Synopses & Reviews
Freakonomics meets Moneyball in this provocative expos of baseballs most fiercely debated controversies and some of its oldest, most dearly held mythsexplained through the language of numbers and cool cash.
Two hot topics team up in The Baseball Economist, and the result is a refreshing, clear- eyed survey of a playing field that has changed radically in recent years. Utilizing the latest economic methods and statistical analysis, writer, economics professor, and popular blogger J. C. Bradbury dissects burning baseball topics with his original Sabernomic perspective, such as:
Did steroids have nothing to do with the recent home run records? Incredibly, Bradburys research, reviewed by Stanford economists, reveals steroids had little statistical significance.
Is the big-city versus small-city competition really lopsided? Bradbury shows why the Marlins and Indians are likely to dominate big-city franchises in the coming years.
Which players are ridiculously overvalued? Bradbury lists all players by team with their revenue value to the team listed in dollarsincluding a dishonor role of those players with negative values.
Is major league baseball a monopoly that cant govern itself? Bradbury sets out what rules the owners really need to play by, and what the players union should be doing.
Does it help to lobby for balls and strikes? How would Babe Ruth perform in todays game? And who killed all the left-handed catchers, anyway? The Baseball Economist knows.
Providing far more than a mere collection of numbers, Bradbury shines the light of his economic thinking on baseball, exposing the power of tradeoffs, competition, and incentives. Statistics alonearent enough anymore. Fans, fantasy buffs, and players, as well as coaches at all levels who want to grasp what is really happening on the field today and in the coming years, will use and enjoy Bradburys brilliant new understanding of the national pastime.
Review
The next step in the evolution [of how fans understand baseball] is the work of J. C. Bradbury.
The Boston Globe
Synopsis
Freakonomics meets Moneyball in this provocative exposand#233; of baseball?s most fiercely debated controversies and some of its oldest, most dearly held myths Providing far more than a mere collection of numbers, economics professor and popular blogger J.C. Bradbury, shines the light of his economic thinking on baseball, exposing the power of tradeoffs, competition, and incentives. Utilizing his own ?sabernomic? approach, Bradbury dissects baseball topics such as:
? Did steroids have nothing to do with the recent homerun records? Incredibly, Bradbury?s research reveals steroids probably had little impact.
? Which players are ridiculously overvalued? Bradbury lists all players by team with their revenue value to the team listed in dollars?including a dishonor role of those players with negative values?updated in paperback to include the 2007 season.
? Does it help to lobby for balls and strikes?
Statistics alone aren?t enough anymore. This is a refreshing, lucid, and powerful read for fans, fantasy buffs, and players?as well as coaches at all levels?who want to know what is really happening on the field.
About the Author
J. C. Bradbury is an associate professor of economics at Kennesaw State. His research has been featured in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. His op-ed pieces have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, and he writes about baseball, economics, and the Atlanta Braves on his blog at www.Sabernomics.com.