I recently had a chance to check “Closer: Major League Players Reveal the Inside Pitch on Saving the Game” by Kevin Neary with Leigh A. Tobin.

Here’s a description of it from the publisher:

The closer is the ace reliever who specializes in closing out the game without surrendering the lead. Facing a power hitter in the ninth inning with a man on base and no outs takes nerves of steel. The pressure on the mound is intense. It takes a special breed to hold it together in these situations. Legendary manager Tony LaRusso said “Sure, games can get away from you in the seventh and eighth, but those last three outs in the ninth are the toughest.” It wasn’t until the creation of “the save,” the successful maintenance of a lead by a relief pitcher, in 1960 that the position of closer began to rise in prominence. Today, closers are seen as some of the most intense athletes in all of sports. Neary and Tobin explore the unique personalities of major leagues’ most prominent relief pitchers from Bruce Sutter (Cubs, Cardinals, and Braves) to Mariano Rivera (Yankees). Closer is an insider’s look into the role of the closing pitcher, how the position has evolved, and how legends—Trevor Hoffman, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, John Smoltz, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Mariano Rivera, Brian Fuentes, and many more—coped with the stress on the mound such as when facing the .340 batter in the bottom of the ninth with only a one run lead.

Reading through the book, it brought be back to when I was much, much, younger – reading about players in Baseball Digest, during the 1970′s. I could easily see each “capsule” on a particular closer from the book appearing as a feature in Baseball Digest. They were really on par with that style and reading level. (Related, if you have a pre- or early teen that you know who loves baseball, this could be a book that’s great for them.)

Related, for a review that SB Nation did on the book, click here. And, click here to read what BenchTrading.com “said” about the book.

Lastly, Neary and Tobin also gave us “Major League Dads” – which I found to be very good.

To be candid, when I was first approached about reviewing Mike Piazza’s autobiography “Long Shot,” at first blush, my reaction was: Do I really want to read this one?

But, I gave it a shot – no pun intended – and, was I surprised!

Piazza pulls no punches with “Long Shot.“  He’s brutally honest about himself – sharing that he was, at times, self-centered, surly, and often angry. Yet, don’t take that to mean that his book is a vent and bitch-fest. It’s also full of some very insightful and entertaining stories.

It’s amazing how hard Piazza’s father had to fight to get him into a college, then drafted, and later signed. And, once that was done, it became a target on Mike’s back for a long time. It’s also very interesting to see how the relationship between father and son changed over time.

And, with this book, Piazza addresses everything – including Sam Champion and Murray Chass (although the latter not directly by name).

Bottom line, “Long Shot” is a “page turner.” It’s one of the better baseball autobiographies that I’ve read in quite a while. Without reservation, I highly recommend this one – and you don’t have to be a Piazza, Mets or Dodgers fan to enjoy it.

I may have been unsure if I wanted to read Long Shot” when the chance first presented itself to me. But, that changed in hurry as I started to get into the book. And, I am very happy, now, that I had the chance to read it.

Very nice.

It’s a clever idea for a site.

I saw a commercial for this one when my kids were watching one of their channels.  (I think it was Disney.)

I understand the concept that a dugout or weighted bat could lead to some bad habits.  But, I’m not sure this is the answer either…

What’s not to like about an 8th grader who loves baseball history and blogs about it?

I have been reading John Rosengren’s new book “Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes” and I am loving it, so far.

I’m about 20% done with it now and can already share that “Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes” is an excellent read. It’s an amazing story and Rosengren’s book is well researched, educational, entertaining and a very pleasant reading experience. But, this is not shocking to me, since I found John’s attention to detail with respect to his story-telling to be outstanding in “Hammerin’ Hank, George Almighty and the Say Hey Kid: The Year That Changed Baseball Forever” as well.

I realize that I am jumping the gun a bit posting this review before I am done with the book. But, I couldn’t wait to get the word out on this one since it was released to the public yesterday. Also, Rosengren will be doing a series of events to promote the book that I wanted to share (before it was too late). Here they are:

Minneapolis/St. Paul

Never, ever, under any circumstances, do business with this firm. And, if you do, hey, don’t say that I didn’t warn you.

There really are few things worse than a flat glove…

I recently had a chance to read a review copy of Joe Peta’s “Trading Bases: A Story About Wall Street, Gambling, and Baseball (Not Necessarily in That Order)” which is slated to be released on March 7th.

Joe Peta was a Wall Street market maker and hedge fund stock trader for fifteen years. And, he’s been a sports bettor for even longer and a lifelong baseball fan.

After being struck by an FDNY ambulance and knocked off the trading floor for months of recovery and then being fired from a seven-figure job six weeks after returning to work in a wheelchair, Peta used sabermetric principles developed by Bill James and Nate Silver (among others) to create a market model for the 2011 Major League Baseball season.

Using his new tool, Peta was able project runs, wins, and take his season projections and convert them to single-game-win expectancies. Using these results, he then applied them to the Vegas betting lines and from Opening Day to the final game of the 2011 World Series – making money on favorites, underdogs, pick-‘ems. Overall, Pete ended up with a 41.03% profit for his efforts.

“Trading Bases” aims to show how portfolio management, Wall Street trading and sports betting are all interrelated. And, it makes a great case for this to be true. Peta’s book is also, at times, humorous and touching.

This book has something for everyone who is interested in Wall Street, gambling, baseball and sabermetrics. That said, if you are turned off by any of these subject matters, you may not enjoy “Trading Bases” as much as someone who is open to seeing the connections between them.

For the record, personally, while being a baseball junkie and a huge fan of sabermetrics, I know little about the workings of Wall Street and Vegas. Related, I found what Peta shared on these arenas to be interesting, educational and entertaining.

In any event, I suspect that “Trading Bases: A Story About Wall Street, Gambling, and Baseball (Not Necessarily in That Order)” may be one of the most talked about new releases on the baseball book front this year. And, it’s worth checking out.

It will also be interesting where Peta goes from here. He has the skill and resume to command a seven-figure job on Wall Street. And, he’s proven that he can make money betting on baseball. Yet, perhaps, some major league team, after the release of his book, may ask him to join the analysis group in their front office? Granted, the compensation on Wall Street or from Vegas would not be equaled in baseball. However, perhaps, at this stage of his life, maybe Peta wants to be in baseball? And, if he did, how would the commissioner’s office handle that (given his documented past betting on the game)?

It does seem like “Trading Bases” is our introduction to Joe Peta on the baseball landscape and we should expect more from him in the future (in some capacity).  And, that’s another reason why you would want to consider reading his new book.

Very cool site.

I have to admit, I am a Rawlings freak.  I just love their products. In my mind, they are the best.

Fun stuff.

Nice!

Launches on Opening Day.

Fun stuff.

Anyone who has followed sports with serious attention has probably heard of Dr. James Andrews by now. But, for those who don’t know him, Dr. Andrews is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and a pioneer in arthroscopic surgery. He is also the team doctor for Auburn University, the University of Alabama, the Washington Redskins, and the Tampa Bay Rays. Sports Illustrated recently named him as one of the top forty most influential people in the NFL.

And, he’s recently written a book entitled: Any Given Monday: Sports Injuries and How to Prevent Them, for Athletes, Parents, and Coaches — Based on My Life in Sports Medicine.

Here’s what Kirkus said about the book:

A fully functional sports manual focused on the awareness and prevention of common athletic injuries.

Andrews, a pioneering orthopedic surgeon in his fifth decade of practicing sports medicine, is uniquely qualified to pen this type of medical sourcebook. He firmly believes many organized-sports ailments are preventable, and he aggressively advocates for grass-roots educational programs and prevention campaigns as effective frontline measures aimed at tempering the “crisis point” injury level he feels has been reached for youth-sports injuries. In the opening chapters, the author offers a condensed history of sports medicine, pertinent statistics and a snapshot profile of his life. Andrews then highlights three trauma priorities as assigned by the top sports-injury authorities: knee ACL damage, concussions (football) and overuse injuries (juvenile baseball pitchers). He states that while the “invincibility” felt by youth enables athletic injuries, increased parental involvement in children’s sporting lives should stem this pattern. After citing baseball as the source of the highest number of acute injuries, Andrews calls attention to accident-prone, less-obvious activities like cheerleading, golf and water polo. Medically speaking, he forewarns parents not to consider an MRI test for their ailing child as the exclusive method of diagnostic conclusiveness and offers a fascinating chapter dispelling popular sports-injury myths. The bulk of the guidebook briskly examines a wide swath of popular youth sports and counters their associated maladies with safety tips and injury-prevention measures.

A gold mine of contemporary cautionary information for the sports-minded.

Per the book, every year, more than three and a half million children under the age of 14 require medical treatment for injuries incurred while participating in team or individual sports. And, almost one-half of all sports injuries in adolescents stem from overuse as part of athletic training or conditioning. However, studies show that at least 60% of overuse injuries can be prevented by a safety precautions.

Oh, and, by the way, per the book, in 2007, there were 920,000 football players under the age of 18 treated in emergency rooms for injuries. Think about that when your kid says he wants to play football.

With his new book, Andrews covers every sport you can think of, the risk of injuries therein, and how to possibly prevent them.

And, that’s why “Any Given Monday” is a must-own reference manual for coaches, trainers, sports-administrators, parents, grand-parents and young athletes themselves.

I’m glad that I now have a copy of this book. And, if you’re involved in sports, especially at the youth level, you’ll want to get a copy of “Any Given Monday” as well.

We took the kids to see Parental Guidance this afternoon. When it first started, I thought “Oh, this is going to be painful.” It was somewhat slow at the onset. But, it got better and had some decent laughs and touching moments. And, there was even a Ralph Branca cameo.

The critics hated this one – but, the audience seems to like it. Our theater was crowded – and some people applauded at the end of the movie (and not just because it was over). Decent family flick.

I’m about ten months late on this one, but, I just started reading Dirk Hayhurt’s book “Out of My League.”

Actually, I got it for Christmas from my wife and kids – and I am now about half done with it.

That all said, “Out of My League” is an awesome read. I’m loving it, so far.

This book is not for the kids – due to the language, at times, as well as some of the sexual nature of some of the topics in touches upon. But, it’s just as good as books like Ball Four and other insider view baseball books.

I highly, highly, highly, recommend this book.

Very cool.

At the advice of “nwyank,” I read Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen.

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, last week, I had lots of time on my hands. We had a 120-hour stretch with no power (or heat, cable and internet). And, when it was daylight, I would read the book. But, it was so good that I also read it by flashlight after the sun went down.

Of course, I am late to this party. The book is a National Bestseller and came out in 2009. But, if you run and have not read this one yet, you should check it out. It’s a amazing. And, even if you don’t run, it’s a fascinating story and you will enjoy this book.

Related, a belated RIP to Caballo Blanco.

To be totally candid, when I was first presented with the opportunity to review Brandon Steiner’s “You Gotta Have Balls: How a Kid from Brooklyn Started From Scratch, Bought Yankee Stadium, and Created a Sports Empire,” at first blush, my reaction was “Do I really want to read about this guy?” But, I decided to give it a go, nonetheless.

And, now, I am very happy that I decided to give it a try!

Part autobiography and part business philosophy help book, “You Gotta Have Balls” is an amazing read. It’s interesting, entertaining, and educational!

Some kids are born with a silver spoon in their mouth and others are born on third base screaming that they just hit a triple. However, Steiner’s upbringing was the polar opposite of being privileged – as he grew up in a broken home, living in great poverty. However, with the support of his hard working mother, Steiner lifted himself from that and took advantages of opportunities – often thinking outside the box to create them rather than waiting for them to self-identify. And, later in life, Steiner used social networking – long before that term was branded as we know it today – to continue finding that next opportunity. Brandon Steiner’s life is one of the great modern day American success stories. And, it’s told in griping fashion in “You Gotta Have Balls.” Also, the business/management/customer service tips shared in this book are excellent as well.

I highly recommend checking out “You Gotta Have Balls.” And, you don’t even have to be a baseball or sports fan to enjoy this book. If you like rags to riches stories or sound business strategy books, you’ll find a lot in this one for you.

I just finished reading Ray Negron’s new book “Yankee Miracles: Life with the Boss and the Bronx Bombers.” (For those not aware, Ray Negron is a former Yankees batboy who later became a Yankees special advisor. And, you can get his entire story in this book.)

Having read the books by Matthew McGough and Squeegee Castillo, I totally understand how batboys can development a special relationship with players on a major league team.

However, Negron took it to another level – forming strong relationships with the team owner and manager as well. It was amazing to read how much George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin relied on Ray in the 1970′s.

Basically, “Yankee Miracles” is Ray Negron’s life story, how he became involved with the Yankees and what he did with the team. And, each chapter details his relationship and/or tells a story about a different person. This includes George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer, Catfish Hunter as well as modern day Yankees Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Brett Gardner. Further, in the stories shared, Ray tells us about the good work or “miracles” that this person has provided.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. And, I think that any baseball fan would enjoy it as well.

For Yankees fans, if you were born before 1969, I would say that “Yankee Miracles” is a must read for you. And, if you were born after 1968, and enjoy learning more about the Yankees that you may have been too young to witness, you will want to check this one out, without question. It’s a great read full of wonderful stories that you probably never heard told before this book.

I’ve recently read Rick Morrissey’s “Ozzie’s School of Management: Lessons from the Dugout, the Clubhouse, and the Doghouse.”

It’s sort of a mix between a book on Ozzie Guillen’s strategy on running a ballclub and a biography on the fiery manager.

It was interesting to see how Guillen does all the things that you hear successful managers do – protecting his players, putting family first, getting the clutter out of his players’ heads, etc. But, it was even more interesting – as someone not from/in the Chicago area – to read about all the antics that went on while he was managing the White Sox. Also, you really get an appreciation for how much of a “baseball rat” Ozzie was as a player and still is as a manager.

Guillen is a throwback…like Billy Martin and Whitey Herzog. And, that’s clear when you read “Ozzie’s School of Management.”

Just one warning with this one: This is not a book for the kids. It’s unfiltered and uncensored. But, since it’s Ozzie Guillen, that makes sense.

With Father’s Day right around the corner, this is a perfect time to share some information on the new book “Major League Dads: Baseball’s Best Players Reflect on the Fathers Who Inspired Them to Love the Game.”

First, some background on it via the Publisher -

Baseball is America’s favorite pastime and one of the best ways for fathers and sons to bond. Major League Dads is an inspirational look at such connections through a collection of heartfelt essays from interviews with [137] of the top players in Major League Baseball, such as David Wright, Carlos Pena, Brad Lidge, and Derek Jeter. Through personal recollections, you can read firsthand what their dads meant to them growing up and how they coached them to success both on and off the field.

And, here’s some more via a Press Release on the book:

It’s a long road from Wiffle ball in the backyard to the bright lights of Major League Baseball.

A ballplayer’s journey begins with pitch and catch; he gets organized in T-ball, machine-pitch leagues, coach-pitch leagues, Little League; he escalates his talents with travel teams, pony league, Babe Ruth League; he becomes a ballplayer in high school and college. And maybe, just maybe, there is a career thereafter. But behind every ballplayer’s journey is a father who loves his son and shares with him a passion for the game as he coaches and mentors him down this long road.

Throughout the journey, he shares his baseball knowledge. He helps keep things in perspective while he stokes the passion. He preaches discipline, hustle, work ethic, determination, patience, sportsmanship, the fundamentals, and the Golden Rule. On the bench, in the stands or in the backyard, these dads teach their sons more about life than how to hone their swings.

This spring, Kevin Neary and Leigh Tobin offer an amazing collection of heartwarming and humorous stories, vivid memories, and great advice, shared by players who each declare that they made it to the majors because of their fathers. MAJOR LEAGUE DADS: Baseball’s Best Players Reflect on the Fathers Who Inspired Them to Love the Game, Foreword by Terry Francona (Running Press, May 2012), is a special gift to every man who’s ever thrown a baseball to his father or son, as these talented sons pay tribute to the men who showed their love through a batted ball, a session of pitch and catch and a lifetime of loving guidance.

Each story in MAJOR LEAGUE DADS describes the influence the players’ fathers had on their baseball careers. Some had the major league dreams at a young age and some didn’t, but they all had their fathers as their coaches in some capacity. Players like Derek Jeter, Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, Greg Maddux, Joe Mauer, Jimmy Rollins, Mariano Rivera, David Wright, Mark Teixeira, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Evan Longoria, all three Molina brothers, and a handful of second- and third-generation stars reveal personal stories and warmest memories. These are men who love the game and who love to talk about their fathers—a perfect combination for this book.

Some dads were more supportive than baseball wise. Instead of talking baseball or teaching how to throw the perfect knuckleball, they were motivators, cheerleaders, always standing by with helpful words of encouragement, lessons, or guiding principles that they return to even today: “You are only as good as you next at-bat”; “Never give up”; “Never get too high or too low”; “Learn from your mistakes”; “Be humble”; “Respect the game and their teammates”; “Think for yourself”; “Play the game right”. This is key information in the game and in life.

Filled with insight and amazing anecdotes from some of the biggest icons in the game, MAJOR LEAGUE DADS is less about baseball and more about the relationships between fathers and their sons. It’s about seeing your son in a major league uniform for the first time. It’s about seeing the only man who really matters in the stands watching you with a big smile on his face. These men have put in the hours with their sons, made many sacrifices, and helped them love baseball, because they love their kids. And the result is a strong father-son bond with each other and the game.

I’ve read “Major League Dads” and enjoyed the book. I believe that any parent or child would be touched by some of the stories shared with this work. Best yet, this is a clean and wholesome book that you can share with your loved ones without any fears regarding its content. And, I would bet, after reading it, you’re going to want to find your parent and/or child and go have a catch. The stories of these big leaguers and the relationships that they have with their fathers are wonderful.

Personally, I have always said that, just as baseball and apple pie are staples of America, statistics and fathers are the hemoglobin of baseball. And, “Major League Dads” backs that up. I highly recommend this book.

I just finished reading John Smoltz’ book Starting and Closing: Perseverance, Faith, and One More Year.

I suppose that I should call it an autobiography. But, it’s not your typical sports autobiography – both in format and content. The flow to this one was very interesting – as well as the narrative tone.

At times, Smoltz comes across as angry. Yet, other times, he’s playful. Often, he’s very hard-nosed. And, then again, very often John is highly spiritual. Through all this, John Smoltz is always insightful.

It was amazing to read about Smoltz’ youth, passion for baseball and the Detroit Tigers, dealing with injuries and personal issues, his religious journey and his transformation from starter to closer and back to starter again.

If you enjoy baseball books and welcome an opportunity to learn more about one of the best pitchers in the history of the game, I highly recommend checking out John Smoltz’ ”Starting and Closing.”  I’m glad that I read it.

This is just awesome.

The site is a unique reading experience. The entire issue loads into one page, so give it a few moments to load in. The up and down arrow keys will allow you to cycle through “pages”, there is a table of contents at the beginning of the issue that will zip you to the main stories.

From 1985 to 1992, Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo authored “The Baseball Hall of Shame” series which were a collection of baseball “goofs and gaffes” tales from Major League Baseball history.  If you’ve ever read any of these books, you know that they’re full of fun stuff for baseball fans.

After a 20 year break in the series, Nash and Zullo are back and have released The Baseball Hall of Shame: The Best of Blooperstown. This new offering covers the zany, goofy, and wacky things in baseball from 1885 through 2011.

What I like most about this collection is that the authors aim to share the fun and true little known stories over the widely known ones.

Inauspicious debuts, wacky plate appearances, fielding fiascoes, practical jokes, post-season screw-ups, nutty habits and idiosyncrasies, hothead meltdowns, and undignified ballpark promotions are just some of the things that you’ll find covered with this book.

There’s something for every baseball fan in The Baseball Hall of Shame: The Best of Blooperstown.

I just finished reading R.A. Dickey’s Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball.

In a nutshell, from the minute I started reading Wherever I Wind Up, I could not put it down. This book is a true page-turner.

Dickey’s story is full of interesting things – including his struggles with some terrible childhood tragedies and constant self-doubt. Of course, there’s also his unique place in the history of the baseball draft and elbow issues – coupled with the conversion from being a conventional pitcher to becoming a knuckleballer. Lastly, there’s Dickey’s spiritual journey which is also detailed in this memoir.

However, I think what got me most with Wherever I Wind Up was Dickey’s gift as a writer and a storyteller. This just may be one of the best written baseball autobiographies that I have read in the last 35 years. And, if it’s not the best, it’s in the team picture, for sure.

I highly recommend reading R.A. Dickey’s Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball.

Hart Seely, aka “el duque” of the blog “IT IS HIGH! IT IS FAR! IT IS…”, one of the forces behind the awesome collection “O Holy Cow!: The Selected Verse of Phil Rizzuto,” has written a new book: The Juju Rules: Or, How to Win Ballgames from Your Couch: A Memoir of a Fan Obsessed.

I’ve never met Hart. But, after reading his book, I would have to cast Larry David (Yankee fan, by the way*) to play the lead in this one – if asked to take the book and translate it to the screen. As Hart tells the story of his life as a Yankees fan with this new book, interwoven with his “manifesto that reveals the deep secrets of fan jinxes, hexes, and charms,” several times I pictured the story being played out like an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Seriously, it’s that quirky, funny and interesting.

Flat out, Hart Seely is a dude that must Yankees fans can resonate with – albeit seeing a bit of themselves in him, or, being reminded of someone they know who is (or was) a passionate fan of the team. And, you get that from reading “The Juju Rules” – throughout the entire book. That said, I highly recommend this book to all Yankees fans.

Further, back in 2005, when I first saw the movie “Fever Pitch,” I thought to myself “This is a film that a diehard fanatic of a team can appreciate as it depicts so many moments that we all share and emotions that we all have inside us – again, as fanatics of a particular team.” And, the same thing applies to “The Juju Rules.”

Anyone who was ever lived and died with the sundry good fortunes and tribulations of their favorite baseball team, and who has allowed their fanatic association to creep into their everyday life, will enjoy reading “The Juju Rules” – and seeing that there are others like them, out there.

Hart Seeley’s wit is keen and his story-telling delivery with this work is often hilarious. I was very happy to have read The Juju Rules: Or, How to Win Ballgames from Your Couch: A Memoir of a Fan Obsessed.

*You have to read the book to get this joke.

I just had a chance to review Rob Fleder’s Damn Yankees: Twenty-Four Major League Writers on the World’s Most Loved (and Hated) Team.

For those not aware, this book is a collection of 24 original essays by contemporary writers each focusing on the Yankees.

There’s some uniqiue stuff in this one. I found the features by Michael Paterniti, Steve Wulf, Will Leitch, Jane Leavy, Rick Telander, Bill James and Roger Director to be interesting.

If you’re a Yankees fan and enjoy reading about the team, I suggest checking out Damn Yankees.