This ambitious study of major league managers since the formation of the National League applies a sabermetric approach to gauging their performance and tendencies. Rather than focusing solely on in-game tactical decisions, it also analyzes broader, off-the-field management issues such as handling players, fans, and media, enforcing team rules, working with the front office, and balancing pressure versus performance.
Evaluating Baseball's Managers
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"Way back in the 20th century, Bill James wrote the first essential book about baseball managers. Chris Jaffe has just written the second." --Rob Neyer, ESPN.com
"These days it's tough to find an important aspect of baseball that hasn't been studied and analyzed a hundred different ways, but Chris Jaffe has done just that with a unique, compelling look at the men who run thing on the field. . . . This book is for you, whether you like hardcore numbers crunching and objective analysis or biographical sketches and interesting anecdotes." --Aaron Gleeman, writer, NBCsports.com
"I can think of no work on managers that as effectively and completely evaluates the men in the dugout. It is a leap forward in our understanding of these hardball leaders.… From now on, whenever I have a question about a manager, Jaffe's book will be the first and last one I reach for." --Sean Forman, founder of Baseball-Reference.com
"These days it's tough to find an important aspect of baseball that hasn't been studied and analyzed a hundred different ways, but Chris Jaffe has done just that with a unique, compelling look at the men who run thing on the field. . . . This book is for you, whether you like hardcore numbers crunching and objective analysis or biographical sketches and interesting anecdotes." --Aaron Gleeman, writer, NBCsports.com
"I can think of no work on managers that as effectively and completely evaluates the men in the dugout. It is a leap forward in our understanding of these hardball leaders.… From now on, whenever I have a question about a manager, Jaffe's book will be the first and last one I reach for." --Sean Forman, founder of Baseball-Reference.com
About the Author
Chris Jaffe is an instructor of history and a columnist for the The Hardball Times. He lives in Schaumburg, Illinois.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By M. Weddell
Format:Paperback
If the title of the book appeals to you, you're going to love this book. I did.
In the book's first part, lasting 62 pages, Chris Jaffe derives three metrics for both evaluating and describing managers' performances. These are expanded versions of articles that originally appeared on various baseball analytical websites. For the key metric, Jaffe examines five aspects of team seasonal performance above or below expectations shaped by the team's surrounding seasons. If a manager has a sufficiently long track record, Jaffe assumes that the performance above or below expectations is due to the manager and not randomness, luck, or other influences. Obviously, that's an artificial assumption as Jaffe recognizes, but it is the best attempt at trying to both quantify a manager's value and describe what he does well that I've seen. There are definitely problems with the metric, most notably that managers blessed with strong talent tend to do well, but it's a start.
That first section can be a bit dry, so if you're impatient, feel free to skip chapter 3.
The last 70% of the book is the payoff. There are mini-chapters on every manager with a moderately long major league career applying Jaffe's metrics and describing what the manager does well. This material is just terrific, with plenty of original observations. Jaffe's metrics give him an informed perspective that you won't read elsewhere. This portion of the book is not as quantitative and makes for better reading. The last two chapters, on current and recently-retired managers are the best portions of the book, so peek ahead to read a minichapter on one of your favorite recent managers to see if you'll like it.
One downside is that while the book's subtitle indicates it covers through 2008, in some respects it stops in 2006 due to the restrictions of Jaffe's methodology. Nonetheless, I very much liked it and give the book a 5-star rating.
Note that while the book is a bit expensive for a mere 288 pages, there is plenty of text per page, so it's not a bad bargain.
In the book's first part, lasting 62 pages, Chris Jaffe derives three metrics for both evaluating and describing managers' performances. These are expanded versions of articles that originally appeared on various baseball analytical websites. For the key metric, Jaffe examines five aspects of team seasonal performance above or below expectations shaped by the team's surrounding seasons. If a manager has a sufficiently long track record, Jaffe assumes that the performance above or below expectations is due to the manager and not randomness, luck, or other influences. Obviously, that's an artificial assumption as Jaffe recognizes, but it is the best attempt at trying to both quantify a manager's value and describe what he does well that I've seen. There are definitely problems with the metric, most notably that managers blessed with strong talent tend to do well, but it's a start.
That first section can be a bit dry, so if you're impatient, feel free to skip chapter 3.
The last 70% of the book is the payoff. There are mini-chapters on every manager with a moderately long major league career applying Jaffe's metrics and describing what the manager does well. This material is just terrific, with plenty of original observations. Jaffe's metrics give him an informed perspective that you won't read elsewhere. This portion of the book is not as quantitative and makes for better reading. The last two chapters, on current and recently-retired managers are the best portions of the book, so peek ahead to read a minichapter on one of your favorite recent managers to see if you'll like it.
One downside is that while the book's subtitle indicates it covers through 2008, in some respects it stops in 2006 due to the restrictions of Jaffe's methodology. Nonetheless, I very much liked it and give the book a 5-star rating.
Note that while the book is a bit expensive for a mere 288 pages, there is plenty of text per page, so it's not a bad bargain.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Bart Ewing
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mr. Weddell's review is excellent, I would add that for those of us that play baseball recreation games such as Strat-O-Matic, APBA or Diamond Mind this book has an even greater value in giving insights and understanding to historical replays. I was replaying the 1972 season and Ralph Houk's Yankees were making a run for the AL East title. I set up bullpen settings to mirror Houk's style of going with a single reliever long innings.
I would splurge for the hard copy. I went Kindle for price which is fine but it doesn't set up as well on the page and this is one of those books you are constantly want to flip back and look at a chapter or a manager. The metrics are excellent but I often got them confused and needed to remind myself which was which-again harder with the Kindle version. The history buff will love hearing about managers who time has forgotten and insights into why others may not be as great as history has portrayed them. The Leo Durocher chapter was very insightful as it reveals how his abilities dropped once he aged and moved onto the Cubs-his reckless lack of substitution burned his team out every second half.
I would splurge for the hard copy. I went Kindle for price which is fine but it doesn't set up as well on the page and this is one of those books you are constantly want to flip back and look at a chapter or a manager. The metrics are excellent but I often got them confused and needed to remind myself which was which-again harder with the Kindle version. The history buff will love hearing about managers who time has forgotten and insights into why others may not be as great as history has portrayed them. The Leo Durocher chapter was very insightful as it reveals how his abilities dropped once he aged and moved onto the Cubs-his reckless lack of substitution burned his team out every second half.
