Baseball Between the Numbers : Why Everything You Know About the Game Is Wrong

"For baseball fans young, old, and in between, the ultimate guide to the new statistical thinking that's revolutionizing the game"--Amazon.;Pay no attention to the glowing, orange-eyed Satan-dog behind the closet door -- Batting practice : is Barry Bonds better than Babe Ruth? / Nate Silver -- 1-1. What's the matter with RBI? ... and other traditional statistics / Jonah Keri -- 1-2. Is David Ortiz a clutch hitter? / Nate Silver -- 1-3. Was Billy Martin crazy? / James Click -- 2-1. Why are pitchers so unpredictable? / Keith Woolner, Dayn Perry -- 2-2. Are teams letting their closers go to waste? / Keith Woolner -- 2-3. Five starters or four? : on pitching and stamina / Keith Woolner -- 3-1. When does a pitcher earn an earned run? / Dayn Perry -- 3-2. Did Derek Jeter deserve the gold glove? / James Click -- 3-3. Is Mike Matheny a catching genius? / Keith Woolner -- 4-1. What if Rickey Henderson had Pete Incaviglia's legs? / James Click -- 4-2. When is one run worth more than two? / James Click -- 4-3. Is Joe Torre a Hall of Fame manager? / James Click -- 5-1. Why is Mario Mendoza so important / Keith Woolner -- 5-2. Is Alex Rodriguez overpaid? / Nate Silver -- 5-3. Do players perform better in contract years? / Dayn Perry -- 6-1. Do high salaries lead to high ticket prices? / Neil deMause -- 6-2. Are new stadiums a good deal? / Neil deMause -- 6-3. Does baseball need a salary cap? / Neil deMause -- 7-1. What happened to Todd Van Poppel? / Dayn Perry -- 7-2. Is there such a thing as a quadruple-a player? / Clay Davenport -- 7-3. Why was Kevin Maas a bust? / Nate Silver -- 8-1. Can a team have too much pitching? / Steven Goldman -- 8-2. How much does Coors Field really matter? / Keith Woolner -- 8-3. Is Wayne Huizenga a genius? / Jonah Keri -- 9-1. What do statistics tell us about steroids? / Nate Silver -- 9-2. What does Mike Redmond know about Tom Glavine? / James Click -- 9-3. Why doesn't Billy Beane's shit work in the playoffs? / Nate Silver and Dayn Perry -- Extra innings : can stats and scouts get along? / Dayn Perry. "In the numbers-obsessed sport of baseball, statistics don't merely record what players, managers, and owners have done. Properly understood, they can tell us how the teams we root for could employ better strategies, put more effective players on the field, and win more games. The revolution in baseball statistics that began in the 1970s is a controversial subject that professionals and fans alike argue over without end. Despite this fundamental change in the way we watch and understand the sport, no one has written the book that reveals, across every area of strategy and management, how the best practitioners of statistical analysis in baseball-people like Bill James, Billy Beane, and Theo Epstein-think about numbers and the game. Baseball Between the Numbers is that book. In separate chapters covering every aspect of the game, from hitting, pitching, and fielding to roster construction and the scouting and drafting of players, the experts at Baseball Prospectus examine the subtle, hidden aspects of the game, bring them out into the open, and show us how our favorite teams could win more games. This is a book that every fan, every follower of sports radio, every fantasy player, every coach, and every player, at every level, can learn from and enjoy."--Publisher's website Cover; Title Page; Copyright; Contents; Preface to the Paperback Edition; Preface; Pay No Attention to the Glowing, Orange-Eyed Satan-Dog Behind the Closet Door; Batting Practice: Is Barry Bonds Better Than Babe Ruth?; 1-1: What's the Matter with RBI? ... and Other Traditional Statistics; 1-2: Is David Ortiz a Clutch Hitter?; 1-3: Was Billy Martin Crazy?; 2-1: Why Are Pitchers So Unpredictable?; 2-2: Are Teams Letting Their Closers Go to Waste?; 2-3: Five Starters or Four? On Pitching and Stamina, ; 3-1: When Does a Pitcher Earn an Earned Run?; 3-2: Did Derek Jeter Deserve the Gold Glove? 8-1: Can a Team Have Too Much Pitching?8-2: How Much Does Coors Field Really Matter?; 8-3: Is Wayne Huizenga a Genius?; 9-1: What Do Statistics Tell Us About Steroids?; 9-2: What Does Mike Redmond Know About Tom Glavine?; 9-3: Why Doesn't Billy Beane's Shit Work in the Playoffs?; Extra Innings: Can Stats and Scouts Get Along?; Notes; Glossary; Acknowledgments; Index; The Baseball Prospectus Team of Experts