Majors: Book Guide: 2008

The Last Real Season
Apr. 17, 2008
A new book chronicles the final year before free agency changed the game in 1976. [...] Continue Reading »

Living On The Black
Apr. 17, 2008
John Feinstein followed Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina for the 2007 season for his newest book, Living On The Black. [...] Continue Reading »

Big Book Of Baseball Legends
Apr. 17, 2008
Like a good joke, a good story has to have an element of the unexpected to have any resonance. Baseball stories are no different. Babe Ruth instinctively knew this, playing coy whenever asked if he really did call his home run off Charlie Root in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. Rob Neyer, in his "Big Book of Baseball Legends," attempts to get at the truth behind Ruth's infamous gesture, with the help contemporary newspaper accounts, player autobiographies and memoirs—and lots and lots of time devoted to Retrosheet research. [...] Continue Reading »

The 33-Year-Old Rookie
Apr. 17, 2008
We're all suckers for an underdog story. We root for Rocky and Rudy and the Tampa Bay Rays, which is why it's hard not to enjoy The 33-Year-Old Rookie, the story of Phillies catcher Chris Coste. Coste is the ultimate underdog, an undrafted college infielder who spent five years in the independent leagues hoping to get noticed. Along the way he learned how to catch and develop an interesting hitting style that looked ugly but got results. [...] Continue Reading »

Let Me Tell You A Story
Apr. 17, 2008
A new book about scout Mel Didier shares an outstanding story about how his scouting report helped the Dodgers win the 1988 World Series. [...] Continue Reading »

The Sultan Of Stats Returns
Apr. 17, 2008
Bill James, the father of modern statistical analysis, is back this year with the Bill James Gold Mine, a book that pairs 17 James' essays with statistical snippets and notes on all 30 major league teams. In addition, James has founded Bill James Online, a subscription site that will continually be updated with additional essays and profiles. [...] Continue Reading »

2008 Baseball Book List
Apr. 17, 2008
A list of the new baseball books that have come out in 2008, with pricing information and a short sketch of what each book is about. [...] Continue Reading »