Wild Pitches

Author : Dirk Hayhurst
Publisher : Kensington Publishing Corp.
Page : 228 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2013-02-01
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9780806536408

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Wild Pitches: by Dirk Hayhurst Pdf

"Dirk Hayhurst has done it again. . .Turns out he's a starter and a closer." —Tim Kurkjian, ESPN As a major and not-so-major league pitcher, Dirk Hayhurst has learned to master more than striking out batters. While waiting for his name to be called in the bullpen, he honed his gifts as a storyteller, one the New York Times calls the "best writer in a baseball uniform." In this often hilarious collection of adventures on and off the diamond, Dirk details the intricacies of pulling off an epic team prank, even if it's at his own expense; the art of creating the perfect professional baseball nickname; his comically ineffective attempts at writing romance novels; and the bizarre tale in which a bear gets punched in the face (yes, really). No matter how wild his story, Dirk proves once again he knows that it's all in the delivery. "I find his writing both entertaining and thought provoking. . .unlike his fastball." —Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays All-Star "Dirk Hayhurst writes about baseball in a unique way. Observant, insightful, human, and hilarious." —Bob Costas "Hayhurst delivers an entertaining story for more than just sports fans." —Jordan Bastian, MLB.com "Hayhurst explains life in the minors and the major leagues like you've never read it before." —J. J. Cooper, Baseball America "Insight and humor from the pitcher's mound." —Businessweek 51,300 Words.

Author : John Billheimer
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 229 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2007-07-02
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9780786429066

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Baseball and the Blame Game by John Billheimer Pdf

Most baseball fans know what links Fred Merkle, Fred Snodgrass, Mickey Owen and Bill Buckner. It's a pantheon of public failure. They would be harder put to say what links Eric Byrnes, Tony Fernandez, and Babe Ruth, though these players made misplays every bit as egregious. In this smart, highly readable history of scapegoating, John Billheimer identifies the elements that combine to condemn one player to a life sentence while another gets a wrist slap for the same offense. As it turns out, the difference between a lower-case e in some forgotten box score and a lifetime of ignominy can hinge on a number of factors, including timing, geography, reputation, misunderstanding, media bias, and just plain bad luck.

Author : William F. McNeil
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 247 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2009-01-14
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9780786452460

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All-Stars for All Time by William F. McNeil Pdf

This work uses practical measures to scientifically rank major league players, position by position, according to their offensive and defensive skills. The author has adjusted individual statistics for the era in which the player was active and for the "home park factor" in order to put all eligible players on a level playing field. For each position, the author has identified the top contenders for best offensive, defensive and all-around player, and provides a brief history of each of the candidates.

Author : Jonathan Fraser Light
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 1112 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2016-03-25
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9781476617442

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The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, 2d ed. by Jonathan Fraser Light Pdf

More than any other sport, baseball has developed its own niche in America’s culture and psyche. Some researchers spend years on detailed statistical analyses of minute parts of the game, while others wax poetic about its players and plays. Many trace the beginnings of the civil rights movement in part to the Major Leagues’ decision to integrate, and the words and phrases of the game (for example, pinch-hitter and out in left field) have become common in our everyday language. From AARON, HENRY onward, this book covers all of what might be called the cultural aspects of baseball (as opposed to the number-rich statistical information so widely available elsewhere). Biographical sketches of all Hall of Fame players, owners, executives and umpires, as well as many of the sportswriters and broadcasters who have won the Spink and Frick awards, join entries for teams, owners, commissioners and league presidents. Advertising, agents, drafts, illegal substances, minor leagues, oldest players, perfect games, retired uniform numbers, superstitions, tripleheaders, and youngest players are among the thousands of entries herein. Most entries open with a topical quote and conclude with a brief bibliography of sources for further research. The whole work is exhaustively indexed and includes 119 photographs.

Author : Andres Wirkmaa
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 265 pages
File Size : 47,5 Mb
Release : 2015-09-02
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9781476623573

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The Complete Baseball Scorekeeping Handbook, Revised and Updated Edition by Andres Wirkmaa Pdf

With the aim of providing anyone interested in baseball scorekeeping everything he or she needs to perform the task, this book contains a thorough and comprehensive manual on keeping a scorecard, together with a detailed analysis of each of the numerous, and often complex, official rules governing scorekeeping in baseball (many of which were revised or modified in 2007), as well as scorekeeping issues outside of MLB's rulebook. Myriad examples are given (many drawn from significant and well-known major league games throughout the history of baseball as well as a number of examples drawn from popular culture) of how baseball's scorekeeping rules are applied and dealt with in both routine situations as well as the most difficult and convoluted scenarios. Revised and updated to reflect recent changes to the MLB rulebook, this book is very readable and perfectly accessible to a broad audience.

Author : Tom Thress
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 303 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 2017-09-11
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9781476670249

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Player Won-Lost Records in Baseball by Tom Thress Pdf

Baseball analysts often criticize pitcher win-loss records as a poor measure of pitcher performance, as wins are the product of team performance. Fans criticize WAR (Wins Above Replacement) because it takes in theoretical rather than actual wins. Player won-lost records bridge the gap between these two schools of thought, giving credit to all players for what they do--without credit or blame for teammates' performance--and measuring contributions to actual team wins and losses. The result is a statistic of player value that quantifies all aspects of individual performance, allowing for robust comparisons between players across different positions and different seasons. Using play-by-play data, this book examines players' won-lost records in Major League Baseball from 1930 through 2015.

Author : Andres Wirkmaa
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 279 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2010-07-28
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9780786455133

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Baseball Scorekeeping by Andres Wirkmaa Pdf

Many fans enjoy keeping track of baseball action with easy abbreviations written on simple grids. Serious scorekeeping, however, is more complicated than just jotting down runs, outs, and the final score. Official scorekeeping requires a thorough knowledge of a large body of rules--many of which are confusing, and all of which must be followed carefully to ensure that the scorekeeper's data are valid. With confidence and enthusiasm, Andres Wirkmaa leads the reader through the daunting maze of rules that govern official scorekeeping. Chapters explain and clarify the official scorer's duties, responsibilities and authority; the official scorer's reports; and all the game-to-game details such as player listings, substitute batters and runners, out-of-turn batters, called and forfeited games, runs batted in, base hits, stolen bases, sacrifices, putouts, assists, double and triple plays, errors (and instances when errors are not charged), wild pitches and passed balls, bases on balls, strikeouts, earned runs, winning and losing pitchers, and saves. Also covered are statistics, percentage records, minimum standards for individual championships, and consecutive hitting and playing streaks.

Author : Bill Deane
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 325 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2021-04-06
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9781476642413

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Baseball's Who's Who of What Ifs by Bill Deane Pdf

The greatest players in baseball history are honored in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Fans and sports journalists often lament about players who might have joined the immortal ranks, if only fate--circumstances, injury or even death--hadn't intervened. Presenting a "who's who of what-ifs," this book focuses on 40 well known non-inductees, such as Tony Conigliaro, Denny McLain and Jose Fernandez, along with many others all but lost to history, such as Ross Barnes, Charlie Ferguson and Hal Trosky. Also included are more than 100 "honorable mentions" covering all of pro baseball history, from the 1860s to the 2010s.

Author : Society for American Baseball Research (
Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
Page : 285 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2012-05-01
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9780803239937

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Pitching, Defense, and Three-Run Homers by Society for American Baseball Research ( Pdf

Tells the story of the Baltimore Orioles of the 1960's and 1970s in contextualized biographies of the players, managers, and everyone else important to the team.

Author : David P. Gerard
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 270 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2013-08-29
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9781476601236

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Baseball GPA by David P. Gerard Pdf

Gross Productivity Average, or GPA, is a new baseball statistic that measures performance. Accounting for the effect that each plate appearance or baserunning play has on scoring opportunities, it is reported on a scale similar to that for batting average, making it easy for the average fan to understand. Beginning with a detailed explanation of the statistic and its derivation, the book identifies, in Part II, historical patterns in league-average GPA (even the steroids effect is quantified). Practical applications are then explored, as GPA is used in Part III to settle long-running arguments about strategy and in Part IV to reassess players and awards voting from 1952 to 2012.

Author : Larry R. Gerlach
Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 2024-07-02
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9781496239983

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Lion of the League by Larry R. Gerlach Pdf

Author : Frank Santora
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 226 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2010-06-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781439170885

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Turn It Around by Frank Santora Pdf

Pastor and motivational speaker Frank Santora shares seven powerful solutions that promise to transform what appear to be life’s road blocks into victories that will turn your life around. With clarity and vision, Frank Santora presents the message that God can still bring meaning and purpose out of your life, even when insurmountable circumstances and difficult situations seem to be making your life spiral out of control. Santora reveals seven pathways for turning your life around with chapters such as, “Changing Direction When You’re Headed Down the Wrong Road, “ ”Making Things Right When You’ve Totally Blown it,” “Regaining Confidence When No One Believes in You,” Finding Your Way Back When You’ve Walked Away From God,” “Regaining Life’s Composure When Things are Out of Your Control,” and “Finding a Way Out When You Feel Trapped.” Affirming the importance and worth of each reader, Santora shows readers how to turn around even the must difficult life situations.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Pilot Light Books
Page : 412 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 1987
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 0960837612

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Word Finder by Anonim Pdf

Author : Leighton L. Smith
Publisher : Dorrance Publishing
Page : 262 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2020-10-08
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9781648044137

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How to Play Smart Baseball by Leighton L. Smith Pdf

How to Play Smart Baseball By: Leighton L. Smith How to Play Smart Baseball is a user-friendly guide to playing baseball that anyone can use. It gives practical suggestions on how to play baseball better, including ideas and tactics for managers, coaches and players of all positions. Using real-life examples from throughout the history of the sport, How to Play Smart Baseball advocates a smarter, more engaging way to play the game while memorizing some of the best players and plays of all time. Amateur of professional, all readers can use this book as a companion to enhance their experience in watching, discussing, or playing the game.

Author : Tyler Kepner
Publisher : Anchor
Page : 360 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2019-04-02
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9780385541022

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K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches by Tyler Kepner Pdf

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From The New York Times baseball columnist, an enchanting, enthralling history of the national pastime as told through the craft of pitching, based on years of archival research and interviews with more than three hundred people from Hall of Famers to the stars of today. The baseball is an amazing plaything. We can grip it and hold it so many different ways, and even the slightest calibration can turn an ordinary pitch into a weapon to thwart the greatest hitters in the world. Each pitch has its own history, evolving through the decades as the masters pass it down to the next generation. From the earliest days of the game, when Candy Cummings dreamed up the curveball while flinging clamshells on a Brooklyn beach, pitchers have never stopped innovating. In K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches, Tyler Kepner traces the colorful stories and fascinating folklore behind the ten major pitches. Each chapter highlights a different pitch, from the blazing fastball to the fluttering knuckleball to the slippery spitball. Infusing every page with infectious passion for the game, Kepner brings readers inside the minds of combatants sixty feet, six inches apart. Filled with priceless insights from many of the best pitchers in baseball history--from Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, and Nolan Ryan to Greg Maddux, Mariano Rivera, and Clayton Kershaw--K will be the definitive book on pitching and join such works as The Glory of Their Times and Moneyball as a classic of the genre.