Extra Innings: More Baseball Between the Numbers from the Team at Baseball Prospectus [Hardcover]

Baseball Prospectus The (Author), Steven Goldman (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2012

In 1996, a brassy young team of fans produced a guide to baseball statistics. Printed on a photocopier, its distribution, which was in the low hundreds, was limited to friends, family, and die-hard stat heads. Sixteen years later, the Baseball Prospectus annual regularly hits best-seller lists and has become an indispensable guide for the serious fan.

In Extra Innings, the team at Baseball Prospectus integrates statistics, interviews, and analysis to deliver twenty arguments about today’s game. In the tradition of their seminal book, Baseball Between the Numbers, they take on everything from steroids to the amateur draft. They probe the impact of managers on the game. They explain the critical art of building a bullpen. In an era when statistics matter more than ever, Extra Innings is an essential volume for every baseball fan.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Washington Post Book World
“Go to a certain kind of bar, and chances are you will be told that everything you know about baseball is wrong. But, the wise guys at Baseball Prospectus will make you believe it—and enjoy discovering why.”

New York Daily News
“One book that will surely fuel the vicious barroom arguments that make the national pastime so much fun is Baseball Between the Numbers by the stat-heads at Baseball Prospectus, a book that brings a meat cleaver to some of the game’s most sacred cows.”

 

Miami Herald
“Baseball Prospectus takes an inspired approach to the game, blending science and math to bust myths.”

 

Boston Globe
“A provocative book that looks at the game in ways not previously imagined. . . . These are the people making a huge impacton progressive front offices throughout the game.”

 

Wall Street Journal
“For fans in the moderate-to-diehard category, the queries asked and answered within these pages make for surprisingly absorbing, even suspenseful, reading.”

 

Roanoke Times
“These are people who love baseball; their purpose is not to destroy our enjoyment of it but to provide better understanding. And if you’re impatient, you won’t have to wait long—it’s in an introductory chapter—for the group’s answer to the burning question: Who’s the better player, Barry Bonds or Babe Ruth? We won’t give it away; you’ll have to beg, borrow, buy or steal the book. It’s worth it.”

 

Bob Ryan, Boston Globe
“Time and again while reading this book I was dazzled by the intense depth to which these researchers are willing to go. . . . The depth of their knowledge is not merely formidable or impressive. It is downright frightening.”

New York Times
“Freakonomics for statheads. . . . The Baseball Prospectus team can make just about anything interesting.”

 

Newsweek.com
“If you’re a sports iconoclast, one of those folks who believes that the conventional wisdom is usually wrong, a firm believer in the cult of “Moneyball,” then this book should be next on your list. The stathead big brains at Baseball Prospectus tackle the articles of baseball dogma and dismantle them one by one. Does a batting order really matter? Is there such a thing as a clutch hitter? The title is misleading—most of what you know about baseball is, in fact, still right. But the authors use numbers and cold hard logic to dispute myths you never would’ve even thought to challenge. It’s a must-read for anybody who grew up memorizing statistics on the backs of baseball cards.”

About the Author

Base ball Prospectus is the top statistical website in baseball and is extensively cited in print and on air by a wide range of broadcasters, magazines, and daily newspapers.

 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 2012 no other dates edition (April 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465024033
• ISBN-13: 978-0465024032
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.7 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars There's something for everyone April 5, 2012

By Darin

Format:Hardcover

I've been a fan of Baseball Prospectus since the very first annual and there's something for everyone in Extra Innings whether you've been a diehard follower from the early days or just have recently discovered them. Extra Innings covers a wide variety of topics, from the Steroid Era and its impact on the Hall of Fame to the scouting/development aspect of the game to bullpen management (as a Rangers fan, this cuts deep. Thanks Wash..) and many more topics. The Jazayerli piece on age and the amateur draft is fascinating and could, if it hasn't already, impact the games for years. There's enough here for just about anyone interested in any aspect of the game and the wide variety of authors and styles should keep you entertained for hours.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Baseball Prospectus does it again March 20, 2012

By BR-NYC

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love baseball. While I was at a game with a friend a few years ago, he suggested I check out Baseball Prospectus, and I can't thank him enough for that recommendation. Their books are a must-read for anybody who loves the game. Insightful, entertaining, and well-written.

The newest addition on my bookshelf is Extra Innings. If you are already familiar with Baseball Prospectus, you'll probably buy this book no matter what I have to say about it. But if you've never read one of their previous books, then you should know that you can pick this one up and enjoy it from start to finish. If you're still hesitating, then I suggest you check out the excerpt from Extra Innings that has been published on their free website [...]

I would strongly recommend Baseball Prospectus and Extra Innings for every baseball fan. You can buy it for yourself, of course, but I especially recommend it if you're buying it as a gift for someone else who loves the game.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Baseball Book August 2, 2012

By J. Smallridge

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is a must-have for those interested in all aspects of baseball. The essay format worked really well for me as it allows for analysis and commentary on a wide-range of issues from steroids to Jack Morris (who I'm now convinced doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame). Some chapters are better than others -- the Baseball 101 chapter may be the best while chapter on evaluating managers may be the worst -- but this is an excellent resource overall.