Baseball Between the Numbers: Why Everything You Know about the Game Is Wrong » (Enlarged Edition)

For baseball fans young, old, and in between, the ultimate guide to the new statistical thinking that’s revolutionizing the game

The Washington Post - Allen Barra

Go to a certain kind of bar, and chances are you will be told that everything you know about baseball is wrong. But, the wise guys at Baseball Prospectus will make you believe it—and enjoy discovering why.

Preface to the Paperback Edition     xiii
Preface     xxix
Pay No Attention to the Glowing, Orange-Eyed Satan-Dog Behind the Closet Door     xxxiii
Batting Practice: Is Barry Bonds Better Than Babe Ruth?   Nate Silver     xxxvii
What's the Matter with RBI?...and Other Traditional Statistics   Jonah Keri     1
Is David Ortiz a Clutch Hitter?   Nate Silver     14
Was Billy Martin Crazy?   James Click     35
Why Are Pitchers So Unpredictable?   Keith Woolner   Dayn Perry     48
Are Teams Letting Their Closers Go to Waste?   Keith Woolner     58
Five Starters or Four? On Pitching and Stamina   Keith Woolner     74
When Does a Pitcher Earn an Earned Run?   Dayn Perry     87
Did Derek Jeter Deserve the Gold Glove?   James Click     95
Is Mike Matheny a Catching Genius?   Keith Woolner     104
What if Rickey Henderson Had Pete Incaviglia's Legs?   James Click     112
When Is One Run Worth More Than Two?   James Click     127
Is Joe Torre a Hall of Fame Manager?   James Click     139
Why Is Mario Mendoza So Important?   KeithWoolner     157
Is Alex Rodriguez Overpaid?   Nate Silver     174
Do Players Perform Better in Contract Years?   Dayn Perry     199
Do High Salaries Lead to High Ticket Prices?   Neil deMause     207
Are New Stadiums a Good Deal?   Neil deMause     215
Does Baseball Need a Salary Cap?   Neil deMause     227
What Happened to Todd Van Poppel?   Dayn Perry     235
Is There Such a Thing as a Quadruple-A Player?   Clay Davenport     242
Why Was Kevin Maas a Bust?   Nate Silver     253
Can a Team Have Too Much Pitching?   Steven Goldman     272
How Much Does Coors Field Really Matter?   Keith Woolner     292
Is Wayne Huizenga a Genius?   Jonah Keri     306
What Do Statistics Tell Us About Steroids?   Nate Silver     326
What Does Mike Redmond Know About Tom Glavine?   James Click     343
Why Doesn't Billy Beane's Shit Work in the Playoffs?   Nate Silver   Dayn Perry     352
Extra Innings: Can Stats and Scouts Get Along?   Dayn Perry     369
Notes     375
Glossary      412
Acknowledgments     432
Index     435
The Baseball Prospectus Team of Experts     455