Many of the books described below are still in
publication and available from on-line retailers like
Amazon, Barnes
and Noble, and Borders.
Good sources of out-of-print books include ABEBooks,
AddALL, Alibiris,
Bibliofind,
BookFinder,
eBay,
and Powells.
Other Web sites discussing baseball books include the
Baseball
Book Survey, the Baseball
Bookshelf, Books
from the Bleachers, Buying
Baseball Books: A Guide, and the Essential
Baseball Library. To suggest books to be included please
send e-mail here.
Baseball
Prospectus
2000 edition by Chris Kahrl, Clay Davenport, Joseph
S. Sheehan, and Rani Jazayerli, 536 pages, $21.95
(Brasseys 2000)
In its fifth edition, the Baseball Prospectus
features extensive team and player comments. Each team
profile consists of an essay of two or three pages followed
by 10 or 15 pages of player comments and statistics. Almost
2,000 players are discussed. The statistics cover the last
three years in the major and minor leagues, are adjusted for
ballpark, and include projections for the upcoming season.
Statistical tools include equivalent average,
support-neutral won-loss records, and pitcher abuse points.
A final section offers general essays, prospect news, and
leaderboards.
Big Bad
Baseball Annual
2000 edition by Don Malcolm, Brock J. Hanke, Sean
Foreman, Jim Furtado, and Tom Ruane, 512 pages, $21.95 (Long
Gone Press 2000)
In its sixth edition, the Big Bad Baseball Annual is
divided into general essays, team profiles, and player
comments and rankings. The general essays range from
statistical to sentimental, while the team profiles consist
of five or 10 pages each of statistics and analysis,
including prospect reports and park-adjusted statistics for
players. More than 1,000 player comments and rankings are
organized by league and position and feature statistical
tools such as extrapolated offensive wins, extrapolated
defensive wins, and quality matrices for pitchers.
STATS
Baseball Scoreboard
2000 edition edited by John Dewan, Don Zminda, and
Jim Callis, 314 pages, $19.95 (STATS 2000)
In its 11th edition, the Baseball Scoreboard is a
collection of more than 70 essays asking and answering
statistical questions using the massive STATS database.
There are questions on teams, offense, pitching, and
defense, as well as general questions. Topics range from
Did the Reds Overwork Their Bullpen? to
Can McGwire Beat Aaron? An appendix includes
lists of the statistics used in the essays, providing
unusual information such as extra bases taken against
outfielders, swings and misses by hitters, inherited runners
scored against relievers, and pitches thrown by
starters.
STATS
Diamond Chronicles
2000 edition edited by Don Zminda, 302 pages, $19.95
(STATS 2000)
In its fourth edition, the Diamond Chronicles
consists of e-mail discussions and debates among the
editorial staff at STATS throughout the preceding season and
off-season. The book also provides reprints of Internet
columns from the 1999 season by STATS authors Don Zminda,
Jim Henzler, and Matt Olkin. Commentary by Bill James is
included.
STATS
Major League Handbook
2000 edition by STATS, 412 pages, $19.95 (STATS
1999)
In its 11th edition, the Major League Handbook offers
career batting and pitching statistics for players active
during the preceding season. Defensive statistics are also
provided, as well as team, league, ballpark, and
managerial-tendency statistics. In addition, the Major
League Handbook includes season and career estimates of
runs created and component ERA, several pages of
leaderboards, projections for the upcoming season, and the
odds of active players reaching 3,000 hits or breaking Hank
Aarons home run record. STATS also publishes the
Minor
League Handbook and the Player
Projections Update.
STATS
Player Profiles
2000 edition by STATS, 581 pages, $19.95 (STATS
1999)
In its eighth edition, the Player Profiles presents
comprehensive situational statistics for players active
during the preceding season. Season and five-year totals are
provided for splits, including home and road, left and
right, turf and grass, day and night, groundball and
flyball, by month, by count, by batting order, and in clutch
situations. Moreover, the Player Profiles includes
team and league profiles and more than 120 leaderboards for
various situations. STATS also publishes the Batter
Versus Pitcher Match-Ups.
STATS
Scouting Notebook
2000 edition edited by John Dewan, Don Zminda, and
Jim Callis, 707 pages, $19.95 (STATS 2000)
In its sixth edition, the Scouting Notebook consists
of team reports written by sportswriters and former scouts.
The reports cover ballparks, managers, and players,
including more than 400 prospects. Players are analyzed for
hitting, running, and defense, while pitchers are analyzed
for pitching, defense, and hitting. There are ballpark
statistics, managerial-tendency statistics, situational
statistics, and, for prospects, translation of minor-league
statistics into major-league equivalencies. At the end of
the book are leaderboards in more than 130 categories as
well as predictions of which players will improve, decline,
or remain the same in the upcoming season. STATS also
publishes the Minor
League Scouting Notebook.
USA
Today Baseball Weekly Insider
2000 edition by Gary Gillette and Stuart Shea, 320
pages, $12.95 (Total Sports 2000)
In its second edition, the Baseball Weekly Insider
includes general essays followed by team reports. Each team
report consists of eight pages and offers a statistical
breakdown, several short essays and sidebars, a best-case
and worst-case scenario, an article on prospects, and an
organizational depth chart. At the end of the book are
player and pitcher projections for the upcoming season.
The Baseball Book
By Bill James (1990 to 1992)
The Baseball Book featured team profiles, player
comments, statistics, and general essays. Each edition also
contained a section of the Biographic Encyclopedia of
Baseball, a project which James, along with Rob Neyer and
Mike Kopf, intended to continue writing but never
completed.
Bill James Baseball Abstract
By Bill James (1977 to 1988)
The Baseball Abstract introduced readers to
statistical tools like runs created, game scores,
power-speed number, speed scores, and offensive winning
percentage. James self-published the first five volumes from
1977 to 1981. Most editions were divided into general
essays, team profiles, and player comments and rankings.
James did much of the writing himself, although other
authors frequently contributed articles.
Bill James Player Ratings Book
By Bill James (1993 to 1995)
The Player Ratings Book was a fantasy guide
featuring statistics and projections for more than 1,000
players. James graded prospects from A to D, assigned dollar
values, and wrote comments on every player.
Elias Baseball Analyst
Edited by Seymour Siwoff, Steve Hirdt, Tom Hirdt, and
Peter Hirdt (1985 to 1993)
A creation of the Elias Sports Bureau, the Baseball
Analyst was a pioneer in situational statistics.
Comments and splits, including home and road, left and
right, turf and grass, groundball and flyball, by month, by
count, by batting order, and in clutch situations, were
included for players active during the preceding season.
League and team profiles, team essays, and general essays
were also provided.
Great American Baseball Stat Book
Edited by Bill James, John Dewan, Don Zminda, and
Gary Gillette (1988 to 1989 and 1992 to 1994)
The Great American Baseball Stat Book offered
situational and career statistics for players active during
the preceding season. The statistics, particularly the
situational splits, were the result of the efforts of
Project Scoresheet and the Baseball Workshop. Player and
team comments and general essays were also included.
Baseball Encyclopedia: The Complete and Definitive Record
of Major League Baseball
10th edition edited by Jeanine Bucek, Traci Cothran, Bill
Deane, Bob Kerler, Maria Massey, Bob Tiemann, Richard Topp,
and Ken Samelson, 3,026 pages, $59.95 (MacMillan
1996)
Published since 1969, the Baseball Encyclopedia
offers season and career batting, pitching, and fielding
statistics for every major-leaguer since 1876 in addition to
annual standings, rosters, and leader boards. Also offered
are team home and road statistics since 1900, a managerial
register, sections on award winners and Hall of Famers,
postseason results and statistics, and season and career
leaderboards. In addition, the Baseball Encyclopedia
features a list of all trades since 1900 and a register of
Negro Leagues season and career batting and pitching
statistics, as well as an appendix of changes to playing and
scoring rules.
SABR Presents the Home Run Encyclopedia: The Who,
What, When, and Where of Every Home Run Hit Since
1876
Edited by Bob McConnell and David Vincent, 1,310 pages,
$40 (MacMillan 1996)
Compiled using the Tattersall/McConnell home run log, the
Home Run Encyclopedia contains detailed
season-by-season home run data for every major-leaguer and
team since 1876. The data includes the number of home runs
at home and away, versus left and right, with one, two, and
three runners on base, inside-the-park, in extra innings, to
lead off a game, as a pinch hitter, and occasions of two,
three, and four home runs in a game. Also provided are the
number of pitchers homered against and ballparks homered in,
as well as the date and pitcher of the players first
home run. Over 100 leaderboards, including by position, by
franchise, and by ballpark, are presented.
Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball
20th edition edited by David S. Neft, Richard M. Cohen,
and Michael L. Neft, 752 pages, $19.99 (Griffin
2000)
Published annually since 1974, the Sports Encyclopedia:
Baseball offers season-by-season team rosters and player
statistics since 1901. Accompanying each season is a
synopsis of the years baseball news as well as
postseason results and statistics. The book also provides
career statistics for all 20th-century major-leaguers, lists
of pennant winners, award winners, and Hall of Famers,
yearly batting and pitching leaders, season and lifetime
leaderboards, World Series leaders, and active career
leaders.
STATS
All-Time Baseball Sourcebook
Edited by Bill James, John Dewan, Neil Munro, Don
Zminda, and Jim Callis, 2,696 pages, $79.95 (STATS
1998)
Part of STATS two-volume encyclopedia, the All-Time
Baseball Sourcebook provides detailed sections on
seasons, all-time leaders, franchises, the postseason, the
All-Star game, awards, famous feats and games, ballparks,
situational statistics, managers, the amateur draft, and
umpires. The seasons section includes standings, home and
away and team-vs.-team records, leaderboards, and complete
rosters for every year since 1876. The all-time leaders
sections features batting and pitching leaderboards by
career, by season, by rookies, by decade, by age, and by
span of seasons, in addition to leaders in runs created per
27 outs and fielding leaders. The franchises section has
team profiles and leaderboards. Also provided are complete
season and career postseason statistics, postseason
leaderboards, box scores of all postseason, All-Star, and
other famous games, complete Hall of Fame and award voting
results, STATS retroactive awards, ballpark statistics,
career situational statistics since 1984, managerial
leaderboards, and career managerial tendency statistics
since 1991. A revised edition of the All-Time Baseball
Sourcebook is expected some time in 2000.
STATS
All-Time Major League Handbook
Edited by Bill James, John Dewan, Neil Munro, and Don
Zminda, 2,653 pages, $79.95 (STATS 1998)
Part of STATSs two-volume encyclopedia, the
All-Time Major League Handbook is dedicated to
comprehensive season and career batting, pitching, and
position-by-position fielding statistics for every
major-leaguer since 1876. Runs created and component ERA
estimates are included, and league averages in runs created
per 27 outs, earned-run average, fielding percentage, and
range factor are provided next to the players averages
for easy comparison. Each players record also includes
notations for All-Star appearances, and Most Valuable
Player, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Gold Glove awards.
A revised edition of the All-Time Major League
Handbook is expected some time in 2000.
Total
Baseball
Sixth Edition edited by John Thorn, Peter Palmer,
Michael Gershman, and David Pietrusza with Matthew Silberman
and Sean Lahman, 2,538 pages, $59.95 (Total Sports
1999)
Published since 1989, Total Baseball, the official
encyclopedia of Major League Baseball, features essays and
statistics chronicling the history of the game. The essays
discuss the evolution of baseball, the 400 greatest players
of all time, baseball abroad, the Negro Leagues, women in
baseball, baseball and the Armed Forces, baseball
statistics, baseball in the media, the amateur draft,
baseball families, baseball collecting, ballparks,
franchises, and the origins of the All-Star game, the Hall
of Fame, awards, the postseason, and other subjects. Season
and career batting and pitching statistics are provided for
every major-leaguer since 1876, including batting runs,
stolen-base runs, pitching runs, and fielding runs estimates
and adjusted OPS and ERA. The season register offers
standings, leaderboards, and rosters, and the all-time
leaders section ranks players in more than 200 categories,
including the comprehensive total player and total pitcher
ratings. There are also sections on the Hall of Fame and
award voting, postseason and All-Star game results and
statistics, managers, coaches, umpires, owners, and
executives, and ballparks. A glossary and appendices, with a
collection of baseball quotes as well as a timeline of
baseball firsts, are presented at the end of the book.
Baseball Dynasties: The Greatest Teams of All Time
By Rob Neyer and Eddie Epstein, 384 pages, $17.95
(Norton 2000)
From the 1906 Cubs to the 1998 Yankees, Baseball
Dynasties profiles 15 of the 20th centurys
greatest teams. Each dynasty is discussed in capsule form
accompanied by short essays and sidebars. Besides the
dynasties in question, Neyer and Epstein briefly cover the
19th centurys greatest teams, the worst teams of all
time, the best Negro league teams, and a few teams that just
missed the list. Statistical tools include Pythagorean
won-loss records, OPS, runs created, offensive winning
percentage, total player rating, and a standard deviation
approach to runs scored and runs allowed. Neyer and Epstein
wrap up Baseball Dynasties with their rankings of the
greatest teams and an appendix featuring the best and worst
standard-deviation scores of the 20th century.
Baseballs All-Time Best Hitters: How Statistics
Can Level the Playing Field
By Michael J. Schell, 295 pages, $22.95 (Princeton
1999)
Thoroughly statistical, Baseballs All-Time Best
Hitters wades through various biases in order to
determine which players are the greatest hitters for batting
average in baseball history. Chapter by chapter Schell
filters out the effects of decline due to age, varying
offensive levels, increasing league batting talent, and
ballpark. While the unadjusted list of career batting
average leaders is dominated by players from the 20s
and 30s, Schells adjusted list features many
more players from the modern era. Schell also examines how
several active players rate using his approach and provides
a brief application of his methods to on-base
percentage.
Bill James Guide to Baseball Managers from 1870 to
Today
By Bill James, 352 pages, $30 (Scribner 1997)
Organized by decade, the Guide to Baseball Managers
explains the evolution of the modern baseball manager as
well as the origins and wisdom of practices and strategies
that are commonplace today, such as sacrifice hits and
platoons. Included among the decade snapshots are individual
profiles of the best and most innovative managers of all
time. James employs a point system as well as a tool to
determine expected won-loss records to evaluate and rank
managers. Many short essays and sidebars are included
throughout the book.
Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
By Bill James, 721 pages, out of print (Villard
1986)
Actually two books in one, the first half of the
Historical Baseball Abstract features a
decade-by-decade history of baseball in capsule form.
Several short essays and sidebars cover the sport from the
1870s to the 1980s. The second half of the book discusses
the greatest players of all time and includes James
subjective rankings by position and overall. Players are
evaluated using offensive winning percentage and other
statistical tools, and James writes brief comments on almost
every player listed. A statistical appendix covering many of
the players is included after the comments and rankings. A
revised edition of the Historical Baseball Abstract
is expected some time in 2000.
The Diamond Appraised
By Craig R. Wright and Tom House, 409 pages, out of
print (Fireside 1989)
The combined work of a statistical analyst and a
major-league pitching coach, the Diamond Appraised is
a study in contrasts. Wright and House cover topics like
evaluating defense, four-man rotations, and five-tool
players from their differing points of view. Wright uses an
array of statistics to make his points, while House offers
his experience in professional baseball. Other topics of
discussion include catchers ERA, Pete Rose and Ty
Cobb, home-field advantage, the knuckleball, the All-Star
game, ballpark effects, and changes to the rules to improve
the game.
Hidden Game of Baseball: A Revolutionary Approach to
Baseball and Its Statistics
By John Thorn and Pete Palmer with David Reuther, 419
pages, out of print (Doubleday 1984)
The Hidden Game of Baseball introduces readers to
Palmers linear weights system of player evaluation.
The tools of linear weights, batting runs, stolen-base runs,
pitching runs, and fielding runs, are described and
demonstrated, as are other innovations such as park factors
and normalized ERA and OPS. Thorn and Palmer also use
statistics to address strategic topics such as sacrifice
hits, stolen bases, intentional walks, batting order, and
platoons. The final third of the book is dedicated to
applying The New Statistics to every season from
1876 to 1983. The statistics are now presented in Total
Baseball.
Politics of Glory: How Baseball's Hall of Fame Really
Works
By Bill James, 452 pages, $15 (MacMillan
1994)
The Politics of Glory is a combination institutional
history of the Hall of Fame and critique of its selection
processes. James examines the development of todays
Hall of Fame standards, or lack thereof. While he does not
advocate the selection of particular candidates, he
discusses scores of players who are the subjects of active
Hall of Fame campaigns. Statistical tools such as similarly
scores, the Hall of Fame monitor, and Fibonacci win points
are brought to bear on the candidates, and James suggests
reforms for the Hall of Fames selection processes.
James also forecasts what active players he thinks might
make it to Cooperstown.
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