On the whole, I really enjoyed Jules Tygiel’s effort. The concept is one that is right up my alley, and for the most part, it had me hooked from the get-go. There are times when it faltered and when Tygiel succumbed to classical tropes instead of actual investigations of history. Those moments were decidedly in […]
Articles
Three Batter Minimum: For the Love of a Name
Baseball has a rich and storied tradition. That goes without saying, though I felt the need to say it, so clearly I missed the memo. Anyways, part of that tradition is the names. I’m talking teams, leagues, players, mascots, fans, etc. Up and down the board, baseball has so many names that stand out. I’m […]
Keep on Trucking!
Virgil Trucks had a really good Major League Baseball career. The burly right-hander pitched in 17 seasons, amassed a 40.4 bWAR, won the 1945 World Series, and finished his career with a very respectable 3.54 FIP and 117 ERA+. Trucks also pitched five seasons in the minors where he was (surprise, surprise) very good. However, […]
A Trip to the Library: The Best Team Money Can Buy
I don’t like to start my reviews too negative, but that’s really hard this time around, The Best Team Money Can Buy is that bad of an offering. When I turned the final page I was left with the overriding thought that I didn’t have a single positive morsel to offer about Molly Knight’s tome […]
A Tripe to the Library: The Negro Leagues Are Major Leagues
The Negro Leagues Are Major Leagues is an interesting concept. The title came on the heels of Major League Baseball’s decision to declare the Negro Leagues were major leagues. I’m not going to use this review to litigate that announcement, I’ve done that plenty on this site already. Regardless, a collection of essays discussing the […]