Review of "Skipper"

Even though hockey and basketball are having their championship games currently, my to-do list is filled with baseball books.  Therefore, with maybe an exception or two, there will be a lot of baseball books reviewed here in the next few weeks.  For my latest review, this was an excellent book on baseball managers. 

Title/Author:

“Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter and Always Will” by Scott Miller

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

With the increased use of analytical data in baseball today, there has been talk that the importance and role of the manager of a major league baseball team has been reduced. This book by Scott Miller provides reams of excellent information on that leader, both in the perspective of “old school” and “new school.”

While reading this book, I came across with the sense that Miller was truly objective with his writing and opinions.  He never came across as a grouchy old man that can’t accept the use of analytics to influence in-game decisions, but he also never was dismissive of the authoritarian era of the manager when skippers like Earl Weaver and Tommy Lasorda had total control over the players (on the field) and the decisions made affecting the games on the field. 

That does leave a reader to wonder just how Miller feels about the current status of a manager, but to me, that’s a good thing. That means the reader will need to absorb all of the information, stories and records that Miller provides and come up with their own conclusion. Why Miller doesn’t share much in the way of opinion is known only to him, but while that may not appeal to some, for me it is one of the strengths of the book.

The range of stories is also fascinating plus Miller uses some actual game scenarios to illustrate how the role of the manager has changed. The best example of this to me is shown in his interviews with Tom Kelly and Kevin Cash in two of the more well-known pitching situations in World Series history.  Kelly, considered to be one of the better “old school” managers, had to decide whether to remove Jack Morris in game 7 of the 1991 World Series after he had thrown nine shutout innings. Morris was not going to leave the game without a fight and told Kelly “I can pitch.” Kelly then replied “Oh, hell, it’s only a game.”  Morris pitched a 1-2-3 tenth inning and then the Twins win in the bottom of the tenth. 

Cash, on the other hand, is more known for a move that didn’t work.  Following the plan that was developed between him and the baseball operations department (a department that never existed in Kelly’s time), Cash came out to remove starting pitcher Blake Snell with one out in the sixth inning. Snell at that point had only allowed two hits and struck out nine batters.  But after a single by Austin Barnes of the Dodgers brought up Mookie Betts and the top of the batting order, Cash did not want Snell to face the Dodger lineup a third time.  The bullpen couldn’t hold off the Dodgers offense as Los Angeles went on to win the game and the World Series.

The reason I highlight these two highlights is that they perfectly illustrate the range of time that this book covers, the types of managers highlighted (there’s great information on Terry Francona, Dusty Baker and Gabe Kapler as well, just to name a few) and the unique situations these leaders faced with their clubs.

Also, it should be noted that Miller had an excellent chapter on the lack of Black managers throughout the time covered and the difficulties encountered by those who had a job to find that next managerial position.  The grace in which Baker and Gaston handled those situations makes for wonderful reading.  After this chapter, while I already had great respect for Dusty Baker and his accomplishments, my respect for him grew even more as this revealed what kind of person he truly is.

I wish to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter and Always Will: Miller, Scott: 9780306832703: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “A Basebll Gaijin”

Just like the story of this book’s subject, Tony Barnette, my adventure with this book was interesting. The author was kind enough to send me a copy and when I started reading it, I just wasn’t getting into it. With an Audible credit available, I let the author know that I would try the audio version instead and it turned out to be a good choice. Here is my review of “A Baseball Gaijin.” 

Title/Author: “A Baseball Gaijin: Chasing a Dream to Japan and Back” by Aaron Fischman, narrated by Brian Nishii 

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  While many baseball fans may not recognize the name Tony Barnette as a relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers, his story of how he became a member of the team’s bullpen from 2016 to 2018 is one that will inspire any reader or listener of this book. Author Aaron Fischman does a terrific job of telling Barnette’s story of his time in the Japanese team and his determination to make it to the major leagues. 

Whether one reads the book or listens to Brian Nishii’s very good narration (I did the latter), Barnette’s adventures in Japan are quite interesting. When Barnette struggled as a starting pitcher - enough to be released by the Yakult Swallows, a team in Tokyo, he still didn’t let that deter him. In a move that isn’t common in Japanese baseball, the Swallows took him back and he responded by posting some incredible seasons out of the Swallows bullpen. It was enough to catch the attention of the Rangers, who signed him and immediately put him in the bullpen, becoming a 32 year old rookie pitcher.

The book, while an excellent recap of Barnette’s career in Japan and Texas, is a very good biography of Barnette and a good introduction to Japanese baseball for those who are not not familiar with their customs and traditions as there are differences between Japanese baseball and their American counterparts. The chapters on Barnette’s life off the field, especially when his daughters were born, are also good. I particularly enjoyed the stories on the adjustments to life in Japan that his wife Hillary made as the life of a baseball wife in Japan can be even more challenging than it is in the US.

Lastly, I enjoyed the information Fischman provided about other baseball gaijin from the US on how they adjusted to playing in Japan. The most interesting stories of these was whenever the home run record for one season by Sadaharu Oh was threatened by a foreign player, Japanese pitchers refused to throw strikes to those batters, ensuring that Oh’s record would be safe. This happened to Randy Bass, Tuffy Rhodes and Alex Cabrera. Oh’s record was finally broken by a Swallows teammate of Barnette’s, Wladimir Balentien, in 2013.

If a reader wants an inspiring story about a pitcher who never gave up on his dream and went to a foreign country to keep it alive, then they will want to pick this one up. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Gaijin-Chasing-Dream-Japan/dp/B0D7N3KTZP/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 

Review of “Homestand”

Finishing up a great month of reading with a book about baseball in a small town that lost its minor league team but is still enjoying baseball. Here is my review of “Homestand.”

Title/Author: “Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight For the Soul of America” by Will Bardenwerper

Rating: 3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: 

Batavia is a Rust Belt town in western New York that like many of its brethren, has seen better days economically. Many of its small businesses have been shuttered although there is still some activity. For many years the town had a minor league baseball team, the Batavia Muckdogs. Then they lost that team in 2020 when Major League Baseball contracted 42 teams, one of which was the Muckdogs. 

However, the town did not completely lose baseball as a local couple purchased a team in a league of teams composed of college players on summer break, located it in Batavia and kept the name Muckdogs. This book by Army veteran and baseball fan Will Bardenwerper not only chronicles the 2022 Muckdogs season, but it also is a story of a small town, its residents and the fans who made the trek to Dwyer Stadium. 

These stories of people are excellent and the best parts of the book, both for the reader and to show the best of Bardenwerper’s writing. Whether it was two middle aged ladies who don’t consider themselves sports fans yet attend every game, an elderly couple raising their great-grandchildren while enjoying summer nights at the ballpark, the town’s curmudgeonly playwright (who is a Mets fan like the author) and even the stories about Barderwereper’s own family (especially his six-year old son Bates), a reader will feel like they are at Dwyer Stadium or in one of the town’s establishments. The portrayal of Batavia and its team will tug at the reader’s heartstrings.

But those are almost negated by the repetitive and frequent mentions by Bardenwerper about baseball’s current economic model and use of statistical data. It got to the point where I thought I should play a drinking game while reading and take a drink every time he mentioned that MLB eliminated more than 40 minor league teams. He also was frequently criticizing current economic and business principles on “efficiency” and use of technology. These were interspersed within the chapters on the town’s people or the Muckdogs games. That interrupted the nice flow of those great stories. These topics were important to the message Bardenwerper was saying, but they would have been better had they had their own chapters. That may have also reduced the repetition of several points made.

Those issues notwithstanding, this is still a nice look at baseball in small town America. Yes, it may not be professional or affiliated with MLB, but the people still enjoy it, the players are pitching and hitting and at least a small piece of the American experience that the author is lamenting is dying at least has some life in Batavia, New York. 

I wish to thank Doubleday for providing a copy of the book. The reviews expressed in this review are strictly my own. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Homestand-Small-Baseball-Fight-America/dp/0385549652/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of “Together We Roared”

Another bus ride to a game meant more reading time - in this case it was this book co-authored by a former caddie for Tiger Woods. Here is my review of “Together We Roared”

Title/Author: “Together We Roared: Alongside Tiger Woods for His Epic Twelve-Year, Thirteen Majors Run” by Steve Williams and Evin Priest

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: As a reader who has read several books about Tiger Woods, I was quite interested in this one given the special relationship that Woods and caddie Steve Williams had during Woods’ incredible stretch of greatness at golf’s four major tournaments. The book did not disappoint as Williams and co-author Evin Priest share some great stories during that special era of golf. 

Some of the stories are known by golf fans, such as the time when the Woods-Williams team nearly ran out of golf balls in the bag. Some are not as well known, such as Williams meeting Woods in the parking area of courses as Woods would change to his golf shoes there with his upbringing at public courses where this is the norm. Whether the information is well-known or Sun known until being read here, a reader will be well informed and well entertained by reading them. 

While the book certainly goes into details about Woods’ major victories and the statistics (which Williams kept meticulously), what really makes the book a special one is the bond between Woods and Williams. From Woods supporting Williams’ auto racing hobby to signing the flags Williams took from the last hole when Woods won a major, each story and conversation between the two of them was great material. That made the end of their working relationship even tougher to understand but it did seem inevitable.

A reader does not have to be a golf fan to enjoy this book on a great relationship, both personal and professional, between arguably the greatest golfer ever and his caddy during the years when he played his best golf.

I wish to thank William Morrow for providing a copy of the book. The reviews expressed in this review are strictly my own. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Together-Roared-Alongside-Twelve-Year-Thirteen-Majors/dp/0063418703/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of “Clouds Over the Goalpost”

Three books finished in three days - not bad considering that the bulk of this audiobook was heard on one trip to and from a baseball game.  Here is my latest review.

Title/Author: “Clouds Over the Goalpost: Gambling, Asassanation and the NFL in 1963” by Lew Freedman, narrated by Noah Michael Levine

Rating: 3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: In 1963, professional football was just starting to enjoy its ascent into the minds and television sets of American sports fans. There were two professional leagues and two of the more stories franchises, the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, faced each other in the NFL championship game. But two other events really shaped that season and they covered as well as the action on the field in this book by Lew Freedman.

While I listened to the audiobook and liked the story of the 1963 season, my one issue with the audio version is the mispronunciation by the narrator of well-known players, including Paul Hornung.  This is crucial because he and Alex Kara’s are the central figures of one the aforementioned events - they were suspended in 1963 for gambling. This was the most repeated mispronunciation but not the only one.

Putting that aside, the rest of the book was fine - it was the typical book about a particular sports season in which the championship team (here, the Bears) and a few other teams make up the bulk of the discussion. Along with the Bears and their coach-owner George Halas, the Green Bay Packers ger a good amount of text in the book as well, even more than the runner-up Giants.

The upstart American Football League also gets some love in the book, including a full chapter on their championship game. That wasn’t too exciting as the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Boston Patriots 51-10. Other stories about the AFL, thanks to Freedman’s writing, were more exciting than this game.  Overall, the book is fine if you like books on season recaps - just pick up the physical or e-book version. 

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Clouds-over-Goalpost-Gambling-Assassination-ebook/dp/B00E257XJA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kH6GKvsz2myq0BOpCEJwEw.D3pvaHA5VEIJ-7XO37FOx3QWk1Gnp77fkolD59a202Y&qid=1747876689&sr=8-1 

Review of "From Boxing Ring to Battlefield"

While I have always liked to be working on at least two books at the same time, lately I have been finishing the two current books around the same time.  This was the case with this one and yesterday's review, "Sir Lewis."  Like the other book, this book on boxing champion and war hero Lew Jenkins was an excellent read.  Here is my review.

 

Title/Author:

“From Boxing Ring to Battlefield: The Life of War Hero Lew Jenkins” by Gene Pantalone

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

The best way to describe Lew Jenkins in one word is “fighter.”  As a child, he and his family fought poverty to survive.  Later, in the boxing ring, he was a fighter as well as a powerful puncher to earn the world lightweight title.  Then, he was a fighter in the Armed Forces, serving with the Coast Guard in WWII and then in the Army as an infantry man in the Korean War.  His story, both in the ring and in combat, is very interesting and Gene Pantalone tells it well.

I enjoy reading Mr. Pantalone’s books on champion boxers who are obscure to all but the most dedicated boxing fans and historians. Jenkins is no exception as he wasn’t built like most boxers as he had a very lean body.  Jenkins also was not a fan of hard training that most champion boxers do, but he did enough to earn that championship.  His first wife, Katie, had much to do with his success in the ring as well even though as a woman, she could not apply for a manager’s license.  This is the first area where I was very impressed with Mr. Pantalone’s research and writing.  Even though this boxing took place over 80 years ago, it felt like it was just recent news, and I enjoyed this part of the book.

Equally impressive is Mr. Pantalone’s writing about Jenkins’ fall from grace after he won the championship and Jenkins’ subsequent new life in the military.  Jenkins lost the title, his money and Katie due to many drunken escapades and issues with law enforcement.  He was even accused of having an affair with the wife of legendary heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey.  An entire chapter is dedicated to this sordid affair – more proof of excellent research.

Although all of this is good material, the reader will really enjoy learning how Jenkins cleaned himself up by serving in the military in two wars.  He enjoyed being on the battlefield the most – first by the guilt he felt in WWII when he was serving on Coast Guard vessels carrying Marines and later with his heroic leadership and fighting in Korea.  It was enough to earn him a Silver Star, and he made it back to his second wife and son.  Like with the other sections, Mr. Pantalone does an excellent job with his research, his interviews and his telling of Jenkins’ war stories.

Any reader who wants to learn more about a boxer who sunk to new lows in his life and then made good by serving his country in two wars will love this book.  I am very glad to have learned about the life of Lew Jenkins.

I wish to thank Mr. Pantalone for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: From Boxing Ring to Battlefield: The Life of War Hero Lew Jenkins: 9781538116746: Pantalone, Gene, DiSanto, John: Books

Review of "Sir Lewis"

While I consider myself to be more of a NASCAR fan than F1, I am finding that books about the latter are much more interesting for reading than the former and as a result, more of my books on auto racing are falling into the F1 category.  Here is my latest F1 read on Sir Lewis Hamilton.

Title/Author:

“Sir Lewis” by Michael Sawyer

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Lewis Hamilton has won seven F1 driving titles and yet, some don’t consider that to be his greatest accomplishment.  Being the only Black driver on the F1 circuit, he had to overcome many barriers and challenges that many minority people face whenever they are striving to succeed, in sports or otherwise.  He has done gracefully, with great success and has become a strong activist for equality. How he came to this point, in both his racing and his activism, is portrayed in this excellent book by Micheal Sawyer.

 If there is any downfall to this book, it would be that for readers who follow F1 or Hamilton closely, there won’t be much new material in the book. As one who would be best considered a casual fan of F1 and only knew about Hamilton’s success with his championships, I found the book to be full of new information that I did not know about him and came away with even more respect for the man than I did before I picked up the book. The many post-race interview transcripts helped formulate this impression, but I can understand where this may be redundant for those who follow Lewis closely.

Because the book deals mostly with Hamilton’s racing and his activism, I did find it to not quite be a “biography” as it is marketed, despite covering most of Hamilton’s life.  It is clear how not only the book will read, but also how Hamilton’s life will be shaped when Sawyer writes about the sacrifices and hardships his father makes so that Lewis can race, starting in go-karts and extending until the McLaren team decided to take a chance on the young but talented driver.  Even in the go-kart level, it takes a lot of money to dedicate the proper resources to the sport, something the Hamilton family did not always have.  Add in the elitism and the racism endured by the family and it makes Lewis’ accomplishments even more astounding.

There is also a great deal of racing material in the book, especially when Lewis’ rivals such as Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso.  The latter was his teammate when Lewis was with McLaren racing and the tension between them is covered quite well.  The same can be said for the rivalry between Hamilton and Verstappen and what is most impressive is the class and humility for which Hamilton handles himself when faced with questions about his rivals.  This is true even in the case of the controversial finish of the 2021 F1 season when some questionable ruling on the final lap gave Verstappen the title over Hamilton. 

Lastly, the sections that describes Hamilton’s activism, his quotes about events such as the police shooting of Breanna Taylor and his calm demeanor that makes his statements even more powerful.  He handles this topic as skillfully and masterfully as he does a race car.  In the same manner, Sawyer handles this topic well. While his text when interjecting his own thoughts with Hamilton’s can come across as much stronger, it is written even-handedly and fairly.  For all of these reasons, this reader who wanted to learn more about Hamilton believes this is an excellent book for that endeavor.

I wish to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Sir Lewis: Sawyer, Michael: 9781538769744: Amazon.com: Books