dropped third strike, foul territory, nine innings, tagging up, balls and strikes, tie games, equipment, the infield fly rule, and many more.Ultimately, this book provides the reader with a narrative history of how baseball evolved from an informal folk game to the sport played in ballparks around the world today. As such, Strike Four is a wonderful reference for sports fans and historians of all generations.--John Thorn, Official Historian of Major League Baseball

Dugout Devotions: Inspirational Hits from Mlb's Best


Del Duduit - 2019
    Bases are loaded. Your favorite player is up to bat. He swings. He hits. It's a.....grand slam! It's true, fans love a good game. And we love players that inspire us. But who inspires the players? Who do they look to for guidance? Dugout Devotions takes an inside look at several popular Major League Baseball players and their successes both on and off the diamond. Recounting personal stories about their walk with Jesus Christ, these superstars serve God and provide a great counterbalance to the negative stories about athletes. Through these daily devotions, these players will inspire you once more but this time it will be you in the batter's box. Get ready to knock the curveball out of the park for the grand slam in your spiritual life.

Joe DiMaggio Moves Like Liquid Light: poems


Loren Broaddus - 2019
    The diamond is the backdrop for Loren Broaddus’s exploration of nostalgia, family, race, jazz, and the winding hallways of history. Joe DiMaggio is sometimes domestic, sometimes political—microscopic here, aerial there. While Broaddus’s poems may start at home plate, he sends them flying in all directions: sometimes into left field, sometimes out of the park entirely.

Baseball Revolutionaries: How the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings Rocked the Country and Made Baseball Famous


Greg Rhodes - 2019
    

No Place I Would Rather Be: Roger Angell and a Life in Baseball Writing


Joe Bonomo - 2019
    He brings a fan’s love, a fiction writer’s eye, and an essayist’s sensibility to the game. No other baseball writer has a through line quite like Angell’s: born in 1920, he was an avid fan of the game by the Depression era, when he watched Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig hit home runs at Yankee Stadium. He began writing about baseball in 1962 and continued through the decades, lately blogging about baseball’s postseasons.No Place I Would Rather Be tells the story of Angell’s contribution to sportswriting, including his early short stories, pieces for the New Yorker, autobiographical essays, seven books, and the common threads that run through them. His work reflects rapidly changing mores as well as evolving forces on and off the field, reacting to a half century of cultural turmoil, shifts in trends and professional attitudes of ballplayers and executives, and a complex, discerning, and diverse audience. Baseball is both change and constancy, and Roger Angell is the preeminent essayist of that paradox. His writing encompasses fondness for the past, a sober reckoning of the present, and hope for the future of the game.

Gentle Black Giants: A History of Negro Leaguers in Japan


Kazuo Sayama - 2019
    As African-Americans, they were relegated to second-class citizenship in the U.S., but abroad they were treated like kings. Unlike the previous tours of major league stars who ridiculed their opponents through embarrassing defeats, the Royal Giants made the games competitive, dignified and enjoyable for opposing players. In Gentle Black Giants: A History of Negro Leaguers in Japan, Kazuo Sayama and Bill Staples, Jr. chronicle the tours of the Royal Giants and demonstrate that without the skill and humanity displayed by the Negro Leaguers, Japanese ballplayers might have become discouraged and lost their love for the game. Instead, the experience of sharing the field with these "gentle, black giants" kept their spirits high and nurtured the seeds for professional baseball to flourish in Japan.

Grassroots Baseball: Where Legends Begin


Jean Fruth - 2019
    With an Introduction by Cal Ripken, Jr. and an Afterword by Johnny BenchIn Grassroots Baseball: Where Legends Begin, photographer Jean Fruth features more than 250 of the best images from all levels of the amateur game in various US cities, as well as several hotbeds of baseball around the world.Each chapter opens with a portrait of a baseball legend and a first-person essay recounting his early memories of playing the game. Some of the stars highlighted in this full-color book include Whitey Ford, Vladimir Guerrero, Hank Aaron, Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, and Ichiro Suzuki.The pages that follow in each chapter document the game from sandlots to big-time ballparks, and at every level of organized baseball, giving readers a window into how these legends' careers began. With an introduction by Cal Ripken, Jr., a foreword by Steve Wulf, and an afterword by Johnny Bench, this book makes the perfect gift for baseball fans of all teams.

Baseball America 2019 Almanac


The Editors of Baseball America - 2019
    Numbers and commentary help fans recall all the great moments from the season that was 2018.The 2018 baseball season will be one to remember, and no book offers a more complete capsule of the year than the Baseball America Almanac, which takes you all the way from winter ball to the World Series. The 2019 Almanac has all the major league and minor league news and statistics, a review of every organization's season, comprehensive college coverage, a full recap of the 2018 draft, high school and youth baseball highlights, and even foreign league coverage

Minnesota's 50 Greatest Baseball Players


Jonathan W. Sweet - 2019
    Paul Saints to the St. Cloud Rox, and everywhere in between.

Diamond Double Play (Jake Maddox Sports Stories)


Jake Maddox - 2019
    Blake has never played organized sports before, and the tryouts are tough, but he makes the team as a second-string player. When a key player on the team gets hurt during their first game of the season, the coach calls on Blake to step in. Can Blake perform under pressure? Will he be able to step up now that he has a chance to play when it counts?

A Whole New Ballgame: The 1969 Washington Senators


Stephen J. Walker - 2019
    However, in 1969, when new owner Bob Short coaxed batting legend and rookie manager Ted Williams out of retirement, these annual no-names climbed out of the depths and straight into the hearts of Washington baseball fans starving for a winner. Led by The Capital Punisher Frank Howard, whose tape-measure home runs sometimes seemed like optical illusions, the Senators simply won ball games with a determination rarely seen in D.C. environs. A Whole New Ballgame showcases the 1969 Senators’ magical season, complete with updated player bios, new photographs, stats, game action, and stories. Foreword by Dick Bosman.

Baseball Superstars 2019: Top Players, Record Breakers, Facts & Stats


Simon Mugford - 2019
    They including Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, JD Martinez and Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox, Josh Donaldson of the Toronto Blue Jays, Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs, and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. Check out their key stats, read about their awesome achievements in previous years, then put your MLB knowledge to the test with the “How Well Do You Know MLB?” quiz.

Hidden Ball Trick: The Baseball Stats You Never Thought To Look For From 1876-1919 (Vol. 1)


Jeremy Frank - 2019
    

Be a Good Sport, Charlie Brown!


Charles M. Schulz - 2019
    Good grief! Linus reminds Charlie Brown that he can’t always win, but that doesn’t make Charlie Brown feel any better. Is there really something better in baseball than winning?Based on original comic strips, this classic Peanuts theme is sure to resonate with young readers. The book has a special section at the back that includes information on the rules of baseball, Charles M. Schulz’s words of wisdom about losing, and more!© 2019 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

Black Baseball, 1858-1900: A Comprehensive Record of the Teams, Players, Managers, Owners and Umpires


James E. Brunson III - 2019
    It provides team rosters and team histories, player biographies, a list of umpires and games they officiated and information on team managers and team secretaries. Well known organizations like the Washington's Mutuals, Philadelphia Pythians, Chicago Uniques, St. Louis Black Stockings, Cuban Giants and Chicago Unions are documented, as well as lesser known teams like the Wilmington Mutuals, Newton Black Stockings, San Francisco Enterprise, Dallas Black Stockings, Galveston Flyaways, Louisville Brotherhoods and Helena Pastimes. Player biographies trace their connections between teams across the country. Essays frame the biographies, discussing the social and cultural events that shaped black baseball. Waiters and barbers formed the earliest organized clubs and developed local, regional and national circuits. Some players belonged to both white and colored clubs, and some umpires officiated colored, white and interracial matches. High schools nurtured young players and transformed them into powerhouse teams, like Cincinnati's Vigilant Base Ball Club. A special essay covers visual representations of black baseball and the artists who created them, including colored artists of color who were also baseballists.

Baseball America 2019 Prospect Handbook Digital Edition


Editors of Baseball America - 2019
    The Prospect Handbook features in-depth analysis and statistics for 900 players, with detailed scouting reports, recaps of each team's amateur draft efforts, and a ranking of Major League Baseball's top farm systems. The Prospect Handbook is the must-have resource for information on the best prospects in baseball and is a valuable tool for fans, fantasy leaguers, and anyone who wants to know more about the player development process.

Batting Clean: Why Dale Murphy Belongs in Baseball's Hall of Fame


Kirk McKnight - 2019
    Compiling numbers that are still among the best in Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves history, Dale Murphy came up short his 15 years on the Hall of Fame ballot. Today, Murphy's name appears once every two years on the Modern Era Committee ballot. Consisting of former players, managers, general managers, sportswriters, etc., the Modern Era Committee, a panel of 16 members chosen every two years, now holds the fate of Dale Murphy with respect to induction into baseball immortality. With several players currently on baseball's regular Hall of Fame ballot being passed on every year due to implications of steroid abuse, and, as a result, infractions of the Hall of Fame's "character clause," baseball writers and voters alike are expressing their protest against the induction of players whose careers have been tainted. Dale Murphy, who never once touched any banned substance during his career, checks off all the boxes with respect to the "character clause." With integrity and character being such a large part of baseball in today's society, Dale Murphy presents as good of a case as any when it comes to ambassadorship and everything that comes with representing the game both past and present. Comprised of extensive material taken from articles, books, and interviews conducted with Murphy supporters including Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox, lead Major League Baseball on TBS broadcaster, Ernie Johnson, Jr., and former Atlanta Braves T.V./current New York Yankees radio voice, John Sterling, Batting Clean: Why Dale Murphy Belongs in Baseball's Hall of Fame urges the importance of inducting a player of Dale Murphy's pedigree into the Hall of Fame because he has not only earned it, but it sends the message to aspiring and current players they can achieve baseball immortality through clean and honest training. As Bobby Cox and several others interviewed for this book have said, "The Hall of Fame really needs guys like Dale Murphy."

Shea Stadium Remembered: The Mets, the Jets, and Beatlemania


Matthew Silverman - 2019
    While O'Malley wanted complete control over a new stadium and all of its concessions in Brooklyn, Moses insisted that the stadium be built by the city in Queens and leased to the Dodgers. The impasse led to the Dodgers following the Giants out to the West Coast, where The City of Los Angeles granted O'Malley all of the concessions he had sought in New York. With now no National League team in the New York area, the National League office awarded a new franchise to the city in 1960 on conditional that it fund and build a new stadium, which the Mets (and later the AFL Jets) would lease. The stadium was named in honor of William Shea, the person most responsible for returning National League baseball to New York. Over its forty-four year existence Shea Stadium witnessed a colorful cavalcade of sporting and entertainment events, all detailed in this lively, skimable tribute to a memorable New York landmark. It's all here: the memorable games; the unforgettable characters such as Tom Seaver, Joe "Willie" Namath, and Seinfeld buddy Keith Hernandez; and even the solemn moments such as when Shea was used as a staging area for first responders after 9/11. By the time of its demolition in 2008, the Mets had played more games at Shea than the Dodgers had ever played at Ebbets Field, and the stadium had hosted seven National League Championship Series, four World Series, three Jets playoff games, and the American Football League Championship game in 1968.

Tip O'Neill and the St. Louis Browns of 1887


Dennis Thiessen - 2019
    Louis Browns, won the American Association batting championship with a .492 average--the highest ever for a single season in the Major Leagues. Yet his record was set during a season when a base on balls counted as a hit and a time at bat. Over the next 130 years, the debate about O'Neill's correct average diverted attention from the other batting feats of his record-breaking season, including numerous multi-hit games, streaks and long hits, as well as two cycles and the triple crown. The Browns entered 1887 as the champions of St. Louis, the American Association and the world. Following the lead set by their manager, Charles Comiskey, the Browns did anything to win, combining skill with an aggressive style of play that included noisy coaching, incessant kicking, trickery and rough play. O'Neill did everything to win at the plate, leaving the no-holds-barred tactics to his rowdier teammates.

The New York Yankees All-Time All-Stars: The Best Players at Each Position for the Bronx Bombers


Jim Griffin - 2019
    Game time is approaching and the ump needs your line-up card. Who's your starting pitcher? Crafty Whitey Ford, lights-out Ron Guidry, or a big-game right-hander? Is Munson behind the plate or Yogi? Who'll bat clean-up? Who's your DH? Combining statistical analysis, common sense, and a host of intangibles, Jim Griffin constructs an all-time All-Star Yankee line-up for the ages. Agree with his choices or not, you'll learn all there is to know about the men who played for and managed the winning-est baseball team of all time.

Before They Were the Cubs: The Early Years of Chicago's First Professional Baseball Team


Jack Bales - 2019
    Drawing on newspaper articles, books and archival records, the author chronicles the team's early years. He describes the club's planning stages of 1868; covers the decades when the ballplayers were variously called White Stockings, Colts, and Orphans; and relates how a sportswriter first referred to the young players as Cubs in the March 27, 1902, issue of the Chicago Daily News. Reprinted selections from firsthand accounts provide a colorful narrative of baseball in 19th-century America, as well as a documentary history of the Chicago team and its members before they were the Cubs.

Ultimate Cleveland Indians Time Machine Book


Martin "Marty" Gitlin - 2019
    Of course there are other events to recall, like 17-year-old Bob Feller making his debut and striking out 17 batters in 1936, or Albert Belle famously pointing at his muscle after a playoff opponent claimed (rightly) that he had corked his bat and one of his teammates sneaked into the umpire's room to steal it back so the umps could not find out that it was corked. There are dozens of impressive, wild, wacky and wonderful stories over the years regarding Indians history and Gitlin is the perfect person to write it with his trademark humor and thorough knowledge of Indians lore.

Play Ball!: The Rise of Baseball as America's Pastime


Bruce Markuson - 2019
    What began as the earliest bat-and-ball games became the favorite American pastime of the first 19th-century baseball games. Knowing how baseball came to be what it is today will add levels of enjoyment, respect, and appreciation to any game you watch.In collaboration with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, The Great Courses brings you 24 lectures that paint a portrait of baseball's remarkable past. Taking you from the decades before the civil War to the pivotal year of 1920, 'Play Ball! The Rise of Baseball as America's Pastime' offers a well-rounded, historically rich look at this most distinctive slice of Americana.Written by noted baseball historian Peter Morris and presented by Bruce Markusen of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, these lectures guide you through decades of experimentation, change, controversy , and triumph. You'll encounter early baseball giants, including Albert G. Spalding, Harry Wright, and Harry M. Stevens. You'll learn the origins of everything from catcher's masks to batting averages. You'll consider the true stories of how women, African Americans, and others overcame adversity on and off the diamond. And all of this with the help of remarkable artifacts, images, and footage made available as part of this course thanks to National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the vast holdings it encompasses.PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library with the audio.©2019 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2019 The Great Courses

Bad Boys, Bad Times: The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Prewar Years, 1937–1941


Scott H. Longert - 2019
    Major League attendance was on a sharp rise. Tickets to an Indians game at League Park on Lexington and East 66th were $1.60 for box seats, $1.35 for reserve seats, and $.55 for the bleachers. Cleveland fans were particularly upbeat—Bob Feller, the teenage phenomenon, was a farm boy with a blistering fast ball. Night games were an exciting development. Better days were ahead.But there were mounting issues facing the Indians. For one thing, it was rumored that the team had illegally signed Feller. Baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was looking into that matter and one other. Issues with an alcoholic catcher, dugout fights, bats thrown into stands, injuries, and a player revolt kept things lively.In Bad Boys, Bad Times: The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Prewar Years, 1937–1941—the follow-up to his No Money, No Beer, No Pennants: The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Great Depression—baseball historian Scott H. Longert writes about an exciting period for the team, with details and anecdotes that will please fans all over.

If These Walls Could Talk: Colorado Rockies: Stories from the Colorado Rockies Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box


Drew Goodman - 2019
    In If These Walls Could Talk: Colorado Rockies, Goodman provides insight into the Rockies' inner sanctum as only he can. Featuring conversations with players past and present as well as off-the-wall anecdotes, this indispensable volume is your ticket to mile high history.