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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly excellent entry in its field, January 2, 2006
This review is from: The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2006 (Paperback)
Given that the Bill James and Baseball Prospectus annuals seem to cover almost anything you could need for the upcoming season, I wasn't sure what to expect with this effort from the guys at the great THT site.
What makes this one stand out from the others, in my opinion, is the number and quality of articles, both with regard to the 2005 season and to other baseball-related issues. While the BP annual always has essays, their number doesn't approach what is included in the THT annual. In their recap of 2005, there are short essays covering each divisional race, a postseason review, and an excellent "Ten Things I learned this Year" essay from Dave Studeman, who manages to bridge the gap betweeen "traditional" and "stathead" approaches to the game as well as anyone I've read. Steve Treder's examination of the 2005 season stands out, as do a couple of articles on the business side of baseball by Brian Borawski and Maury Brown.
I admit to being a little surprised at the number of research articles dedicated to batted balls (there are 5 of them), but after reading them I can understand why all of them were included. The analysis section also includes several other interesting articles, including a good look at the value of baserunning. And I would be remiss, of course, not to mention that this publication includes some excellent and well-presented stats in the book's second half. It's simply that the articles are so good and plentiful that they overshadow the numbers.
This is an outstanding work, one that has quickly earned a place on my bookshelf behind copies of James' old abstracts and a growing pile of BP annuals. I'd be surprised to see a better baseball publication for 2006, as the THT guys have just done a great job of culling many items of interest together in a single book. This is a must-purchase, one worth much more than its low price.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential and Thought Provoking - See the game in a new way, December 24, 2005
This review is from: The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2006 (Paperback)
I have been reading the hardball times website for over a year and the analysis and articles have always been really thought provoking. Aaron Gleeman is a joy to read and "Studes" is a stats maven who brings great insight into the game I love. Great reviews of division races, great graphical trending to get a true insight into how teams really performed, and articles with a statistical bent detailing the pros and cons of the DePodesta era for the Dodgers, the "Angel Way" system and its pros and cons, analysis of the impact of luck, Walt Jocketty as a GM and much more. Throw in great articles by Bill James and Rob Neyer, and what's not to love? And of course the detailed stats (in many hitting, pitching and fielding categories) for every player and team that you'd expect from a top-of-the-line baseball annual. If you are not convinced, take a look at their excellent site -- www.hardballtimes.com -- and review a couple articles; I think once you get a feel for the quality of their work, you'll be convinced that this is the annual to buy. Anyone can compile stats or a paragraph on each player, but these guys add a whole layer of analysis on top of the game that sheds a lot of light on the game.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Does not cover everything, but outstanding in what it does, March 15, 2006
This review is from: The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2006 (Paperback)
When I first got this book, I was a little disappointed that it did not provide everything in a neat package like other annuals. For example, the team and individual statistics are for 2005 only, with neither historical numbers nor projections. There are no detailed writeups or predictions on teams or players, and some of the articles seem to go into too much depth on issues like batted balls, as noted by another reviewer.
Over time, however, I have been referring to this book more than any other source to get deeper insights into the coming season and re-reading the numerous excellent articles on specific topics like fielding and, yes, types of batted balls. While not written with fantasy leagues in mind, I've found the stats to be invaluable in identifying undervalued players especially beyond the Top 100 that appear on everyone's draft lists.
This book does not try to cover everything, but what it does choose to cover is done extremely well.
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