Product Description
Build a winning baseball program both on the field and off! In Coaching Baseball Successfully, one of the nation's top high school coaches, Mike Curran, shares his expertise on all aspects of coaching. From establishing a coaching philosophy to player development to in-game decision making, this is the approach that has made his program a perennial powerhouse on the national scene.

Coaching Baseball Successfully covers it all:

- Off-season planning
- Evaluating your players
- Choosing and utilizing your coaching staff
- Motivating your team
- Communicating on and off the field
- Organizing productive practices
- Hitting, pitching, and baserunning skills
- Infield and outfield defensive skills
- Offensive and defensive strategies
- Scouting and game preparation
- In-game decision making

With dozens of drills, practice plans, and advice for handling off-the-field challenges, Coaching Baseball Successfully is the most comprehensive resource available for novice and experienced coaches alike; it's your blueprint for building a championship-caliber baseball team. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent!
Personally watching and knowing the way in which Mike Curran coaches baseball, I can honestly say this book contains every secret a high school, college or any level baseball coach should know.It gives insight into every aspect of coaching from dealing with parents to establishing a solid, well respected program.Across the country, Mike Curran is well known for his success in building a successful baseball program and he shares his philosophy in this well written book.I recommend it to anyone looking to form a successful baseball program or anyone who simply wants to learn more about the game. ... Read more

Product Description
In this unique guide to playing better baseball, Bob Cluck draws upon actual situations encountered during his more than two decades as a major-league coach and scout to provide answers to critical questions coaches and players have about the complex strategic aspects of America's most beloved sport. Think Better Baseball is for coaches and players interested in taking their games to a higher level of sophistication. Cluck covers a host of knotty situations commonly encountered during the course of a game and describes various successful strategies that many of the greatest coaches and players in the history of the game have employed to their advantage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

For coaches, parents, and the players
It seems that Mr. Cluck has hit upon his focus points in such a way that coaches, parents, and the players can all take something away and, consequently, grow in their understanding of the game.

"Think Better Baseball" is an easy read.Mr. Cluck uses a well organized approach, simple language, ample pictures and diagrams, and a generous number of situations for all players at bat or on defense.Mr. Cluck provides ample thoughtful material that I will revisit in February, just before our season starts.

Excellent for High School and College
This is excellent for high school and college. Although much of it can be used for lower levels as well, most of it caters to more experienced players. There are many examples of how to get the best out of practice and out of a team. Well laid out and easy to read, very good information, recommended.

Cluck did it again.
I thought Play Better Baseball helped me as a coach, Think Better Baseball takes it a step further.This baseball genius breaks down the game as never before.I would recommend anyone to buy all of his books.They have become my "baseball bibles".

Bob Cluck did it again
Bob Cluck must be the greatest all-around Instructor in baseball. I have read all of his books and used them as my bibles to teach baseball at the high school level.I have won 8 consecutive league titles using the fundamentals and advanced mechanics found in Play Better Baseball and Think Better Baseball.Think Better Baseball is just what I needed to advance my coaching skills to the next level. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know...
Trying to recapture the significant events of one of baseball's most storied franchises - the St Louis Cardinals - is indeed a daunting task; John Snyder's effort is worthy, although some of the details needed to be edited a bit more thoroughly.Granted, the essence of this book is terrific; however, for a diehard Cards fan with a photographic memory, I noticed a few typos and reporting errors; nothing significant, but still in need of a little "housekeeping" before publication.

Perhaps the editing will be a little tighter for the next revised edition; otherwise, no complaints.It's still a welcome edition to my baseball history collection, and a nicely condensed summary of my favorite team's activities over the years.

Cardinals Journal: Year by Year and Day by Day Review
Transaction was painless and saved me almost 50% off retail. The book, although indicated used, appeared to be new. Very pleased

Cardinals Journal: Year by Year & Day by Day Since 1982
absolute must for any fanatic member of Cardinal Nation, enormous amount of factual information about St. Louis Cardinal history, a great gift even for the Redbird Fan who has "everything"

gift for dad
i ordered this book as a birthday gift for my dad who is an avid cardinals fan. he loved it and it seemed very interesting.

Brings Back Memories
I am a long time Cardinals fan and this book brought back many memories of the games I used to listen to broadcast by Harry Caray and Jack Buck back in the 60's.It was full of information about interesting games, obscure statistics, and I found the details of how baseball was played in the old days very entertaining as well.For example, train schedules dictated that some games had to end early by prior agreement between both teams so they could leave town; overflow crowds were seated on the outfield with a rope stretched across as a temporary fence that kept getting shorter as the crowds kept coming; players for one of the teams umpiring the game when the lone regular umpire was sick or injured; the large number of regularly scheduled doubleheaders compared to the almost none we have today; and other interesting bits of information.I also liked the way the author tied in historical events that helped place baseball headlines into the context of what else was happening in the national and world news headlines of that day.

The only complaint I have is the too frequent inclusion of careless errors.For example, I doubt the Cardinals ever beat the Reds in Chicago; there are occasional reference to a pitcher getting a "shutout" win in a game the team won by a score like 5-1; and other miscellaneous typos like former reliever Sal Campisi referred to as Sam Campisi.These errors are a distraction, but the wealth of information about this great baseball team is a gold mine for any Cardinals fan and probably for any baseball fan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Word on Prospects
This book is the best out there, by far, on evaluating a team's farm system. While 30 players certainly isn't comprehensive, almost all worthwhile prospects are in there (though it depends on how many legitimate prospects a team has). In the front, they rank teams on their overall farm system, and then have a series of Top 50 prospect lists (with several of their writers each having a say). I'm writing this well into the season, but its still worth picking up (I think they dropped the price several times, now its pretty cheap)-or if you're reading this deciding whether to get the 2003 edition when it comes out (should be more of the same).

There are plenty of things to like in the team sections. They give a good run-down of the organization's condition and what the future may hold. The prospect reports contain a lot of good stuff, including reports from instructional league and accurate scouting info. BA tops the statheads, who aren't really in the same league. I can remember a few years back, people looking at spreadsheets and calculators claimed Torii Hunter would never hit...slap hitter at best...would fight for a 4th outfield job...good defensively. It was BA that kept ranking him high, even as he hit .230 in AA. Turns out: Gold Glove, 27 homers last year, looking at 30+ this year, MVP candidate, etc. Tools matter.

There are a few things I found to be a bit off. First of all, they put more weight on pitchers than I would like. There are very few impact pitchers in the Bigs, but if you read this prospect book on its own, you would think there's about 100 more on the way. Obviously thats not the case...injuries take a toll and many simply don't pan out (or don't meet expectations). Then there's unheralded guys who come through...position players are much more projectable and thus should recieve more benefit of the doubt. One slight complaint: I would like a bit more draft info, maybe a list of all players that signed and the level they are expected to start at (there is a brief draft review for each team already).

Pick a prospect, any prospect
If the kid is a prospect, he's in this book. Detailed scouting reports of the top 30 prospects of each team. Also contains an analysis of each team's farm system and projections for the future. If you want to find the stars of tomorrow, start here. ... Read more

Product Description
Cleveland Indians pitcher paul Byrd gives an honest account of how he has kept his faith in God despite all the trials and temptations associated with the Major league Baseball lifestyle.

Paul Byrd has experienced many struggles, victories, and life lessons both on the diamond and off. Throughout his life, the one thing that has kept him focused on walking clean is the glimpses he has received of God's goodness. He addresses the issues he has faced -- such as the temptation to cheat while pitching, the unhealthy desire to cheer against fellow teammates so he could benefit from their failure, and his personal battle with pornography.

Byrd gives readers Major League insight into the lifestyle of top-tier baseball players while showing how, even through a struggle, he was able to pick himself up and continue to believe and trust in a God who deeply loves us all. Paul's focus remains on the people we relate to every day and the significant conversations and interactions we can have with those we love, learning to build them up rather than tear them down.

In Free Byrd, readers see how Paul's life was changed through the lessons he was taught, and how he discovered a freedom he never imagined through a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. And, most importantly, he invites everyone to experience the same transformation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

"He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." John 8:7
This book really spoke to my heart because of my Catholic upbringing and my love of baseball.If there are any Catholics out there who seek a close relationship with God that religion just can't fullfill,pick this book up.May it inspire you to pick up a bible and grow your relationship with our Creator and as Paul puts it, "the author".

For any sceptics who are quick to judge Paul for his HGH scandal, may I remind you of the passage in John 8:7 and how Jesus Christ's shows his mercy.The fact that Paul has sin like the rest of us and is not afraid to address it, makes this book very Raw and Honest!It is very encouraging and healing to hear that people like Paul Byrd, a baseball icon, entrusts his troubles with God to get through the thick of life.May this book be a source of inspiration for you as it has been for me.

Rarely Do I Keep Books...
...But this one is very inspirational and one that you can refer back to.Paul does an excellent job walking you through the baseball life and the worldly struggles he encounters on his journey.My favorite part about the book was Paul's openness around his struggles and how he's grown in his Christian walk.He mentions that when he was younger he would shout from the sidewalks about Christianity and in turn only get a handful of folks, if that, that would talk to him.He's learned that it's a delicate process and does an amazing job walking you through his growth.I read the book in 2 days - I couldn't put it down.I highly recommend it.

Very Real
I started reading this book the first day I got it and it was hard to put down. It's very well written and easy to follow.
I am truly blessed to know Paul, and after reading his book, I know now that we are both Fighters and want the same things in life.
I recommend this book to anyone who thinks they are struggling in life with the Lord.
I think everyone should read this book even if you are not a baseball fan, cuz it's really not about baseball at all.
Great Job Brother and look forward to seeing you in the offseason.
God Bless and Thank You for your wonderful words.
God Bless,
Cosmo*

The power of an authentic life
I almost did not get this book... I was thinking -- great another baseball player puts out a book full of the "normal" christian pop culture and how Jesus is great and all that jazz.

But I have to admit... this is an amazing book... it is down right unvarnished in your face... this is my life and how my faith has grown through out the years...

It is one of my top books of 2008... it really is not about baseball but more about life and living an authentic christian life... not a perfect super clean verson -- but a real down in the dirt true christian life.

I totally recommed this book.

I look forward to Paul Byrd's next book...

Paul Byrd gets it
I couldn't put this book down and it had me choking up with emotion time and time again. The reason is because Paul Byrd peeled away all the phony facades too many Christians hide behind and gave a stunningly open, honest, transparent and moving look into the life of a man earnestly struggling to better his relationship with Jesus Christ.

Byrd focuses less on baseball and much more on the journey of what a true, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ is supposed to look like. (And is anything more important when you consider the stakes that this game of life holds for us?)

Paul Byrd gets it - nobody's perfect, and yet God loves us anyway, offering His amazing grace, compassion and love through Jesus. Our job is not to try and earn it through sin management or following a list of tips and techniques, but rather ACCEPT God's love and enter into a deep, intimate relationship with Him. And out of that, we cannot help but be transformed into someone new, someone who seeks not sin (even though we'll still fall short sometimes) but rather to walk in lockstep with the One who loves us so deeply and so truly. To be loved, to really allow yourself to be loved in spite of all your struggles and imperfections, to really take Jesus at His Word ... this is what Paul Byrd inspires us to do.

This book is less about baseball and more about the spiritual journey Byrd went on, and how even the trappings and fame of being a famous professional athlete leaves you empty inside if you don't know Christ. Byrd's chilling realization of this came when he won a national title with LSU in 1991 and was like, "That's it? That's all I feel?" moments after the on-field celebration began.

The other thing from this book that continues to stick with me is Paul Byrd's approach to understanding and cultivating a relationship with God. He talks about how so many of us who grew up Catholic or in other denominations try to approach God with strict routines, memorized prayers, formal behaviors, etc. Byrd makes a great point when he says we would never approach our wives or close friends that way. But yet we do it with God, whose deepest desire is to have a close, loving and intimate relationship with us.

Byrd's book is another way God continues to open my eyes toward the TRUTH about what it means to believe in Jesus Christ.

I praise Paul Byrd for his transparency and for leading with his own weakness, because in the end it makes him human, helps me relate to him and glorifies God.

After all, it's the truth about myself - the honest, unperfect truth - that attracts others to me, not all the preaching in the world.

Lastly, Byrd really impresses as a writer. Having written my own Christian baseball novel The King's Game I was so excited to see Byrd's book, and I have to admit I was blown away at how crisp and clear his voice is as a narrator. The book moves at a fantastic pace - a very easy and fast read.

He also had me laughing out loud over and over with his razor-sharp and oftentimes self-depricating wit.

This is a book I'd give to anyone and everyone, Christian or not, sports fan or not, because it is the courageous and moving story of one man's journey toward the most important goal of all existence - knowing and sharing your life with Jesus Christ.

Praise Jesus for his amazing love and blessings on Paul Byrd for this honest, much-needed memoir! ... Read more

Product Description
The Fun-Da-Mentals of Baseball by Michael N. Blewett explores and explains America's favorite pastime. Whether readers are beginners or seasoned pros, this is a guide for anyone who wants to know the most important details of the game. Power-packed with detailed illustrations, Blewett's book also includes specific drills that can speed up the reader's learning curve.Coaches can learn how to use a micro-mechanical teaching method to help develop new talent. Players have a chance to practice important fundamentals that will help them progress to higher levels of competition.And fans will be more knowledgeable and get more out of all the games they attend.The perfect gift for any baseball aficionado and a must-have for any player, The Fun-Da-Mentals of Baseball really hits a home run! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

This one is a home run!
Finally a book I can give to parents or athletes new to the game and after reading"Fun-da-mentals" they will have a basic understanding and appreciation fot our national past time.Mr. Blewett flows effortlessly from position to position explaining techiques and a winning approach to the game. Onle someone who has actually won an NCAA championship could lace personal experience with basic knowledge to provide the reader with tremendous insights. Mike also adds his peresonal experiences from his contact with outstanding players and coaches he has played with and against to help everyone underrrstand nuances of this great sport.
As a high school coach with 28 years of experience I can highly recommend this to everyone from t-ballers to the bigs. Everyone should be able to gleen some helpful knowledge from Mike!
Also, I found it to be both entertaining and an easy read. A great gift for anyone with exposure to the sport!

Baseball - pure and simple
What I love about The Fun-da-Mentals of Baseball is the way it's organized and the way it flows.It examines and teaches everything about baseball step-by-step, for anyone interested in the game: from beginners to advanced players, coaches, parents and spectators alike.There are pictures and diagrams, suggested exercises and workouts, and every chapter highlights a different Fun-da-Mental.It's not loaded down with stories of celebrity - it's about baseball, pure and simple.Best of all, it's written in a lighthearted coaching style.

Wow!
Michael Blewett is a legend at the University of Southern California (Google Mike Blewett and Rod Dedeauxfor some great baseball history), and his expertise as a professional player, coach and father/teacher of baseball is unsurpassed. He has broken the sport down to easily teachable basics, and emphasizes the spirit of sport - have fun! Great gift for fathers of young sons.

great gift
As the wife of a coach and grandparent I have watched my family teach and coach the fundamentals of many sports. My husband says this book is a primer, and a complete source of how to teach children to play baseball. We recommend it to anyone who is involved in coaching, at any level, because it is all right there.

THE FUN-DA-MENTALS OF BASEBALL - SUPER STUFF
Henry Ford said "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small parts." Ford was successful, and so is Blewett in this articulate, yet simply put, upbeat guide for middle school through high school players, girls and boys, as well as COACHES who want to coach even better, whether at school or Little League. There's a piece here, too, about fans.
Using his novel, unique, experienced (former major league player and youth coach now) approach to the fundamentals of the "Grand Old Game", Mike emphasizes that this is a FUN sport, while at the same time teaching bite-sized real life lessons of teamwork, self improvement and responsibility to others, especially their teammates. Filled with visual cues, history, and the details of what's REALLY going on out there, Mike reminds us that this IS a THINKING game as well.This is an altogether fascinating, energetic, valuable gift to share with friends, family, fellow players and that baseball nut next door for their birthday or for no reason at all, other than just to say "PLAY BALL! ... Read more

Product Description
For decades baseball scouts have beat the bushes for talent, wandering throughout the United States in search of promising young players. But technology and competition have recently brought about big changes, as potential stars are identified as early as Little League. The largest such scouting and development service, Perfect Game USA, has become the primary pipeline to college and professional baseball, with its participants accounting for more than 70 percent of the players taken in the 2007 amateur draft. This book looks at the history, methods, and impact of Perfect Game USA, which continues to change the landscape of youth baseball. ... Read more

Product Description
This second edition looks back at the forgotten moments from the 1991 Red Sox baseball season. Also included are some controversies regarding classic games, hockey, officiating, and award voting by baseball writers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

very cool Book on Reggie Jackson
what can you say about Mr. October Reggie Jackson that hasn't already been said? He was a Hitter that I always enjoyed watching hit. he was One of a Kind. the Man spoke his mind and His Bat did alot of talking as well.He was a WInner no matter where he played. this Book is cool in that it covers a good section about Reggie's career and whatnot. ... Read more

Product Description
A completely updated guide features the latest information on the popular hobby, including information on more than 57,000 baseball cards and featuring pricing, grades, and variations. ... Read more

Product Description
A Sports Illustrated tribute to America's pastime features the magazine's best stories on the game by Robert Creamer, Frank Deford, Peter Gammons, Steve Wulf, George Plimpton, William Nack, Red Smith, and other great sportswriters. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Interesting that Ted Williams, possessor of the best battingaverage of the '40s and '50s, would pen the foreword to an exegesis byGwynn, who has sported the best average since. Both Williams and Gwynnhave their roots around San Diego, both have shelves of battingcrowns, and both have been articulate, dogged students, and advocatesof, their demanding craft. Interesting, too, that Williams would titlehis own acknowledged classic on the subject, The Science ofHitting, while Gwynn, who's relied less on power and more oncunning, and admits to having studied Williams like a graduate studentpreparing for orals, would focus more on the art. Interesting,too, the conversation that takes place between them here on what to dowith the inside pitch; art and science don't easily agree.

Partmemoir (when Gwynn got his first big-league hit against the Philliesin 1982, Pete Rose, playing first that night, congratulated him andthen counseled, "Just don't try to catch me in one night") and partsound, conversationally proffered advice, Gwynn's liberallyillustrated Art mirrors his persona: thoughtful, personable, andapproachable. He breaks hitting down into its essentialcomponents--grip, stance, swing, and follow-through--but also builds onthem intellectually and psychologically in his constant search for anedge. His analyses of pitchers--Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, and NolanRyan among them--invite you into the chess match of the hitter-hurlerconfrontation. But it's his admission that he's "gladly taken lessmoney to be where I'm happy"--with the Padres--rather than just takethe money, change uniforms, and run, that may be his best hitting tipof all: a mind free of angst and greed can better concentrate on cutfastballs and dipping sliders. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Tony Gwynn: The Art of Hitting
This is a so-so hitting book. Doesn't provide any science on how to swing a bat. Just talks about hitting off the tee and how good he was as a hitter. He doesn't talk about the hitting sequence and what should be where during different parts of the swing.

Love Gwynn, but Merely Like This Book
I have all the respect in the world for Tony Gwynn, and don't regret purchasing this book for one minute.But, if you're looking for anything that could compare to "The Mike Schmidt Study," or Ted Williams' "The Science of Hitting," or even Charlie Lau's "The Art of Hitting .300," I'm afraid this book is not the answer.

It's basically a short biography/autobiography, with a few pages on hitting technique, and multiple portions on philosophy.Buy it because you're a Gwynn fan, or because you're a completist, and want a library of every book that discusses hitting, or everything by Hall-of-Famers, or whatever.But if you're really looking for hitting instruction, and you're only going to buy a handful of hitting books, this one, unfortunately, shouldn't make the cut.

Gwynn's story of how to --is flat
Tony Gwynn in this text describes the hard work and dedication on how he became very talented at his craft.In the account,the book is much like those written by other All Stars who simply cannot explain how they became great other than using the words "hard work." This how-to book is written in biography style, so contains more war stories than techniques, like we have seen written byPete Rose and Joe Torre. The problem is that no one doubts Gwynn was a great hitter.He makes a point by saying in the book that "I let the pitcher control the action," as some sort of absolution on how you must be to achievegreat hitter status.Having played and been in a baseball family for 50 years,I know that is absolutely false. The pitcher controls the game whether Mr. Gwynn likes it or not. There is very little information which is definitive enough to be used to improve someone's hitting ability.I do recommend this book,because of who wrote it.However,I cannot tell you to buy this text becauseit will not make you a better hitter.Try Mike Schmitt's text or the ones by Walt Hriniak or Charlie Lau and you will do much better than reading stories about another "great one."

The Art of Hitting
The book that all baseball players and enthusiasts should have is The Art of Hitting by Tony Gwyn. This book gives great instructions and tips to getting the best swing for baseball. Tony Gwyn, eight-time batting champion in the MLB, explains the methods that he used to achieve that accomplishment. Gwyn tells everything, from what to look for from a pitcher to the basics like opening your hips to gain power and speed on the swing. The Art of Hitting also talks about Gwyn's life as a Minor and Major League player. The Art of Hitting is a great book for the beginning and advanced baseball player, and also for the fan.

Tony Gwynn is #1
Tony Gwynn is #1.If you are a Padres fan, baseball fan, or a Tony Gwynn fan than this is the right book for you. In this book, Tony Gwynn teaches you the art of hitting. Having seen him in person, I know that Tony Gwynn is no doubt the greatest Padre ever and one of the greatest baseball players of all-time. If you do not agree with me, look at all the records that he has acheived:

3141 HITS
9287 AT-BATS
.338 CAREER BATTING AVERAGE
.459 SLUGGING PERCENTAGE
2 WORLD SERIES
15 TIME ALL-STAR
MULTI BATTING TILES
MULTI GOLDEN GLOVES
A FUTURE HALL OF FAMER
ETC.
So I highly recommend you to buy this book. I am absolutely sure that you will like it. ... Read more

Product Description
This book teaches boys and girls about business, entrepreneurialism, money, math and success -- by teaching them to play fantasy baseball.

Success in fantasy baseball and fantasy football translates into success in business.Guaranteed.In fantasy ball children learn how to:

• Evaluate talent
• Build a winning team
• Negotiate
• Analyze critical statistics
• Make deals
• Manage a payroll
• Optimize your limited resources
• Take risks
• Hire and fire
• Compete globally
• Beat the market

Learn to play yourself and witness first-hand how fantasy baseball teaches children (and adults) the concise, inspiring and sometimes harsh lessons of successful entrepreneurs and business tycoons.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fantasy sports and business for father and son
Learn about fantasy baseball, learn why it's a great hobby between fathers and sons -- and it shows you how to apply the lessons of fantasy baseball to teach your children about business, finance, math and entrepreneurialism.Wall Street Journal review ("The next generation of fantasy players," Aug 10, 2008) gave it the proverbial thumbs-up. ... Read more

Product Description
For a baseball player, there is nothing more frustrating than struggling at the plate. Hitters--no matter how accomplished--experience hitting slumps, for both mechanical and mental reasons. Their challenge--and yours--is to contain them for a short period of time. The Louisville Slugger Complete Book of Hitting Faults and Fixes identifies the sources of fifty distinct hitting faults that lead to problem swings and includes drills specifically designed to help you correct them.

The step-by-step approach starts from the ground up, including:

• Problems in the stance: hot feet, poor positioning in the box
• Pre-swing movements: no coil in torso, overstriding, hitching before swinging
• Hip rotation and weight transfer: little or no weight transfer, over-rotating
• The swing: uppercutting, casting your hands, pulling your head off the ball
• Mental approach: fear of failure, poor judgment of the strike zone, failing to recognize pitch patterns

The instruction behind each fault also features unique insight from a major league hitter or professional coach. These tips also allow you to get inside the best minds in the business and apply their wisdom to your own game. By applying the book's systematic approach, including lots of practice, you will be able to dissect your swing, identify mistakes, and put yourself on the correct path to recovery and success, becoming a true student of the swing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Not a Great Reference Material
The book was well written, organized and addressed the 50 most common hittings faults. The book would not make a good reference material for an on-goign student of baseball hitting. An index listing the symptoms of the most common faults and referencing the page number of the fault and drill to correct would have been extremely beneficial.

Louisville Slugger Hitting Faults and Fixes
Excellent book on the fundamentals if hitting a baseball. I've read many other hitting books by some of the best hitters in baseball, but none compare to this one. It breaks down all the components of a batter's swing and has drills to assist with fixing swing faults. By far one of, if not the best, hitting instruction book.

Very Helpful
It was helpful to correct my hitting mistakes.I have been out of baseball for 10 years, and I needed some extra help when getting back in the game. Two thumbs up!

great book with visual aid and major league perspective
This book offers major league insight from major league hitting instructors as well as hitting tips from stars like Chipper and Andruw Jones.The book methodically goes through every component of the swing from set up to follow through to mental approach.If you are struggling with your swing, trying to fine tune a part of your swing, simply improve your approach, or just learn the basics this book is very valuable.The photos of amatuer and pro hitters swinging and/or assuming their stances offer great feedback and support to the text description of the how to part of the book.I really believe this book could help any skill level hitter.

"Hey!!You're pulling your head!!"
This book has everything but the answer to the one problem I was looking for: "pulling the head."
Coaches can always identify the "problem":
You're pulling your head--Keep your eye on the ball!
You're pulling your head--Quit trying to KILL it!


Two possibilities are:
1) The batter has made up his mind to swing at the pitch, is looking for something out over the plate, gets busted inside, and swings while backing off, appearing to "pull his head."

2) The batter is behind on the pitch because the pitch is coming in faster than he expects.His reflexes tell him the pitch will be a strike, and his reflexes tell him he's going to have to hurry with the swing.He strides, opens the hips, but can't get his arms around in time.He's "pulling his head" as he tries to get the bat around in the effort to catch up to the pitch.That's why many batters who "pull their head" appear to be swinging too hard.

The batter's timing is messed-up is the majority of the problem.
"Pulling the head" should be considered a symptom of the problem, and not the problem itself.The problem is timing.Coaches typically say "you're pulling your head" as though the realization will solve everything.To me, it's like somebody saying: "The reason you're sick is because you keep throwing-up."

Baseball isn't Golf (otherwise, I'd buy into the idea of the "head following the front shoulder" business.)Keeping the head still and not allowing the head to follow the front shoulder is an example of sound batting mechanics.Mechanics and timing go together, but they are two different things.Good hitters posess both timing AND sound batting mechanics.Good hitters get goofed-up from time to time.
It's the pitcher's job to goof-up the hitter.Pitchers who wind-up like Tim Wakefield, and deliver the ball like Randy Johnson have everybody and their brothers "pulling their head."

I checked all the available references--including this book, and ended up having to come up with these ideas on my own.I believe I am right, and I hope someone may benefit.
This book is great on everything else--Four Stars.
... Read more

Product Description
Covering the Giants from their years in New York to their 40+ years of thrills in San Francisco, fully updated "The Giants Encyclopedia: Second Edition" captures the continuing legend of the Giants. Among the players profiled are current single-season home run king Barry Bonds and Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, and Mel Ott. There are also detailed sketches about the Giants' greatest moments, their World Series championships, and their National League pennants through the most recent 2002 postseason. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

.bye bye baby!!!
I gave this to a new Giants' fan, and now with the whole history he can really enjoy his team and for everyone, the stadium

High and outside
Being a life-long Giants fan and probably only one of a few who has seen them play in four different home ballparks, perhaps I became too excited when I first learned of the pending release of this book and allowed myexpectations to reach an unrealistic high.This would account for themajor level of disappointment I felt upon obtaining and reading this book. It was horribly proofed and had the appearance of being hurridly puttogether.I was suprised more information about the manner in which theteam came to New York from Troy, NY was not presented.I found thestatistical data to be relatively useless and often contradictory to datafound in the 3 major references of baseball statistics.Overall, this isnot a very good reference and certainly beneath the work Mr. Peters haspreviously published about the Giants.Too bad, a little more effort couldhave produced a much better book, now we will have to wait for the nextone.

THE GIANTS ENCYCLOPEDIA
I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THIS "ENCYCLOPEDIA" BECAUSE I FEEL IT'S INCOMPLETE WITH REGARD TO THE HISTORY OF ALL WHO HAVE PLAYED FOR THE GIANTS (BOTH NEW YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO).. ALSO SOME OF THE PHOTOS AREMISLABLED..NEEDS BETTER PROOF READING..BUT ALL IN ALL I AM GLAD TO HAVE ITIN MY COLLECTION OF GIANTS MEMORABILIA ETC.....

The Giants Encyclopedia
Without a doubt the best information on the Giants (both NY and San Fran) anywhere. Truly a fantastic book with more information about the Giants than anyone could ever want. As a lifelong Giants fan, this book is a dream come true.

A Must For All Giants' Fans
Very informative ... extremely well researched ... full of factual information ... the attention to detail is something all Giants' fan truly will appreciate ... a complete review of Giants' history, from Christy Mathewsonto Barry Bonds ... great writing style that's easy to read and follow ... awonderful combination of prose and statistics with tons of classic photos ...a must have for all baseball fans from New York to San Francisco. ... Read more

Product Description
Ichiro...Nomo...Hasegawa...Hideki Matsui...one by one they have come to America and made their mark as incredibly gifted and popular ballplayers. But this new wave of athlete-led by the sensational Ichiro Suzuki, whom many refer to as the best all-around player-is just the tip of a fascinating iceberg. Illuminating a deep and very different tradition of baseball, Whiting shows why more Japanese players will be coming to America...and how they will forever transform the way our game is played. Grandly entertaining and deeply revealing, The Samurai Way of Baseball is a classic book about sports, business, and stardom-in a world that is changing before our eyes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Japanese Baseball 3.0 via Robert Whiting
Robert Whiting's third book on Japanese baseball, The Meaning of Ichiro:The New Wave From Japan & the Transformation of Our National Pastime (2004), deftly chronicles the flight of elite Japanese baseball players to the Major Leagues over the past 15 years (although the first Nipponjin to play for a major league franchise was actually Masanori Murakami in SF in 1964. (detailed in Chapter 4).As the title suggests, Whiting's early portions of the book focus on the Zen-like education of Ichiro under the tutelage of his father and practicing Buddhist, Nobuyuki.His father ran a family-owned electrical parts factory but at 3:30 everyday, Nobuyuki excused himself from work and took his son to the neighborhood field to play ball.After some jogging and light game of catch, the nine-year old Ichiro would throw 50 pitches, take 200 swings at pitched balls, and field 50 balls each both as an infielder and outfielder.Dinner and homework began at 7pm and when completed, father and son would head out to the nearby batting center where the boy would take 250-300 swings emulating his favorite batter stars from the Japanese pro leagues.Returning home usually after 11pm, Ichiro's father would dutifully massage his son's feet for as dad said, "If the feet are healthy, you are healthy."It is little vignettes like this that give you a better understanding ofwhy the disciplined Samurai-like Ichiro (who weighed a mere 175 lbs when signed by Seattle!) was able to break the single-season hit record this year with 262 hits (in 162 games) held for over 84 years.

Still, the exploits of Ichiro may not have happened if not for what many Japanese at the time saw as thewagamama (selfish) attitude of Hideo Nomo in 1995.Whiting points out that an odd clause in the contract between Japanese and Major League baseball as well as strict owner rules regarding player rights limited the ability of Japanese players to move from team to team within Japan and virtually prevented players from jumping ship to the major leagues as well.All that changed when Nomo, the son of working-class parents from Osaka, pushed to fulfill his dream of playing in the American major leagues--even if it went against all of the Japanese mores of the time. He (along with a Japanese-American lawyer) found a loophole in the league's rules and "voluntarily retired"-Nomo could not play for another team in Japan but was eligible to play in America.The Los Angeles Dodgers scooped him up for a mere $2 million dollars and he went 13-6 with 236 strikeouts that first year in the majors.All his pitching starts games were shown on jumbotrons to huge crowds all around Tokyo-even at the wee hours of three or four in the morning.Nomo, quite literally, become an overnight sensation on both sides of the Pacific and the rest is history; the gates had opened and other ballplayers would follow.

Still, the Japanese owners tried to close the loophole but were sued by Major League Baseball.The eventual compromise led to the current posting system in place today.Players in Japan become eligible for free agency after ten years of service in Japan.Over 20 players have followed the path of Nomo since he first landed in the US.Some like Ichiro and Hideki "Godzilla" Matsui have become superstars.Others like former Yankee Hideki Irabu (once called a fat toad by owner George Steinbrenner) and the Mets Tsuyoshi Shinjo had short stretches of success in the US but eventually fizzled out and returned to play ball again in Japan--both are still in uniform today.Finally, the jury is still out on the likes the Mets Kazuo Matsui (no relation to Godzilla Matsui) as to whether or not he can measure up to the numbers he posted in Japan as an All-Star for the Seibu Lions.

I still miss Japanese baseball but thanks to the Internet, I can follow the exploits of my teams via The Japan Times online or even listen to streaming broadcasts of the games via real audio via links on the teams' Web Sites (The Japanese broadcast is pretty basic, i.e. ballru for ball, striku for strike, hitto for hit, etc.). Even better, as Whiting's book happily points out, I know that more Japanese sluggers like catcher the Fukuoka Hawks' Kenji Jojima are sure to be on their way or that Seibu Lion's fireballer Daisuke Matsuzaka will be on the hill at a major league venue real soon. The "New Wave," as dubbed by Whiting, is here to stay and our national pastime will forever be transformed....I'll sake to that!

Gung Ho Baseball
The best part of The Samurai Way of Baseball is the first two chapters, which follow Ichiro Suzuki's childhood and career. His father devoted his whole life to molding Ichiro into a model baseball player. Ichiro, though an excellent student, passed up college for baseball. He had a good career in Japan, then went on to a tremendous start in American baseball as a member of the Seattle Mariners. The story of a father and son so devoted to baseball and so successful is a compelling one.

So what is the Samurai Way of Baseball? As Whiting settles into a broader look at Japanese baseball and its relationship with American baseball, it emerges that while the two baseballs have much in common, a big difference is in the cultural attitudes of Japan and America. In Japan, the individual works for the good of the larger group -- the family, the school, the company, the country, the baseball team. In America, the individual is self-reliant and takes himself as far as he can go, breaking records and setting new standards. Of course, both of these attributes make baseball what it is.

Whiting goes into the history of baseball in Japan and the participation of Americans in Japanese baseball. American players, managers, even a few umpires, have had limited success in Japan, mostly because of cultural differences, but also because of racism in Japan. Whiting's explanation of the meaning of the word "gaijin" and how it is used is very revealing.

The relatively recent entrance of Japanese players to America has been more successful. Whiting looks at the Japanese and American careers of several Japanese players. So far, there are no coaches or managers who have made the transition from Japan to America.

(The title of the book was changed with the release of the paperback edition, from The Meaning of Ichiro to The Samurai Way of Baseball. This was probably an attempt to attract buyers of business/management books in addition to readers of sports/popular culture books. I wonder if it worked.)

The Samurai Way of Baseball is mostly about baseball, but it's also about Japanese culture and attitudes. Japan, like many countries, is adopting a lot of American ways. Soon, they may be beating us at our own game.

A timely sequel to a classic
In this book, Whiting revisits the experience of Japanese baseball, only this time through the eyes of Japanese players playing in the US.The biographies are well-written and focused as Whiting chooses to elaborate only on the most interesting or most pivotal points of each player's experience.But perhaps most impressive is Whiting's balanced understanding of race, racism, and nationalism on both the Japanese and American sides of the Pacific.Whiting doesn't pull any punches when addressing these issues but then again he doesn't hit harder than is warranted.

I particularly liked this book because it covers the period of time during which I've been a resident of Japan (96 to present).While the earlier title "You Gotta Have Wa" was an excellent read, it felt a bit dated to me as it descibes an earlier period I never experienced firsthand.Japan has changed a bit since the bubble days and in this book Whiting manages to concisely convey many of those changes through several viewpoints.I highly recommend it even if you've already read "Wa."

The Japanese effect on Major League Baseball
Robert Whiting has written several books about Japanese baseball, including "You Gotta Have Wa" and "The Chrysanthemum and the Bat." His latest effort, "The Meaning of Ichiro..." is a good bookend for the other two, in that here he details Japanese players finding their way to the U.S. Major Leagues. The title is a bit misleading, because the book is not strictly about Ichiro, but also deals with success stories such as Hideo Nomo, Hideki Matsui, Kazuo Matsui and the challenges to a player like Hideki Irabu.
Whiting includes a lot of interesting history, some of it rehashed from earlier volumes, but necessary here if one is to read this as a stand alone piece. He details the birth of baseball in Japan, how it became Japanized with the intense training, and some early experiences in cross-cultural play with teams from the United States. There is also some philosophy, for it is important to understand the Japanese culture and mindset, as well as the almost martial training that players endure in Japan. All very fascinating stuff.
The bulk of the book focuses on those players since 1995 who have made their way across the Pacific to play for teams in North America. The stories about Ichiro, Nomo and Hideki Matsui are near-mythical, and one has to wonder how much truth was embellished by their families and coaches. But aren't the stories of players of this caliber always near-mythical?
While the prose reads well, and Whiting is very knowledgeable about the Japanese game, I found numerous factual errors. Ichiro was born in 1973, but the book had him entering junior high school in 1975! Now that's precocious. Probably a typo, but in a baseball book, errors with dates and stats are killers. Another error had the Yankees winning the 1995 World Series, when they were ousted in the Division Series by the Seattle Mariners. Yeah, it's nit-picky, but it does make one wonder about the other stats and whether the fact-checkers and editors did their jobs well or not.
The other knock that I have is that Whiting made some references about Seattle that sounded like he has never even been to the city, or that his information is terribly dated. Watch those adjectives. He referred to "rain-soaked Safeco Field" possibly without knowing that it has a retractable roof, and that during the summer, Seattle is one of the drier places to be in the U.S. and way more so than in rainy, muggy Japan. Check out Art Thiel's "Out of Left Field" for the story of baseball in Seattle.
Still, it's a great read and provides many insights in how the Japanese players perceive the North American game. The biggest thing to take away is that players in MLB should bone up on their fundamentals, kind of like the NBA players need to brush up against their international competition. The world is catching up...

A great primer on japanese baseball and its superstars
Baseball fans with an interest in the new breed of Japanese baseball player making an impact in the U.S. Major Leagues will find Robert Whiting's book a welcome and timely introduction to the likes of Ichiro, the Matsuis, Nomo, etc.While the title may be somewhat misleading, as one would think the bulk of the book would be a biography of sorts on Ichiro, what readers are given instead is a highly readable, in-depth look at the origins of baseball in Japan and comparisons of the major differences between the US and Japanese game (practice, coaching, tactics, game philosophy, business models) that would ultimately lead to the production of players able to thrive under the brighter lights of the MLB.Ultimately though the most entertaining portions of the book are the beginning and ending chapters that serve as mini biographies and a study of remarkable contrasts on the Mariner's Ichiro Suzuki and the Yankee's Hideki Matsui. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

A baseball morality tale
An important story and a modern tragedy, told in a highly readable manner. As a big fan of Pete Rose in his playing days, I initially thought James Reston was unfairly biased against Rose through many parts of the book. After finishing it, I think he probably struck the right balance, as there is simply no excuse for much of what Rose did off the field. Reston almost but did not quite fall into the trap of deifying Giamatti; he was, after all an extraordinary commissioner unlike baseball had ever seen. But Reston correctly pointed out that Giamatti bungled the investigation of Rose from a due process and fairness point of view, and if the matter had gone to trial Giamatti would have had a very difficult time on the stand.

The real point is that Giamatti did investigate, and he did take action. Even with the "settlement" that did not answer the question of whether Rose bet on baseball, Giamatti felt no constraint against offering his own opinion as to Rose and his betting on baseball. And Rose did bet on baseball. We can learn from Giamatti. How refreshing it would be to have a commissioner who would take on the steroids scandal which has made a mockery of home run records and likely changed the outcome of far more games and pennant races than gambling ever did. Where is the courage to have a thorough investigation, and a commissioner who would speak the truth?

Unfortunately, baseball has been a silent partner in the steroids scandal, happily banking the proceeds of increased attendance pursuant to amazing and superhuman home run derbys. I don't think Bart Giamatti would approve, and I would like to think he would acted to protect the integrity of baseball.

Finally, I agree with Reston's take on the Hall of Fame issue. Let the sportswriters vote. If they say yes to Rose, tell Rose's story in a display at the hall, the good and the bad. Especially the bad. And do the same for those whose steroid-enhanced records make them "worthy" of consideration in the future.

Disappointing
Interesting idea but ultimately the book fails.The contrast between Giamatti, a man of ideas, and Rose, a man of action -- both flawed in different ways should have made a fascinating read.Instead, the book plods along until the final 50 pages when it begins to redeem itself.
Giamatti's life was just not that compelling and the ponderous quotes from his writings makes one wonder if anyone actually understood Giamatti's abstruse points.
Rose, by contrast, had a more one-dimensional life but emerges as the more interesting person.
It would have been better if Reston had focused on the years of conflict between the two and flashed back to past biographical events to explain how the actions taken by the principals were shaped by those past events.Had Reston examined why Rose handled the pressure better than Giamatti would have been a shorter, tighter and punchier book.Writing chronologically slowed the book down and I was glad to have reached the end and be done with it.
The author's reseach is quite good although trivial errors (Dick Cavett's wife is Carrie Nye, Whitey Ford coined the nickname "Charley Hustle"), are annoying.
I expected more.

Very interesting book
The book is an interesting biography of two very different people.

Pete Rose is a real jerk.The guy could play baseball, but that's it.

As a person, he is a jerk.

As least he will never get into the baseball hall of fame. If Pete Rose got into that sacred place, it would be a shame.

Strikes out
I never finished it.I wanted to read a story of Pete Rose's suspension from baseball and instead got a history of Giamatti's life.

If you aren't a diehard, you may want to give this one a miss.

Engaging Sports History
An excellent profile of two persons striving to be outstanding in their field (no pun intended).It shows how talented players who were friends of Rose melted into other professions, lacking the single-minded drive that he had.

I want my daughter to read it because it's also an excellent profile of eastern private schools and the politics of getting admitted, being a student and professor.Reston believes that both men at their peak represented the best of their profession.(I can't tell my daughter that's the other side that she'd find interesting because it would be as well-received as a lecture.)

The book goes through the childhood of both men and their professional development.The details on Rose's gambling are convincing: you literally see how Pete self-destructed.I think that it was a cab driver who sums up how Pete could have saved himself right up to the end (the paraphrasing is mine: "apologize, indicate that he'd never bet for or against Cincinnati, and gotten away from gamblers") but was so ego-centric that he was self-destructive.As for betting on the Reds, it's clear that he did.

A well-told story, but Reston is not as crisp a writer as his father. His transitions are often awkward, leaving you wondering what topic he's on.And there's a factual error so glaring that I wondered how a sportswriter or editor could let it get by -- he refers to the Chicago Cubs as the "Southsiders." ... Read more