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

De: Keith Law

Narrado por: Mike Chamberlain

Predictably Irrational meets Moneyball 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.

For 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 15 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traditionalists, including journalists, fans, and managers, stubbornly believe that the old way - a combination of outdated numbers and gut instinct - is still the best way.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 people, not by numbers.

In this informative and provocative book, the 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.

While 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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2017 Meadow Party LLC (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

Great intro for rookies, nice brush up for vets.

I've followed Keith's work for a long time, this book doesn't disappoint. It's got all the snark you're used to along with a bit of humor and a ton of knowledge. While there wasn't a lot of knew information for someone who follows baseball and sabermetrics it's still essential reading because it looks at how statistics have taken over the game and driven out the old, illogical ways of the past. You'll learn a bit about sabermetrics and a lot about the state of the game itself. Great read, thanks Keith!

Hoped For Better

In small doses, such as his commentary role on ESPN I've always liked Keith Law. That along with my love of baseball made this book an essential buy for me, and for the most part I don't regret the purchase, but it didn't live up to my expectations. I had hoped that this book would be as good as Brian Kenney's Ahead of the Curve, or perhaps more accurately I would like this book as much. The author gets a bit repetitive when criticizing the old stats, he also gets a bit too technical for too long at a time in more than one chapter. Overall this a book that is filled with excellent information, most of it presented well. I had just hoped for more.

A lot to ponder

Loved the book... a nice leap into stats for the baseball lover. A lot going on in this one, and I listened to it while driving, so Im already looking forward to hearing it all again.

Information for Baseball

This book cleared so many old ways of thinking about the value of an athlete. So glad to have made this reading my first in audible books. For the baseball fan it’s a must read/hear.

A good Sabre-metric glossary

First of all, I am not really a huge Keith Law fan but a friend whose opinion I respect seemed to like it. So I thought I would give it a shot. It was a good book and easy to listen to. Lots of cynical commentary as well as "asides" (He insists on putting "trade mark" after every utterance of "Proven Closer" which I agree with).

But the book is probably best used as a "glossary" of Sabre metrics. It gave a good explanation of the state of the game when it comes to advanced statistical analysis...at least as far as those of us outside of MLB front offices have access to. He gave a good explanation of what different stats measure and how they do it (formulas, etc.).

My main complaint was that this book wasn't so much polemical as it sounded like a book length rant. While I agree with him on most things I couldn't help but think some of his versions he was "disputing" were caricatures or "straw man" type arguments putting other's thoughts into their worst light and then try to come across as the "voice of reason." Again, I agree with him on just about everything--or maybe everything--but it just felt like his version of what those who disagreed with him were saying sounded silly in a way that felt fishy.

Good stuff

A great breakdown to fully understand how and why these stats work and changed every front office in baseball. Cardinals and Brewers suck!!

Smart

An informative book that easily explains the advanced stats of the glorious game of baseball.

Excellent

Well thought out and well written, I really enjoyed it. Great insights on how to understand performance on the field.

A truly great listen...

for baseball nerds, but I just wish he did not hate my team so much. Meow.

Changes the way you think about baseball

If your obsessed about baseball & stats, or want to learn more about the game then this is the book for you. It’s funny, informative & entertaining. Law gives great explanations and turned this baseball purist into a believer of advanced metrics. Highly recommended