{"title":"Sports \u0026 Recreation - Baseball - Essays \u0026 Writings","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"homestand-small-town-baseball-and-the-fight-for-the-soul-of-america-9780385549653","title":"Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America","description":"\u003cb\u003eA poignant memoir exploring small town baseball as a lens into what's right and wrong with modern America--written by an acclaimed journalist and Army Ranger who, after returning from Iraq to a painfully divided country, rediscovered its core values in the bleachers of a minor league ballpark in Batavia, New York. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Bardenwerper finds hope in the people and community around a former minor league baseball team.\"\u003ci\u003e--Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Will reveal more about the prospects for America than 100 news stories about politics, and will be a lot more fun.\"--James Fallows, bestselling co-author of \u003ci\u003eOur Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhat happens when a minor league team--the heart and soul of a Rust Belt town in western New York--is shut down by the billionaires who run Major League Baseball? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBatavia, New York--between Rochester and Buffalo--hosted its first professional baseball game in 1897. Despite decades of deindustrialization and evaporating middle-class jobs, the Batavia Muckdogs endured. When Major League Baseball cravenly shut them down in 2020--along with forty-one other minor league teams--the town fought back, reviving the Muckdogs as a summer league team comprised of college players. As MLB considers further cuts and private equity buys up what remains, the mom-and-pop operations once prevalent in baseball are endangered. But for now, the sights and sounds of local baseball live on in Batavia--cheap draft beer and hot dogs, starry-eyed kids seeking autographs, and breathtaking summer sunsets. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWith a vibrant, unforgettable cast of characters--from a librarian and her best friend whose relationship deepens with every \"crepuscular hour\" they spend together in the bleachers, to the former hockey brawler-turned team owner who greets regulars while working the concession stand, to the iconoclastic writer with a contagious love for his struggling hometown--Bardenwerper's \u003ci\u003eHomestand\u003c\/i\u003e exposes the beating heart of small town America, friends and neighbors coming together as the crack of the bat echoes in the summer twilight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Will Bardenwerper\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Doubleday Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/11\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.25lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.20h x 6.20w x 1.30d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780385549653\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/01\/2025 pg. 74\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/01\/2025 pg. 12\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e 03\/29\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWILL BARDENWERPER has contributed to \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHarper's\u003c\/i\u003e and other outlets and is the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What History Leaves Unsaid\u003c\/i\u003e. He served as an Airborne Ranger-qualified infantry officer in Iraq and was awarded a Combat Infantryman Badge and Bronze Star. Before working in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, he received a B.A. from Princeton and M.A. from Johns Hopkins University.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Will Bardenwerper \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47279438725277,"sku":"9780385549653","price":40.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_2a727174-4233-4881-9cb1-95b78fce8d21.jpg?v=1759870284"},{"product_id":"make-me-commissioner-i-know-whats-wrong-with-baseball-and-how-to-fix-it-9780306834660","title":"Make Me Commissioner: I Know What's Wrong with Baseball and How to Fix It","description":"\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling biographer and lifelong baseball devotee takes readers on an epic journey through the game that baseball has become-- a heartfelt manifesto that's perfect for lovers of the sport.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Jane Leavy has always loved baseball. Her grandmother lived one long, loud foul ball away from Yankee Stadium--the same grandmother who took young Jane to Saks Fifth Avenue and bought her her first baseball glove. It's no coincidence that Leavy was covering the game she loved for the Washington Post by the late 1970s. As a pioneering female sportswriter, she eventually turned her talent to books, penning three of the all-time best baseball biographies about three of the all-time best players: Sandy Koufax, Mickey Mantle, and Babe Ruth. But when she went searching for a fourth biographical subject, she realized that baseball had faltered. The Moneyball era of the last two decades obsessed over data and slowed the game down to a crawl, often at the expense of thrills, skills, and surprise. Major League Baseball has begun to address issues too long ignored, yet the questions linger: how much have these efforts helped to improve the game and reassert its place in American culture? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Leavy takes a whirlwind tour of the country seeking answers to these questions, talking with luminaries like Joe Torre, Dave Roberts, Jim Palmer, Dusty Baker, and more. What Leavy uncovers is not only what's wrong with baseball--and how to fix it--but also what's right with baseball, and how it illuminates characters, tells stories, and fires up the imagination of those who love it and everyone who could discover it anew.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Jane Leavy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Grand Central Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/09\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 384\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.29lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.17h x 6.38w x 1.24d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780306834660\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/01\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJane Leavy \u003c\/b\u003eis the author of the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestsellers \u003ci\u003eThe Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood, Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy\u003c\/i\u003e, and the comic novel \u003ci\u003eSqueeze Play\u003c\/i\u003e, which \u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e called \"the best novel ever written about baseball.\" She was a staff writer at \u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e from 1979 to 1988, first in the Sports section, then writing for the Style section. She covered baseball, tennis, and the Olympics. She has written for many publications, including \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Los Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e, and was anthologized in \u003ci\u003eThe Great American Sports Page: A Century of Classic Columns\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Jane Leavy \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47279477293213,"sku":"9780306834660","price":51.32,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_7f7b3be9-e6ab-4066-9e72-7e7a688f2144.jpg?v=1759871097"},{"product_id":"the-ancient-wisdom-of-baseball-lessons-for-life-from-homers-odyssey-to-the-world-series-9798886453041","title":"The Ancient Wisdom of Baseball: Lessons for Life from Homer's Odyssey to the World Series","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"For those who love baseball, the game holds deep personal meaning and echoes to the past that are undeniable but often hard to articulate. Christian Sheppard's \u003ci\u003eThe Ancient Wisdom of Baseball \u003c\/i\u003eis a love letter to baseball that explains its connections to our inner lives and to classical lore in a way that makes one pine for Opening Day.\" --THEO EPSTEIN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Who are you, how are you supposed to live, and what about happiness? Answers to age-old questions are offered in classic myths about heroes, gods, and monsters, and at the ballgame. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In \u003ci\u003eThe Ancient Wisdom of Baseball\u003c\/i\u003e, author Christian Sheppard interweaves Homer's epics with glorious stories from the green fields of America's pastime, celebrating Achilles' courage and Odysseus' cunning along with the virtues of Hall of Fame players such as Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth and of great teams such as the 2004 Red Sox and the 2016 Cubs. Along the way, Sheppard humorously recollects trying to raise his baby daughter true to the teachings of ancient myth and his beloved game. The result is an endearing, insightful, and inspiring guide to cultivating virtue and becoming the hero of your own life's odyssey. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Christian Sheppard\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Greenleaf Book Group Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/25\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 184\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.75lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.60h x 5.40w x 0.80d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798886453041\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/03\/2025","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Christian Sheppard \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47282844893341,"sku":"9798886453041","price":47.91,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_0cb32bd9-8bc0-426b-ba2d-644c2b73bbf6.jpg?v=1759956231"},{"product_id":"yankees-typewriters-scandals-and-cooperstown-a-baseball-memoir-9781637277157","title":"Yankees, Typewriters, Scandals, and Cooperstown: A Baseball Memoir","description":"\u003cb\u003eA freewheeling memoir of baseball, journalism, and New York spanning over 50 years of America's pastime\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Before he'd covered dozens of World Series; before he'd written about countless hirings, firings, superstars, and scandals, Bill Madden was a cub reporter on one of his first assignments at Yankee Stadium--and manager Ralph Houk had just gone out of his way to spit tobacco juice all over Madden's shoes. \"That's Ralph's way with rookie writers he doesn't recognize,\" came the explanation. \"He doesn't mean anything by it.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e So began a Hall of Fame scribe's career, as detailed in this clear-eyed memoir. With verve and candor, Madden reflects on five decades of triumphs, misadventures, and unforgettable characters. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e From Jackie Robinson to Aaron Judge; from newsrooms filled with hundreds of teletype machines droning like an army of cicadas to the sleek yet ruthless digital age, keen baseball fans will devour these tales of America's pastime against the backdrop of a rapidly changing media and cultural landscape.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Bill Madden\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Triumph Books (IL)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/01\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 256\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.30lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.10h x 6.10w x 1.30d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781637277157\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBill Madden\u003c\/b\u003e has covered the Yankees and Major League Baseball for over 50 years, including more than four decades with the \u003ci\u003eNew York Daily News\u003c\/i\u003e. He is a bestselling author and the 2010 recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame's J. G. Taylor Spink Award.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Bill Madden \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47283737002141,"sku":"9781637277157","price":47.37,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_2620a8e5-db22-4395-8a3d-e53ebdc3160d.jpg?v=1759971965"},{"product_id":"love-me-hate-me-barry-bonds-and-the-making-of-an-antihero-9780060797539","title":"Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eacclaimed sports writer and bestselling author Jeff Pearlman, \u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003ea searing and insightful look into the life and career of Barry Bonds, one of the most celebrated, contradictory and controversial sports figures of our time\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo player in the history of baseball has left such an indelible mark on the game as Barry Bonds. In his twenty-year career, Bonds has amassed an unprecedented 7 Most Valuable Player awards, 8 Gold Gloves, and more than 700 home runs (and counting), an impressive assortment of feats that has earned him the consideration as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Equally deserved, however, is his reputation as an insufferable braggart, whose mythical home runs are rivaled only by his legendary ego. From his staggering ability and fabled pedigree (father Bobby played outfield for the Giants; cousin Reggie and godfather Willie are both Hall of Famers), to his well-documented run-ins with teammates and his alleged steroid abuse, Bonds inspires a like amount of passion from both sides of the fence. For many, Bonds belongs beside Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron in baseball's holy trinity; for others, he embodies all that is wrong with the modern athlete: aloof; arrogant; alienated.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on extensive interviews with Bonds himself, members of his family, former and current managers, teammates, opponents, trainers, outspoken critics, and unapologetic supporters alike, Pearlman reveals, for the first time, a wonderfully nuanced portrait of a prodigiously talented--and immensely flawed--American icon, whose controversial run at baseball immortality forever changed the way we look at our sports heroes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Jeff Pearlman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Harper Perennial\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/20\/2007\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 400\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.08lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.56h x 5.62w x 1.01d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780060797539\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e 03\/25\/2007 pg. 24\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePearlman, Jeff:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eJEFF PEARLMAN is the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/em\u003ebestselling author of ten books. His subjects include the '80s Los Angeles Lakers (\u003cem\u003eShow-tim\u003c\/em\u003ee), the 1986 New York Mets (\u003cem\u003eThe Bad Guys Won\u003c\/em\u003e), the '90s Dallas Cowboys (\u003cem\u003eBoys Will Be Boys\u003c\/em\u003e), and NFL legends Walter Pay-ton (\u003cem\u003eSweetness\u003c\/em\u003e) and Brett Favre (\u003cem\u003eGunslinger\u003c\/em\u003e). HBO adapted \u003cem\u003eShowtime \u003c\/em\u003einto the dramatic series \u003cem\u003eWinning Time, \u003c\/em\u003eproduced and directed by Adam McKay. A former \u003cem\u003eSports Illus-trated \u003c\/em\u003esenior writer and ESPN.com colum-nist, Pearlman is the host of the \u003cem\u003eTwo Writers Slinging Yang \u003c\/em\u003epodcast and blogs regularly at jeffpearlman.com.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Jeff Pearlman \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47284830175389,"sku":"9780060797539","price":39.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_0a2feb99-ab00-47b1-96b6-dcd038d5f902.jpg?v=1759995399"},{"product_id":"a-year-of-playing-catch-what-a-simple-daily-experiment-taught-me-about-life-9780310367383","title":"A Year of Playing Catch: What a Simple Daily Experiment Taught Me about Life","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJourney with prolific author and avid baseball fan Ethan Bryan on an exciting quest to play catch every day for a year, and discover the lessons he learned about the sacredness of play, finding connections, and being fully present to the human experience. \u003cstrong\u003eA Casey Award finalist!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEthan Bryan played and wrote about baseball for years. Then his daughters challenged him to set out on a yearlong experiment: \u003cem\u003eto play catch with someone every day.\u003c\/em\u003e This experience led him across 10 states and 12,000 miles on a quest both quixotic and inspiring.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTaking you from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to the home of the Daytona Tortugas in Florida, Bryan played ball and swapped stories with public school teachers, veterans, journalists, nurses, musicians, entertainers, entrepreneurs, athletes from every level--amateur to pro--and members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Plus, he visited famous destinations such as the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Miracle League fields, and the original \"Field of Dreams\" in Iowa.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut throughout the book, Bryan reveals it's about much more than \u003cem\u003ewho \u003c\/em\u003ehe played catch with: it's \u003cem\u003ewhat he learned \u003c\/em\u003efrom their vastly different stories\u003cem\u003e. \u003c\/em\u003eLessons include: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow play can reignite a fire within you and transform your life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to find joy in the simple things\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow one life can impact a whole community\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e. . . and more.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor baseball fans and everyone who loves a good story, \u003cem\u003eA Year of Playing Catch\u003c\/em\u003e is an inspiring journey about finding joy in the simple things, and the power of play to transform our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Ethan D. Bryan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Zondervan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/09\/2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 240\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.50lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.30h x 5.40w x 0.70d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780310367383\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBryan, Ethan D.:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eEthan D. Bryan is convinced that good stories bring people together. His baseball stories have landed him an invitation to the White House, an invitation to speak at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and brief appearances in two documentaries.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEthan lives in Springfield, Missouri, with his wife, Jamie, and daughters, Kaylea and Sophie. He still dreams of playing baseball for his beloved Kansas City Royals. His writing can be found at ethanbryan.com or on Twitter at @Ethan_Bryan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Ethan D. Bryan \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47286353166493,"sku":"9780310367383","price":36.54,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_dc302265-82b2-4a26-9da7-af6aced87b03.jpg?v=1760020414"},{"product_id":"hey-mom-wanna-have-a-catch-a-collection-of-baseball-storieshonoring-moms-and-dads-who-taught-us-to-love-americas-national-pastime-9798822968080","title":"\"Hey Mom, wanna have a catch?\": A Collection of Baseball Stories...honoring moms and dads who taught us to love America's National Pastime","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e49 Baseball Stories That Will Warm Your Heart!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis anthology celebrates parenthood and the powerful influence moms and dads have on their sons' and daughters' lifelong love for baseball.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAuthor Rob Sheinkopf retired from a career in higher education and served as a Luxury Suites Concierge for the San Francisco Giants. At Oracle Park he listened to his guests tell their tales of fandom, oftentimes leading to emotional reminiscences with a parent at the center.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is where Sheinkopf was inspired to write this book; recruiting, collecting, editing and meticulously curating these heartfelt narratives. He has eight of his own stories sprinkled throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this collection, you will read poignant reflections from award-winning authors, college professors, baseball broadcasters, former players, and fellow die-hard fans, offering a rich tapestry of perspectives: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRead about a baseball trip this 12 year-old girl will never forget, driving with her dad from Tennessee to Dyersville, Iowa to see her first major league game.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eExperience a first-hand account from a 97 year-old lifelong baseball fan of spending a 1931 Sunday afternoon in Babe Ruth's New York apartment with many of his teammates and friends.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eLearn how a man finds the silver lining and long term benefits in never having played catch with his dad.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eUnderstand that Opening Day is not the best time to break a tooth, if you're a patient of this Las Vegas dentist. He can always be found in his usual seat every year at Dodger Stadium, as the season begins.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRead the touching story how a Pirates pitcher accompanied this high school senior to his school's sports banquet after his father's untimely death.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eAppreciate the struggle that African American minor league baseball players endured in the 1960's through the perspective of a white teammate, and what price he paid to expose injustice.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSee how three daughters each learned to love baseball and the Boston Red Sox because of their father's passion for the game, and his ability to relate to each of them. \u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRelive your memories through these heartwarming stories, as you reflect on your own relationship with your mom or dad, and your love of America's National Pastime.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Rob Sheinkopf\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Palmetto Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/25\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 296\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.85lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.90h x 5.90w x 0.80d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798822968080\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSheinkopf, Rob:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Rob Sheinkopf is a retired college admissions director, originally from Syracuse, New York. A baseball fan all his life, Rob grew up on the Syracuse Chiefs. In his retirement years he has worked for the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park where he listened to fans telling him their baseball stories, developing the idea for this book. Here he has found a forum in which to tell his own baseball stories and share those of others whose parents nurtured their love of the game. Rob and his wife, Lisa Boughner, provide a loving home for their dog, Bochy, in Las Vegas as well as in Ponte Vedra, Florida, dividing their time between the two, trading intense heat for uncomfortable humidity at various times of the year to be with their 4-year-old granddaughter, Molly, and her mom and dad.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis title is not returnable\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Rob Sheinkopf \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47286709256349,"sku":"9798822968080","price":31.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_41c6206a-f13c-4ca6-a3df-a51be7f3db69.jpg?v=1760028991"},{"product_id":"i-love-baseball-players-managers-sportswriters-and-fans-talk-about-their-love-for-the-game-9781493085316","title":"I Love Baseball: Players, Managers, Sportswriters, and Fans Talk about Their Love for the Game","description":"From zany mascots to the most beautiful ballparks ever, and from great traditions to humorous anecdotes from the game, \u003ci\u003eI Love Baseball \u003c\/i\u003eexplores the many reasons we love baseball. It's all here: \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ethe inspirational men and moments that enliven the sport\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eplayers' thoughts on the game they love so deeply\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003equotes from sportswriters and from classic movies on baseball \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ecelebrities who have fallen in love with the game\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ethe lighter side of baseball from quirky ballpark features to the game's rich humor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eeven the oddities from baseball's spectacular \"sideshow\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBased on assiduous research and the author's exclusive interviews with baseball legends past and present, this book will be a cherished keepsake for fans of the game everywhere.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Wayne Stewart\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Lyons Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 12\/03\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 232\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.83lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 5.99w x 0.72d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781493085316\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 11\/01\/2024 pg. 88\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 11\/01\/2024 pg. 15\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWayne Stewart \u003c\/b\u003eis the author of 38 books and hundreds of articles in sports. He has appeared on numerous radio and television shows including ESPN Classic, and has done extensive public speaking for libraries and writers' groups through the Cleveland Speakers Bureau. He lives in Lorain, Ohio.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Wayne Stewart \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47286720037021,"sku":"9781493085316","price":42.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_64a52ec4-4736-4cf5-b525-3c718e4bdb7b.jpg?v=1760029249"},{"product_id":"smart-baseball-the-story-behind-the-old-stats-that-are-ruining-the-game-the-new-ones-that-are-running-it-and-the-right-way-to-think-about-baseball-9780062490230","title":"Smart Baseball: The Story Behind the Old STATS That Are Ruining the Game, the New Ones That Are Running It, and the Right Way to Think about Baseball","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ePredictably Irrational\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eMoneyball\u003c\/em\u003e in ESPN veteran writer and statistical analyst Keith Law's iconoclastic look at the numbers game of baseball, proving why some of the most trusted stats are surprisingly wrong, explaining what numbers actually work, and exploring what the rise of Big Data means for the future of the sport.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor decades, statistics such as batting average, saves recorded, and pitching won-lost records have been used to measure individual players' and teams' potential and success. But in the past fifteen years, a revolutionary new standard of measurement--sabermetrics--has been embraced by front offices in Major League Baseball and among fantasy baseball enthusiasts. But while sabermetrics is recognized as being smarter and more accurate, traditionalists, including journalists, fans, and managers, stubbornly believe that the \"old\" way--a combination of outdated numbers and \"gut\" instinct--is still the best way. Baseball, they argue, should be run by \u003cem\u003epeople\u003c\/em\u003e, not by \u003cem\u003enumbers.\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this informative and provocative book, teh renowned ESPN analyst and senior baseball writer demolishes a century's worth of accepted wisdom, making the definitive case against the long-established view. Armed with concrete examples from different eras of baseball history, logic, a little math, and lively commentary, he shows how the allegiance to these numbers--dating back to the beginning of the professional game--is firmly rooted not in accuracy or success, but in baseball's irrational adherence to tradition. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile Law gores sacred cows, from clutch performers to RBIs to the infamous save rule, he also demystifies sabermetrics, explaining what these \"new\" numbers really are and why they're vital. He also considers the game's future, examining how teams are using Data--from PhDs to sophisticated statistical databases--to build future rosters; changes that will transform baseball and all of professional sports. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Keith Law\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e William Morrow \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/13\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.50lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.90h x 5.30w x 0.80d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780062490230\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLaw, Keith:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eKeith Law is a senior baseball writer at The Athletic, and before joining The Athletic, he was a senior baseball writer for ESPN Insider. Previously he was also special assistant to the general manager for the Toronto Blue Jays, handling all statistical analysis, and he wrote for Baseball Prospectus. He lives in Delaware. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Keith Law \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47287250190493,"sku":"9780062490230","price":35.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_3190cf34-e8c0-4860-8279-5c5f45fc6356.jpg?v=1760038151"},{"product_id":"starting-and-closing-9780062120564","title":"Starting and Closing","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom John Smoltz - one of the best Major League pitchers of the last 25 years, lead baseball analyst of Fox Sports, and all-around stellar guy - comes \u003cem\u003eStarting and Closing\u003c\/em\u003e, a powerful memoir illustrating what he loves about playing baseball, the strength of his faith, and the changes baseball needs to become great again.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a seven-year-old kid pitching a ball against a brick wall, John Smoltz decided to be a professional baseball player when he grew up. And from that simple decision until his last season on the mound in the major leagues, it was his faith, work ethic, and love for the game that propelled him through challenges that would have ruined other athletes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eStarting and Closing\u003c\/em\u003e chronicles the final season in a legendary career that included fourteen years in one of the most dominant rotations in baseball, a Cy Young Award, and a World Series title--all while battling and overcoming \"career-ending\" injuries. Recounting a season that tested his perseverance and deepened his faith, Smoltz flashes back to watershed moments in the skeptic-defying journey from being one of the best starting pitchers of all time, to closer, to starter again. What emerges is an inspirational story from a man who believed not just in himself but in God's plan for him--and one more year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e John Smoltz,Don Yaeger\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e William Morrow \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/26\/2013\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 304\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.51lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.30h x 4.95w x 0.74d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780062120564\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSmoltz, John:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eJohn Smoltz is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, during which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996. He is currently the chairman of King's Ridge Christian School in Atlanta and is a scratch golfer. (Tiger Woods has said that Smoltz is the best golfer outside of the PGA tour.) He lives in Atlanta with his family.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eYaeger, Don:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eDon Yaeger is an eleven-time \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e best-selling author, longtime associate editor at \u003cem\u003eSports Illustrated\u003c\/em\u003e, and award-winning inspirational speaker. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with his wife, son, and daughter.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"John Smoltz \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47349679784093,"sku":"9780062120564","price":35.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_2a144580-f51b-4b32-80e9-c79068d3ba07.jpg?v=1761678865"},{"product_id":"so-many-ways-to-lose-the-amazin-true-story-of-the-new-york-mets-the-best-worst-team-in-sports-9780062940025","title":"So Many Ways to Lose: The Amazin' True Story of the New York Mets--The Best Worst Team in Sports","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"This is a weird, wonderful, and essential book about both America and its pastime. It's about a place as vast as New York City and as intimate as the human heart. Fred Exley meets Richard Ben Cramer--a funny, wild, heartfelt, and keenly observed portrait of yearning itself.\"--Wright Thompson, \u003cem\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/em\u003ebestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Cost of These Dreams\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Mr. Gordon's ability to explain the Sisyphean plight of all Mets fans is truly remarkable. Bravo!\"--Ron Darling, \u003cem\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/em\u003ebestselling author of \u003cem\u003eGame 7, 1986\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Mets lose when they should win. They win when they should lose. And when it comes to being the worst, no team in sports has ever done it better than the Mets. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eSo Many Ways to Lose\u003c\/em\u003e, author and lifelong Mets fan Devin Gordon sifts through the detritus of Queens for a baseball history like no other. Remember the time the Mets lost an All-Star after Yoenis Céspedes got charged by a wild boar? Or the time they blew a six-run ninth-inning lead at the peak of a pennant race? Or the time they fired their manager before he ever managed a game? Sure you do. It was only two years ago, and it was all in the same season. The Mets have an unrivaled gift for getting it backward, doing the impossible, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, and then snatching defeat right back again. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd yet, just ask any Mets fan: Amazing and\/or miraculous postseason runs are as much a part of our team's identity as losing 120 games in 1962. The DNA of seasons like 1969, the original Miracle Mets, and the 1973 \"Ya Gotta Believe\" Mets, who went from last place to Game 7 of the World Series in two months, and the powerhouse 1986 Mets, has encoded in us this hapless instinct that a reversal of fortune is always possible. It's happened before. It's kind of our thing. And now we've got Steve Cohen's hedge-fund billions to play with! What could go wrong?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this hilarious history of the Mets and love letter to the art of disaster, Devin Gordon presents baseball the way it really is, not in the wistful sepia tones we've come to expect from other sportswriters. Along the way, he explains the difference between being bad and being gifted at losing, and why this distinction holds the key to understanding the true amazin' magic of the New York Mets.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Devin Gordon\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Harper\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/16\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 400\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.20lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.30h x 6.20w x 1.40d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780062940025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 03\/01\/2021 pg. 90\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGordon, Devin:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eDevin Gordon is a contributing writer for a number of publications, including the \u003cem\u003eThe Atlantic, New York Times Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eESPN the Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e. He has served as executive editor at \u003cem\u003eGQ Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e and was a writer and editor at \u003cem\u003eNewsweek\u003c\/em\u003e. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife, two kids and their dog.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Devin Gordon \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47351538155677,"sku":"9780062940025","price":52.08,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_62f0773e-69da-46a1-b181-cd61a849df13.jpg?v=1761690836"},{"product_id":"men-at-work-the-craft-of-baseball-9780061999819","title":"Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#1 \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e Bestseller \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"A delightful look at all the little things that make major league baseball a subtle spectacle.\" --\u003cem\u003eSeattle Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn his classic tribute to America's pastime, political commentator, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and lifelong sports enthusiast George F. Will travels from the baseball field to the dugout to the locker room to get to the root of the game we all love. He breaks down the sport to its four basic components, managing, pitching, hitting, and fielding, and analyzes the way four of its notables, manager Tony La Russa, pitcher Orel Hershiser, outfielder Tony Gwynn, and shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., approach the game. One of the most acclaimed sports books ever written, \u003cem\u003eMen at Work\u003c\/em\u003e is a revelatory, and often surprising, study of professional baseball.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e George F. Will\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Harper Perennial\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/13\/2010\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 400\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.68lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.12h x 5.36w x 0.95d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780061999819\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWill, George F.:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eGeorge F. Will's column appears in more than four hundred newspapers nationwide. His work also appears biweekly in \u003cem\u003eNewsweek\u003c\/em\u003e. Will is a commentator for ABC News and the author of twelve books in addition to \u003cem\u003eMen at Work\u003c\/em\u003e. He was educated at Trinity College in Connecticut, Oxford University, and Princeton University. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1977. He lives in Washington, D.C.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"George F. Will \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47449663307933,"sku":"9780061999819","price":37.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_cd33261c-aa0a-4579-81f9-c220efdb7cc3.jpg?v=1764248206"},{"product_id":"the-long-season-the-classic-inside-account-of-a-baseball-year-1959-9780062667052","title":"The Long Season: The Classic Inside Account of a Baseball Year, 1959","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"One of the best baseball books ever written. It is probably one of the best American diaries as well.\" --\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA timeless classic from baseball's golden era, legendary pitcher Jim Brosnan's witty and candid chronicle of the 1959 Major League Baseball season, which set the standard for all sports memoirs to follow.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Long Season\u003c\/em\u003e was a revelation when it was first published in 1960. Here is an insider's perspective on America's national pastime that is funny, honest, and above all, real. The man behind this fascinating account of baseball and its players was not a sportswriter but a self-proclaimed \"average ballplayer\"--a relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Called \"Professor\" by his teammates and \"Meat\" by his wife, Jim Brosnan turned out to be the ideal guide to the behind-the-scenes world of professional baseball with his keen observations, sharp wit, and clear-eyed candor.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis player's diary takes readers on the mound and on the road; inside the clubhouse and most enjoyably inside his own head. While solving age-old questions like \"Why can't pitchers hit?\" and what makes for the best chewing tobacco, Brosnan captures the game-to-game daily experiences of an ordinary season, unapologetically, \"the way I saw it\"--from sweating it out in spring training to blowing the opening game to a mid-season trade to the Cincinnati Reds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Long Season\u003c\/em\u003e, Brosnan reveals, like no other sportswriter before him, the human side of professional ballplayers and has forever preserved not only a season, but a uniquely American experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Jim Brosnan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Harper Paperbacks\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/04\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 304\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.50lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.90h x 5.20w x 0.90d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780062667052\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBrosnan, Jim:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eJim Brosnan is the author of the critically acclaimed books \u003cem\u003eThe Long Season\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePennant Race\u003c\/em\u003e. He was a Major League Baseball pitcher for nine years, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and Cincinnati Reds. He went on to be a sportscaster and contributor to \u003cem\u003eSports Illustrated\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eLife\u003c\/em\u003e, the \u003cem\u003eChicago Sun-Times\u003c\/em\u003e, and the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Jim Brosnan \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47464041283741,"sku":"9780062667052","price":38.37,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_68752f80-0262-462b-ac3d-fb72dcf224e0.jpg?v=1764944675"},{"product_id":"bob-uecker-the-funniest-man-in-baseball-9781681572420","title":"Bob Uecker: The Funniest Man in Baseball","description":"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Lew Freedman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Blue River Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/01\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 188\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.57lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.40d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781681572420\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLew Freedman is the author of nearly 60 books on sports, including \u003ci\u003eCeltics Legends: Pivotal Moments, Players, and Personalities of Boston Celtics Basketball\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTales from the Clubhouse.\u003c\/i\u003e He is the winner of more than 250 journalism awards. A veteran sportswriter, Freedman was formerly a staff writer for the \u003ci\u003eChicago Tribune and Philadelphia Inquirer\u003c\/i\u003e as well as other papers. He currently lives in Columbus, Indiana.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Lew Freedman \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47474215747741,"sku":"9781681572420","price":29.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_cba94739-771b-48a2-88d8-fc0c7a71d4b3.jpg?v=1765394964"},{"product_id":"the-baseball-100-9781982180584","title":"The Baseball 100","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNEW YORK TIMES \u003c\/i\u003eBESTSELLER * Winner of the CASEY Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"An instant sports classic.\" --\u003ci\u003eNew York Post\u003c\/i\u003e * \u003cb\u003e\"Stellar.\" --\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e *\u003c\/b\u003e \"A true masterwork...880 pages of sheer baseball bliss.\" --\u003ci\u003eBookPage \u003c\/i\u003e(starred review) * \"This is a remarkable achievement.\" --\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003c\/i\u003e(starred review)\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cb\u003eA magnum opus from acclaimed baseball writer Joe Posnanski, \u003ci\u003eThe Baseball 100\u003c\/i\u003e is an audacious, singular, and masterly book that took a lifetime to write. The entire story of baseball rings through a countdown of the 100 greatest players in history, with a foreword by George Will.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLonger than\u003ci\u003e Moby-Dick\u003c\/i\u003e and nearly as ambitious,​\u003ci\u003eThe Baseball 100\u003c\/i\u003e is a one-of-a-kind work by award-winning sportswriter and lifelong student of the game Joe Posnanski that tells the story of the sport through the remarkable lives of its 100 greatest players. In the book's introduction, Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator George F. Will marvels, \"Posnanski must already have lived more than 200 years. How else could he have acquired such a stock of illuminating facts and entertaining stories about the rich history of this endlessly fascinating sport?\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Baseball's legends come alive in these pages, which are not merely rankings but vibrant profiles of the game's all-time greats. Posnanski dives into the biographies of iconic Hall of Famers, unfairly forgotten All-Stars, talents of today, and more. He doesn't rely just on records and statistics--he lovingly retraces players' origins, illuminates their characters, and places their accomplishments in the context of baseball's past and present. Just how good a pitcher is Clayton Kershaw in the twenty-first- century game compared to Greg Maddux dueling with the juiced hitters of the nineties? How do the career and influence of Hank Aaron compare to Babe Ruth's? Which player in the top ten most deserves to be resurrected from history? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e No compendium of baseball's legendary geniuses could be complete without the players of the segregated Negro Leagues, men whose extraordinary careers were largely overlooked by sportswriters at the time and unjustly lost to history. Posnanski writes about the efforts of former Negro Leaguers to restore sidelined Black athletes to their due honor, and draws upon the deep troves of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and extensive interviews with the likes of Buck O'Neil to illuminate the accomplishments of players such as pitchers Satchel Paige and Smokey Joe Williams; outfielders Oscar Charleston, Monte Irvin, and Cool Papa Bell; first baseman Buck Leonard; shortstop Pop Lloyd; catcher Josh Gibson; and many, many more. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Baseball 100\u003c\/i\u003e treats readers to the whole rich pageant of baseball history in a single volume. Chapter by chapter, Posnanski invites readers to examine common lore with brand-new eyes and learn stories that have long gone unheard. The epic and often emotional reading experience mirrors Posnanski's personal odyssey to capture the history and glory of baseball like no one else, fueled by his boundless love for the sport. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Engrossing, surprising, and heartfelt, \u003ci\u003eThe Baseball 100\u003c\/i\u003e is a magisterial tribute to the game of baseball and the stars who have played it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Joe Posnanski\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Avid Reader Press \/ Simon \u0026amp; Schuster\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/28\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 880\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 2.74lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.40h x 6.50w x 1.90d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781982180584\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2021 pg. 29\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/27\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 11\/15\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/01\/2021 pg. 106\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoe Posnanski is the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author of seven books, including \u003ci\u003eThe Baseball 100, \u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003ePaterno, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Secret of Golf\u003c\/i\u003e. He has written for \u003ci\u003eThe Athletic\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSports Illustrated\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNBC Sports\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Kansas City Star \u003c\/i\u003eand currently writes at JoePosnanski.com. He has been named National Sportswriter of the Year by five different organizations and is the winner of two Emmy Awards. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Joe Posnanski \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47474367463581,"sku":"9781982180584","price":63.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_8af4bb4e-a885-45af-953d-3bd9f8c546fd.jpg?v=1765397754"},{"product_id":"the-most-incredible-baseball-stories-ever-told-inspirational-and-unforgettable-tales-from-the-great-sport-of-baseball-9798890950222","title":"The Most Incredible Baseball Stories Ever Told: Inspirational and Unforgettable Tales from the Great Sport of Baseball","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eAre you looking for the perfect baseball book?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLearn about some of the greatest players, teams, and moments from America's pastime.\u003c\/strong\u003e Baseball and American histories often intertwine in profound ways. Some of baseball's greatest stories are also significant moments in US history.  Did you know Ted Williams flew fighter jets with astronaut John Glenn? What about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. crediting Jackie Robinson for making his Civil Rights work easier? Or how Sandy Koufax started a conversation about religious holiday observance versus professional responsibilities? Of course, some stories are just pure baseball fun - home run races, curse-defying World Series winners, record-breaking careers and seasons, etc. Discover these stories and many others. Learn about incredible and inspirational players like Satchel Paige, Jim Abbott, Cal Ripken Jr., Sandy Koufax, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, and others.  \u003cstrong\u003eWithin these pages, you'll find: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e- 15 incredible baseball stories about players, teams, or events throughout the game's history.- A renewed passion for the game and a fuller understanding of its role as America's pastime.- Fun facts about each player or team that will stump the biggest baseball heads on trivia night.- Vivid retellings of incredible baseball moments, including direct quotes and stories from some of the greatest players.- Surprising statistics behind some of the game's greatest players that will change how you think about names like Ruth, Aaron, and Williams.- Great examples of perseverance and determination in the face of challenging circumstances that you can use as inspiration in your daily life. Whether you know much or little about baseball, this book promises to share some new insights. You might learn a new detail about your favorite player or find a brand new baseball story you hadn't heard before! The stories in these pages will remind you why you love this sport so much. It may even change your perceptions of how to define greatness in sports. Get your copy of \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Most Incredible Baseball Stories Ever Told \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003etoday!\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Hank Patton\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Curious Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/16\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 186\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.56lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.40d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798890950222","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Hank Patton \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47474391777437,"sku":"9798890950222","price":36.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_a41c786a-dab8-4e34-8676-4d778fe3f9b9.jpg?v=1765398288"},{"product_id":"emerging-champions-9798231463985","title":"Emerging Champions","description":"\u003cp\u003eEmerging Champions spotlights some of the DMV's most promising young athletes-not just their stats, but the stories that shape them. Through personal narratives and candid Q\u0026amp;As, the book captures resilience, values, and defining moments on and off the field. Written by a peer who has grown alongside the athletes he covers, Elias Cohen offers a rare, authentic look into tomorrow's stars and the lessons they carry for anyone chasing excellence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Elias Cohen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Elias Cohen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/12\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 56\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.17lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.13d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798231463985\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis title is not returnable\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Elias Cohen \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47493638488221,"sku":"9798231463985","price":27.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_864dadf7-39f5-4563-a2e5-5e935281c06e.jpg?v=1766121768"},{"product_id":"the-greatest-baseball-stories-ever-told-9781592280834","title":"The Greatest Baseball Stories Ever Told","description":"At a 1931 barnstorming exhibition game in Tennessee, a seventeen-year-old pitcher for the Chattanooga Lookouts struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig back to back. Her name was Jackie Mitchell--\"organized baseball's first girl pitcher.\" On September 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax made baseball history by pitching his fourth perfect game. In July 1970, a stripper rushed onto the field at Riverfront Stadium to kiss Johnny Bench, temporarily disrupting a game attended by President Nixon and his family. These are just some of the great, quirky, and comic moments in the annals of baseball recorded in THE GREATEST BASEBALL STORIES EVER TOLD. Here also are profiles of such legendary figures as Joe DiMaggio, Pete Rose, and Yogi Berra, essays that explore the complexities and pleasures of the game, even an excerpt from the movie\u003ci\u003e Bull Durham. \u003c\/i\u003eThis is the perfect book for anyone who has ever played so much as a game of catch. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eContributors include: \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eJohn Updike\u003cbr\u003eDoris Kearns Goodwin\u003cbr\u003eAbbott \u0026amp; Costello\u003cbr\u003eRing Lardner\u003cbr\u003eBill Barich\u003cbr\u003eZane Grey\u003cbr\u003eDavid James Duncan\u003cbr\u003eAl Stump\u003cbr\u003ePete Hamill\u003cbr\u003eP.G. Wodehouse\u003cbr\u003eDamon Runyan\u003cbr\u003eRoy Blount, Jr.\u003cbr\u003eRichard Ben Cramer\u003cbr\u003eGay Talese\u003cbr\u003eA. Bartlett Giamatti\u003cbr\u003eand many more\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Jeff Silverman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Lyons Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/01\/2004\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 326\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.95lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.90d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781592280834\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJeff Silverman\u003c\/b\u003e, a former columnist for the \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Herald Examiner\u003c\/i\u003e, has written for \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times, \u003c\/i\u003ethe\u003ci\u003e Los Angeles Times, \u003c\/i\u003e and several national magazines. He is also editor of \u003ci\u003eThe Greatest Baseball Stories Ever Told, \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eLardner on Baseball, \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Greatest Golf Stories Ever Told, \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eClassic Golf Stories, \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eBernard Darwin on Golf, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Greatest Boxing Stories Ever Told.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Jeff Silverman \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47503272706205,"sku":"9781592280834","price":46.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_9414685e-048c-4854-ad3f-cf951b5d23df.jpg?v=1766553087"},{"product_id":"baseball-obscura-2026-9798992355925","title":"Baseball Obscura 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDive deeper into the game with Baseball Obscura 2026!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBaseball is more than standings and box scores: it's about the teams and players, history and future, the arguments and possibilities. \u003cstrong\u003eBaseball Obscura 2026 \u003c\/strong\u003ebrings all of that to life with engaging analysis, bold opinions, and essays that capture America's pastime in all its messy, fascinating reality. From spring training to the World Series, \u003cstrong\u003eBaseball Obscura 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e is the perfect guide to keep fans, fanatics, and fantasy obsessives entertained all the way through the baseball season.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHighlights of the \u003cstrong\u003eBaseball Obscura 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e include: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIn-depth essays on all 30 major league teams.\u003c\/strong\u003e Explore where your team has been and where it's going with analysis and engaging commentary that you can't find anywhere else. From dawning dynasties to rebuilding rosters, these essays will provide fans with a cause for optimism or a cold dose of reality.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition player and pitcher rankings\u003c\/strong\u003e. Want to know where your favorite player rates among the best in the game? Curious whether it's Skenes or Skubal as the game's number one ace? Trying to decide between Corbin Carroll and Julio Rodriguez for your fantasy team? Baseball Obscura has you sorted.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLongform essays that explore baseball's past and future. \u003c\/strong\u003eFrom essays that explore the impacts of gambling and the emergence of technology, to an account to the 2025 Speedway Classic in Bristol and a case for fan unions, this book will keep you thinking all season long.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal statistical analysis and deep dives\u003c\/strong\u003e. Where does Cal Raleigh's 2025 season rate among the best catcher seasons of all-time? Who are Aaron Judge's peers in the 200 Club?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCheck out the newest edition and visit our website to subscribe to free articles and essays throughout the season. Enjoy \u003cstrong\u003eBaseball Obscura 2026!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e David J. Fleming\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Baseball Obscura\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 232\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.21lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 11.00h x 8.50w x 0.49d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798992355925","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"David J. Fleming \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47792837820573,"sku":"9798992355925","price":37.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_ccaaa734-5d64-4a62-8454-729a80768003.jpg?v=1774982973"},{"product_id":"unhittable-how-technology-mavericks-and-innovators-engineered-baseballs-new-era-of-pitching-dominance-9780063456761","title":"Unhittable: How Technology, Mavericks, and Innovators Engineered Baseball's New Era of Pitching Dominance","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe baseball expert famously known as PitchingNinja explores the revolution that has given pitchers an unprecedented advantage in today's game.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCan Tarik Skubal three-peat as AL Cy Young? After winning Rookie of the Year and his first Cy Young, how does Paul Skenes get even nastier? Can Jacob deGrom crack 200 strikeouts again? How will Spencer Strider approach his return to dominance? Which pitchers stand to gain the most from an automated strike zone? And what separates Shohei Ohtani's approach to training from everyone else--why is he the outlier? If you're asking questions like these as the season approaches, \u003ci\u003eUnhittable\u003c\/i\u003e is just what you've been looking for to prep for Opening Day.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePitching dominates baseball as never before. Spin rate, sweepers, 105 mph fastballs--all have become standard when evaluating pitching arms and techniques and are familiar lingo in discussion and analysis of the game. Gone is the era of the swaggering power hitters. Batting averages are close to the deadball era; team records for strikeouts are broken and then broken again. The game has fundamentally changed, and hitters may never catch up.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA self-taught coach who has evolved into a top pitching analyst, Rob Friedman has closely observed this revolution that has transformed baseball for both players and fans. Friedman is sought after by players like Cy Young Award-winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, and All-Stars such as Yu Darvish, and he spotlights the influential figures behind this transformation: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTom House, a former MLB pitcher turned coaching visionary, utilized cutting-edge technology to refine the techniques of legends like Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. His unconventional methods paved the way for a new era shaped by the collision of technology and tradition.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrent Strom, another MLB pitching insider, has used data to revive flagging careers--helping stars like Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Charlie Morton to use technology to enhance their performance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKyle Boddy, of Driveline Baseball, has trained elite pitchers such as Trevor Bauer, Shohei Ohtani, and Clayton Kershaw, using advanced analytics and technology, as well as others.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeppered with insights drawn from interviews with top pitchers, \u003ci\u003eUnhittable \u003c\/i\u003eis an insider's look at how these advancements have been used by players themselves, and how they have fundamentally changed America's pastime.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Rob Friedman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Harper\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/24\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 288\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.92lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.22h x 6.35w x 0.96d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780063456761\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/01\/2026 pg. 77\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 03\/01\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFriedman, Rob:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRob Friedman\u003c\/strong\u003e is a pitching analyst for ESPN's \u003cem\u003eSunday Night Baseball\u003c\/em\u003e, ESPN College Baseball and Major League Baseball, and is known as the social media personality PitchingNinja.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Rob Friedman \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47792964042909,"sku":"9780063456761","price":50.53,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_811cf2a6-f9ec-4b50-9b35-77d1eb08212a.jpg?v=1774985774"},{"product_id":"infinite-baseball-notes-from-a-philosopher-at-the-ballpark-9780190928186","title":"Infinite Baseball: Notes from a Philosopher at the Ballpark","description":"Baseball is a strange sport: it consists of long periods in which little seems to be happening, punctuated by high-energy outbursts of rapid fire activity. Because of this, despite ever greater profits, Major League Baseball is bent on finding ways to shorten games, and to tailor baseball to today's shorter attention spans. But for the true fan, baseball is always compelling to watch -and intellectually fascinating. It's superficially slow-pace is an opportunity to participate in the distinctive thinking practice that defines the game. If baseball is boring, it's boring the way philosophy is boring: not because there isn't a lot going on, but because the challenge baseball poses is making sense of it all. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this deeply entertaining book, philosopher and baseball fan Alva Noë explores the many unexpected ways in which baseball is truly a philosophical kind of game. For example, he ponders how observers of baseball are less interested in what happens, than in who is responsible for what happens; every action receives praise or blame. To put it another way, in baseball - as in the law - we decide what happened based on who is responsible for what happened. Noe also explains the curious activity of keeping score: a score card is not merely a record of the game, like a video recording; it is an account of the game. Baseball requires that true fans try to tell the story of the game, in real time, as it unfolds, and thus actively participate in its creation. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSome argue that baseball is fundamentally a game about numbers. Noe's wide-ranging, thoughtful observations show that, to the contrary, baseball is not only a window on language, culture, and the nature of human action, but is intertwined with deep and fundamental human truths. The book ranges from the nature of umpiring and the role of instant replay, to the nature of the strike zone, from the rampant use of surgery to controversy surrounding performance enhancing drugs. Throughout, Noe's observations are surprising and provocative. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cem\u003eInfinite Baseball\u003c\/em\u003e is a book for the true baseball fan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Alva Noë\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/01\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 208\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.55lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.10h x 5.10w x 0.90d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780190928186\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/01\/2019 pg. 14\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlva Noë\u003c\/strong\u003e is a writer and philosopher living in Berkeley and New York. He works on the nature of mind and human experience. He is the author of \u003cem\u003eOut of Our Heads \u003c\/em\u003e(Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2009) and \u003cem\u003eStrange Tools: Art and Human Nature \u003c\/em\u003e(Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2015), among other books. He is a 2012 recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship and the 2018 recipient of the Judd\/Hume Prize in Advanced Visual Studies. He was a weekly contributor to National Public Radio's science blog 13.7: Cosmos and Culture.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Alva No\u0026#195;\u0026#171; \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":47858807767197,"sku":"9780190928186","price":46.18,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_287195ee-1764-4c1c-a423-f67a36fb3cf7.jpg?v=1776860653"},{"product_id":"crossroads-a-memoir-in-baseball-and-life-9780593800430","title":"Crossroads: A Memoir in Baseball and Life","description":"\u003cb\u003eLegendary baseball player and manager Dusty Baker reflects on his extraordinary career--filled with invaluable lessons on perseverance, leadership, and living life meaningfully on the field and off.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDusty Baker walked with baseball legends and became one himself. After he signed with the Braves in 1968 at the age of nineteen against his father's wishes, no less than the great Hank Aaron promised to take Baker under his wing. Mentored by Aaron, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie Mays, Baker became a premier hitter, helping take the Dodgers to a World Series victory in 1981. He would bookend this with another championship in 2022, this time as a manager helping guide and redeem a Houston Astros team humbled by a cheating scandal. Respected by generations across the game, Baker has come to embody the spirit of the sport--and yet, to discuss his baseball career is only to scratch the surface of a remarkable life. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eCrossroads \u003c\/i\u003ewill bring readers into the mind of one of baseball's mavericks: a curious, inquisitive thinker whose deep interest in the worlds of music, wine, and the simpler joys of life charts a journey of success, struggle, faith, and perseverance. Baker's memoir is filled with hard-earned wisdom and a love for life so plentiful, it seems to radiate from every sentence. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA true American original, counting among his friends presidents and dignitaries, bluesmen and artists, Baker weaves a spell of life at the crossroads, where fate turns on our decisions and the unexpected answers that sometimes seek us out when we least expect it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Dusty Baker\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Crown Publishing Group (NY)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/09\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 416\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.41lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.50h x 6.41w x 1.35d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780593800430\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/18\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/15\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJohnnie B. \"Dusty\" Baker Jr.\u003c\/b\u003e is the former manager of the Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. Baker was drafted by the Atlanta Braves after graduating high school in 1967 and went on to win the World Series in 1981 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Baker retired as a player in 1986 and has since become one of the most celebrated managers in MLB history. He was the recipient of \u003ci\u003eBaseball Digest\u003c\/i\u003e's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Dusty Baker \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":48449294172317,"sku":"9780593800430","price":38.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_ac37740a-7c1d-4142-84ec-60c1986f91ca.jpg?v=1781631517"},{"product_id":"i-was-right-on-time-9780684832470","title":"I Was Right On Time","description":"An eye-opening biography of baseball legend Buck O'Neil, first baseman and then manager of the Kansas City Monarchs, who witnessed the heyday of the Negro leagues and their ultimate demise. From Babe Ruth to Bo Jackson, from Cool Papa Bell to Lou Brock, Buck O'Neil had seen it all. In I Was Right on Time, he charmingly recalled his days as a ballplayer and as a Black American in a racially divided country. From his barnstorming days with the likes of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson or to the day in 1962 when he became the first Black American coach in the major leagues, I Was Right On Time takes us on a trip not only through baseball's past but through America's as well.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e David Conrads\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Simon \u0026amp; Schuster\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/12\/1997\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 272\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.61lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.51h x 5.57w x 0.71d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780684832470\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBuck O'Neil was a former all-star player, the manager for the Kansas City Monarchs, the chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. O'Neil has the distinction of being the first Black American to hold a coaching position in major league baseball. He died in 2006.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"David Conrads \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":48750756954269,"sku":"9780684832470","price":24.3,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_94ca49bc-1a87-4866-aaf8-8d7d846a37a9.jpg?v=1785918626"},{"product_id":"its-all-about-the-players-what-ive-learned-from-baseballs-best-9781538777206","title":"It's All about the Players: What I've Learned from Baseball's Best","description":"\u003cb\u003eHall of Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons dives deep into his encounters over the last six decades with the best in the sport, revealing a trove of behind-the-scenes stories about the fascinating and inspiring individuals at the heart of our national pastime.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Peter Gammons is the preeminent baseball writer of his generation. Born and raised in New England, Gammons was mentored by the revered basketball coach Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina. Smith told him that being a good listener was not only the key to journalism but to life--and Gammons has long taken that to heart. His early calling card was his Sunday notes column in the Boston Globe, which combined baseball and pop culture to deliver a weekly joyride through the sport. His story from Game 6 of the 1975 World Series is still considered the greatest game story ever written on deadline, and led to his hiring by Sports Illustrated in 1976. He moved to ESPN in 1990, becoming the first sportswriter the network ever put on TV. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Nearly every significant figure in the game has shared stories with Gammons.\u003ci\u003e It's All About the Players\u003c\/i\u003e reveals what Gammons has learned from those greats about baseball and life. He details the emergence of Latin and Asian players in Major League Baseball and the symbiotic relationships between manager and general managers, catchers and pitchers, and second basemen and shortstops. He recalls his chance childhood meeting with Roger Maris as he was falling in love with baseball. He speaks to the marriage between rock n' roll and baseball, and, yes, tells the story of how Ted Williams claimed he could smell the wood burning on his bat after smoking line drives to the outfield. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Now Gammons has put it all down on the page for baseball fans to treasure.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Peter Gammons\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Grand Central Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/22\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 368\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.19lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.17h x 6.28w x 1.26d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781538777206\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/03\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/17\/2026 pg. 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/15\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePETER GAMMONS\u003c\/b\u003e was born and raised in Groton, Massachusetts and attended the University of North Carolina. He was hired by the \u003ci\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e in 1968 before finishing his senior year of college, and, by 1972, became the Red Sox beat writer. He joined \u003ci\u003eSports Illustrated\u003c\/i\u003e in 1976 and eventually went to ESPN in 1990. Gammons has been named National Sportswriter of the Year three times, and, while at ESPN, he was given the Baseball Hall of Fame's J.G. Taylor Spink Award. He later worked for MLB Network and The Athletic, while also founding the annual Hot Stove Cool Music charity fundraiser in conjunction with the Foundation to Be Named Later and its Gammons Scholars, who in its first decade through 2025 included more than 300 underserved scholars who combined for a one percent college dropout rate. Married for over 55 years to his wife Gloria, Gammons resides in Cape Cod.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Peter Gammons \/ Hardcover \/ English","offer_id":48968764981405,"sku":"9781538777206","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_7b9f35d8-12f3-4d6c-ad23-c9aab799680b.jpg?v=1790752851"}],"url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/collections\/sports-recreation-baseball-essays-writings.oembed","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}