Total Baseball

A hefty reference containing records of every major league player, team rosters of the Negro Leagues, two dozen or so essays, statistics and diagrams for every major league ballpark, batting stats for all major league pitchers, stats that reveal the game's best managers, awards and honors, rules and scoring, registers of managers, coaches, umpires, and owners. (See review of the CD-ROM version in the August 1992 Reference and Research Book News. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

An official baseball resource offers prose features for fans, the twenty-five greatest games, and the records for every player in the major leagues since 1871

This title explores everything a young reader would want to know about baseball, from home run sluggers to World Series heroes. The title also features informative sidebars, a glossary, and further resources. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing Company.

BLOOPER: BALL SQUIRTS THROUGH BILLY BUCKNER'S LEGS. BLUNDER: BILLY BUCKNER'S MANAGER LEFT HIM IN THE GAME. Baseball bloopers are fun; they're funny, even. A pitcher slips on the mound and his pitch sails over the backstop. An infielder camps under a pop-up...and the ball lands ten feet away. An outfielder tosses a souvenir to a fan...but that was just the second out, and runners are circling the bases (and laughing). Without these moments, the highlight reels wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. Baseball blunders, however, can be tragic, and they will leave diehard fans asking why...why...why? Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders does its best to answer all those whys, exploring the worst decisions and stupidest moments of managers, general managers, owners, and even commissioners. As he did in his Big Book of Baseball Lineups, Rob Neyer provides readers with a fascinating examination of baseball's rich history, this time through the lens of the game's sometimes hilarious, often depressing, and always perplexing blunders. · Which ill-fated move cost the Chicago White Sox a great hitter and the 1919 World Series? · What was Babe Ruth thinking when he became the first (and still the only) player to end a World Series by getting caught trying to steal? · Did playing one-armed Pete Gray in 1945 cost the Browns a pennant? · How did winning a coin toss lead to the Dodgers losing the National League pennant on Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'round the World"? · How damaging was the Frank Robinson-for-Milt Pappas deal, really? · Which of Red Sox manager Don Zimmer's mistakes in 1978 was the worst? · Which Yankees trade was even worse than swapping Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps? · What non-move cost Buck Showalter a job and gave Joe Torre the opportunity of a lifetime? · Game 7, 2003 ALCS: Pedro winds up to throw his 123rd pitch...what were you thinking? These are just a few of the legendary (and not-so-legendary) blunders that Neyer analyzes, always with an eye on what happened, why it happened, and how it changed the fickle course of history. And in separate chapters, Neyer also reviews some of the game's worst trades and draft picks and closely examines all the teams that fell just short of first place. Another in the series of Neyer's Big Books of baseball history, Baseball Blunders should win a place in every devoted fan's library.

Designed to help coaches and athletes develop the optimal training program to prepare for a competitive baseball season. What separates many baseball players is their dedication to a strength and conditioning program. Not only will commitment to the training program provide a better opportunity to maximize baseball performance, but it will also reduce the risk for injury, minimize the extent of injury, and enhance the return to top performance after a player is injured. Chapter 1 provides information concerning the development of a resistance-training program, including how manipulation of training variables can enhance muscle strength, power, and size. Chapters 2 and 3 present information on the development of polymeric and speed/agility training, while chapter 4 focuses on aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. Chapter 5 discusses how to incorporate the information provided in the first four chapters into an annual training program, including both in-season and off-season conditioning. Chapter 6 provides information concerning the importance of a proper warm-up, including the benefits of dynamic movements and explanations of various type of stretching programs. Descriptions of selected static and partner-assisted stretches are also provided. Chapter 7 presents information on throwing programs to increase the strength of the throwing arm and Chapter 8 provides basic nutritional information for athletes, including recommendations for athletes interested in gaining weight or losing weight. In addition, recommendations for pre-exercise/pre-game and post-exercise/post-game meals are also provided.