Audiobook10 hours
Ahead of the Curve: Inside the Baseball Revolution
Written by Brian Kenny
Narrated by Brian Kenny
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
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About this audiobook
Most people who resist logical thought in baseball preach "tradition" and "respecting the game." But many of baseball's traditions go back to the nineteenth century, when the pitcher's job was to provide the batter with a ball he could hit and fielders played without gloves. Instead of fearing change, Brian Kenny wants fans to think critically, reject outmoded groupthink, and embrace the changes that have come with the "sabermetric era." In his entertaining and enlightening book, Kenny discusses why the pitching win-loss record, the Triple Crown, fielding errors, and so-called battling titles should be ignored.
Kenny also points out how fossilized sportswriters have been electing the wrong MVPs and ignoring legitimate candidates for the Hall of Fame; why managers are hired based on their looks; and how the most important position in baseball may just be "director of decision sciences."
Ahead of the Curve debunks the old way of analyzing baseball and ushers in a new era of straightforward logic. Illustrated with unique anecdotes from those who have reshaped the game, it's a must-listen for fans, players, managers, and fantasy enthusiasts.
Kenny also points out how fossilized sportswriters have been electing the wrong MVPs and ignoring legitimate candidates for the Hall of Fame; why managers are hired based on their looks; and how the most important position in baseball may just be "director of decision sciences."
Ahead of the Curve debunks the old way of analyzing baseball and ushers in a new era of straightforward logic. Illustrated with unique anecdotes from those who have reshaped the game, it's a must-listen for fans, players, managers, and fantasy enthusiasts.
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Reviews for Ahead of the Curve
Rating: 4.239130447826088 out of 5 stars
4/5
23 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I received this book for free through Goodreads’ First Reads.Overall, I enjoyed this book. This book is all about sabermetrics. I didn’t find all of the author’s arguments to be convincing (like the one against bunting), but others made a lot of sense (Kill the Win!). This book really makes you think about the way baseball is managed and how people are reluctant to try new techniques.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I was not a big fan of Brian Kenny before I read the book. I am now. This is more than just an entertaining primer on the new baseball numbers. This is a story about how scientific revolutions happen. Kenny manages to both destroy the old guard while being conciliatory and respectful at the same time. This makes him a rarity in our times.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I received this book for free through Goodreads’ First Reads.Overall, I enjoyed this book. This book is all about sabermetrics. I didn’t find all of the author’s arguments to be convincing (like the one against bunting), but others made a lot of sense (Kill the Win!). This book really makes you think about the way baseball is managed and how people are reluctant to try new techniques.