Synopses & Reviews
"Joe Morgan again shows himself a rare bird: an ex-jock with savvy and the ability to communicate it."
—People"This book has something for everybody, from longtime fans to Little Leaguers."
—New York Newsday
Baseball For Dummies, Third Edition, is for baseball fans at all levels, from players and coaches to spectators who love the game. Baseball Hall of Fame player and ESPN baseball analyst Joe Morgan explains baseball with remarkable insight, using down-to-earth language so everyone from the casual observer to the die-hard fan can gain a fuller appreciation of the sport. This updated edition features:
- Everything you need to know about the game, from what it takes to play each position and how to hit and run the bases to what to watch for in the game and how to appreciate the finer points of the sport
- Coverage of new star players, new stadiums, and game milestones
- The lowdown on today’s baseball Web resources
- The latest on stats and sabermetrics
- The inside story on the new steroid rules
From how to throw a knuckleball or hit an inside pitch to how to keep a scorecard or pick a winning fantasy league team, Morgan covers all the bases, showing you how to get the most out of the game. You’ll see how to:
- Improve your hitting, pitching, and fielding
- Find a team to play on, from Little League on up
- Evaluate stats, players, and records
- Coach or umpire effectively
- Get more out of a trip to the ballpark
Complete with Morgan’s personal lists of top-ten pitchers, fielders, and relievers, as well as new quotes from Derek Jeter and Keith Hernandez, Baseball For Dummies gives you all the inside tips, facts, and stats so you can play like a Major Leaguer!
Synopsis
Covers new star players, new stadiums, and game milestonesGet all the inside tips, stats, and facts and play like a Major Leaguer
Let Joe Morgan take you out to the ballpark in this update of his classic guide to the National Pastime. From how to throw a knuckleball or hit an inside pitch to how to keep a scorecard or pick a winning fantasy league team, he covers all the bases — and shows you how to get the most out of the game.
Discover how to
- Improve your hitting, pitching, and fielding
- Find a team to play on, from Little League on up
- Evaluate stats, players, and records
- Coach or umpire effectively
- Get more out of a trip to the ballpark
Praise for Joe Morgan and Baseball For Dummies
"Joe Morgan again shows himself a rare bird: an ex-jock with savvy and the ability to communicate it."
—People
"This book is a grand slam."
—Pete Rose
"This book has something for everybody, from longtime fans to Little Leaguers."
—New York Newsday
Synopsis
This comprehensive book looks at what it takes to play baseball, including conditioning and specific guidelines for each position. It also covers aspects of coaching, provides a primer of amateur and professional baseball, and helps fans know what to look for when watching the game. While the techniques of playing the game have not changed significantly, Baseball For Dummies 3rd Edition, will include information about new stadiums, such as PNC Park (Pittsburgh), Coamerica Park (Detroit), Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia- 2004), and Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati). It will also cover hot new stars such as Ichiru Suzuki and milestones in baseball such as Roger Clemens' 300th win, new members of the 500-homer club, the inclusion of Inter-league play, worthwhile baseball-related Web sites, and the relative merits of various fantasy baseball leagues and computer games.
About the Author
Joe Morgan played on two Cincinnati Reds World Series championship teams; he is now a baseball analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.
Richard Lally is a prolific sportswriter and author.
Table of Contents
Foreword xxv
Introduction 1
Part I: Getting Started (Before Your First At-Bat) 7
Chapter 1: What Is Baseball? 9
Chapter 2: Suiting Up: Equipment 19
Chapter 3: The Rules of the Game33
Part II: Taking Your Swings: How to Play the Game 45
Chapter 4: Training: Getting into Baseball Shape 47
Chapter 5: Swinging the Lumber: Hitting Like a Major Leaguer 71
Chapter 6: Winning the Arms Race: Pitching Like a Major Leaguer 111
Chapter 7: The Third Dimension: Defense 127
Chapter 8: The Science of Baserunning189
Chapter 9: Joe's Baseball Playbook 213
Part III: From Little League to the Major Leagues: Organized Baseball 241
Chapter 10: T-Ball to College Baseball and Everything in Between 243
Chapter 11: The Minors and Other Leagues 249
Chapter 12: There Are Tricks to This Game: Coaching 261
Chapter 13: Men in Blue: Umpiring Like a Professional 267
Chapter 14: Major-League Baseball 273
Chapter 15: Off-the-Field Baseball Jobs and How to Snag Them 277
Chapter 16: Measuring Performance: Calculating Baseball's Statistics 283
Chapter 17: Going All the Way: Postseason Play and the World Series 291
Part IV: We Don't Care if We Ever Get Back: A Spectator's Guide 297
Chapter 18: Following the Bouncing Baseball 299
Chapter 19: Keeping Up with the Show: Baseball Online, on the Air, and on the Newsstand 321
Chapter 20: Fantasy Baseball 331
Part V: The Part of Tens 341
Chapter 21: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Current Players and His All-Time All-Star Team 343
Chapter 22: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Current Pitchers 351
Chapter 23: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Current Fielders 355
Chapter 24: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Current Relievers 359
Chapter 25: Joe Morgan's Ten Negro League Legends 363
Chapter 26: Ten Things to Love about Baseball 369
Chapter 27: Ten Baseball Nicknames That Hit the Mark 373
Chapter 28: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Future Stars 379
Part VI: Appendixes 383
Appendix A: Baseball Speak: A Glossary 385
Appendix B: Baseball Organizations 405
Index 415