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| CHAPTER EXCERPTS | |
| @ Sports Illustrated | |
| Relievers and the Three Run Lead | |
| @ Hardball Times | |
| Pitching Around Batters | |
| CHAPTER PREVIEWS | |
| Foreword By Pete Palmer | |
| Preface | |
| 1. | Tools |
| 2. | Streaks |
| 3. | Batter/Pitcher Matchups |
| 4. | Clutch |
| 5. | Batting Order |
| 6. | Platooning |
| 7. | Starting Pitchers |
| 8. | Relief Pitchers |
| 9. | Sacrifice Bunt |
| 10. | Intentional Walks |
| 11. | Base Stealing |
| 12. | Game Theory |
| Appendix | |
| List Of Tables | |
© 2006 TMA Press
Written by three esteemed sabermetricians, The Book continues where the legendary Bill James Abstracts and Palmer and Thorn's The Hidden Game of Baseball left off over twenty years ago. A revolutionary way to think about baseball, with principles that can be applied at every level, from high school to the major leagues.
Batting Order: If nothing else, we will consider this book a true success if all thirty teams were to never put a below-average hitter in the second spot. While the proper strategy will only gain you a few runs, why do something that is otherwise clearly wrong?
The Sacrifice Bunt: If you were to ask almost any manager whether he would rather advance the runner to second in exchange for an out, or have the batter attempt a sacrifice, how do you think he would respond? If you answered, “Take the guaranteed sacrifice,” we think that you would be right. What a poor decision that would be. It's not even close!
Batter/Pitcher Matchups: Luis Gonzalez, against the one guy he owned in the previous eighteen PA, the one guy that he took to the cleaners more often than any other pitcher he's faced, the one pitcher that any hitter has taken advantage of more than any other pitcher in baseball, crumbled in his sight for the next twelve PA.
...offers several provocative notions aimed at shaking up how teams think about the sport.
— Russell Adams
Excerpted From Wall Street Journal
... it is the presentation of this pragmatic and supportive evidence which makes Tango, Lichtman and Dolphin's work here peerless... I found the chapters on batting order construction and sacrifice batting to be so edifying that they should be considered as "must-reading" for every G.M. and Field Manager in Major League Baseball... I feel that anyone who likes to consider themselves to be an analytical baseball fan will want to look at this book.
— Steve Lombardi
I can heartily recommend a couple of books that are on my desk right now: John Dewan's THE FIELDING BIBLE ... and a book called THE BOOK: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, by a trio of talented sabermetricians. Both are, to my mind, essential.
— Rob Neyer, Author of Neyer/James Guide To Pitchers
It's the book I've always wanted to do.
— John Dewan, Author of The Fielding Bible
Personal Message
Their analysis of the sacrifice bunt, stolen base, intentional walk, and pitchout are more thorough then any I have seen. Construction of the lineup, including platooning, and the use of starting and relief pitchers provide some fascinating results as well.
— Pete Palmer, Author of The Hidden Game Of Baseball
Excerpted From Foreword In The Book
...simply awesome... arguably the most important sabermetric publication since the Hidden Game of Baseball... break new ground on pretty much every subject. Part of the joy of reading The Book is the feeling of discovering and learning alongside the authors... the writing is so lucid and exact that a layman with a bit of time on his hands is perfectly capable of picking up the main points... Topics such as regression to the mean and markov chains are explained succinctly yet with clarity that a book like this so often lacks.
— J. Beamer
Excerpted From Baseball Strategy
Written with an almost unheard-of level of depth and expertise... There's an unbelievable wealth of information...
— Will Carroll, Author of Saving The Pitcher
Excerpted From Baseball Toaster
...readers of "The Book" will be attracted to the content rather than the expression. The authors chose, in pitching the level of the book, to emphasize accessiblity over technical rigour and clarity. This was probably a wise choice.
— Michael Green
...their analysis is as thorough as I've seen anywhere. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in baseball analysis and managerial strategy.
— Lee Panas
...it represents a tremendous amount of work and discusses for the first time some very interesting topics. It is by far the best book to come out this year...
— M.D.
Enjoyed it tremendously. I don't know which one of you guys came up with the layout of the book but extra kudos to them as well... The [play-by-play] data use was definitely what I like to see in statistical analysis... In other words thanks for the memorable book.
— U.
For now, I'm only 84 pages... into the book and all I can say is wow.
— O.
...the book is simply awesome. The toolshed chapter is all stuff I know but it is written in such a succinct and pithy way that I find I just want to re-read it over and over. All the other chapters (OK - I am only three in) are cutting edge, thought provoking and also extremely well written.
— J.B.
I'm devouring the book. The batting order chapter is spectacular... [on another site] They have written a book that every baseball manager and general manager should read, perhaps the best book of its kind since The Hidden Game of Baseball.
— Dave Studeman
...hit the lineup chapter first last night. If the rest of the book is that good, it will be very enjoyable. Its clear and well layed out. Information is presented well and is easy to understand.
— C.J.M.
I got mine today, and I'm already about 120 pages in. It's spectacular. ... Tango, Mitchel, and Andy have done a great job... [and later] ...I have about 70 pages left, and I've been absorbing the book. I'm taking a Stats class right now, and I skipped doing the homework to read an extra chapter last night. Hey, I'll probably learn more from your appendix than I have all year in this class.
— David Gassko
It was a great idea to focus on the strategies of the game, instead of things like what is the best run estimator, and what is the best defensive stat. It produces a certain focus, and organizing principle.... [and later] ... The Book, is of, course, excellent.
— D.S.
This book is easy to read. It's well-written and, surprisingly, none of the chapters are overly technical. This is quite a feat. The explanations are clear and I think the appendix is the only section of the book that requires more than high-school level mathematics (and even that's debatable). It's just a thoughtful book about baseball strategy. If any of you out there haven't bought the book because you're uncomfortable with advanced statistics or game theory, don't let that stop you from buying this book. It's very accessible.
— B.M.
Got my copy, and am really enjoying it. Great work.
— G.M.
I'm just five chapters in, but The Book is highly engaging so far. Well done.
— B.H.W.
I just finished The Book this morning, and would like to give a big THANKS to the authors - to anyone who is interested in baseball and doesn't own it yet...BUY IT! I was equivocating, but after reading some of the initial reaction here I couldn't resist and haven't been disappointed in the least.
— G.B.
...have only praise for its authors. ...I hope sabermetricians read The Book and don't waste their energy and time duplicating what Tango, MGL and Dolphin have already and splendidly accomplished.
— S.H.
I think The Book is outstanding... The Book rocks!
— H.W.
...have only praise for its authors... If I can follow it, then most people can do the same... I hope sabermetricians read The Book and don't waste their energy and time duplicating what Tango, MGL and Dolphin have already and splendidly accomplished.
— S.H.
I want to express how much I appreciated the clarity of the writing in The Book, which allowed even a baseball psuedofan like me to understand everything easily. The Toolshed chapter opened my eyes, and the Appendix soothed my very soul.
— I.K.
I'm up to chapter 6 so far, and it's some fascinating stuff. Highly recommended.
— Joshua Lapo
Read the first four chapters or so. Like it a lot so far. It is very statistical at the same time as not bogging down the reader with the in depth math
— Kenny Canfield
I am in the middle of reading and am enjoying it a great deal.
— T.R.
...a fantastic read so far. Love the writing style, it's very easy to follow.
— Derek Snyder
I got The Book a week or two ago, and have been slowly reading since. I am greatly enjoying it, and am learning quite a bit about Sabermetric analysis, which is nice.
— Deepak Ramani
To me, the beauty of The Book is that you can make it as simple or as complicated as you’re comfortable with. Read only their conclusions, and you’ll already be a smarter fan. Prefer to go deeper, and you’ll see just how they connected the dots. My copy’s getting dog-eared, and the season hasn’t even begun yet!
— Rick O'Dell, Radio Host
I really enjoyed the book.
— Dan Fox
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