The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2006 (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hardball Times has become a must-read site for me and for many other people in the baseball business." -- Jayson Stark, ESPN.com Senior Writer

"Nobody combines cutting edge statistics with insightful, provocative, and accessible writing like the folks at The Hardball Times." -- Jacob Luft, Sports Illustrated Baseball Writer

Product Description

The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2006 is a comprehensive analysis of the entire 2005 baseball season from the first pitch to the last out, including a review of the playoffs and the White Sox-Astros World Series. It contains:

• Detailed reviews of how 2005 played out in each of baseball’s six divisions.
• An in-depth look at minor league, college and Japanese ball.
• Reports on some of the hottest issues in baseball, such as steroids, the World Cup, and the next round of union negotiations.
• Brand new articles by well-known baseball writers including Bill James, Rob Neyer and John Dewan.
• Detailed team stats and graphs.
• Team-by-team individual hitting and fielding numbers.
• Cutting-edge statistics such as Win Shares and line drive/groundball/flyball outcomes.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: ACTA Publications (November 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879463082
• ISBN-13: 978-0879463083
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #826,793 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly excellent entry in its field, January 2, 2006

By	Craig (Ohio) - See all my reviews

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.

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

By	EVC (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

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.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent value--several books in one, December 4, 2005

By	KING-J - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This a true baseball annual. Of course there are statistics for every major league team, but what makes Hardball Times unique is that it is not just another stats book:
2005 season summary by division
11 essays of baseball commentary
4 essays of baseball history
8 essays of baseball analysis
There should be something in here to satisfy any baseball fan.