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    Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks
    Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks
    Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks
    Audiobook5 hours

    Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks

    Written by Zack Hample

    Narrated by Barry Abrams

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    This smart and funny fan's guide to baseball explains the ins and outs of pitching, hitting, running, and fielding, while offering insider trivia and anecdotes that will appeal to anyone-whether you're a major league couch potato, lifelong season ticket-holder, or a beginner.

    - What is the difference between a slider and a curveball?

    - At which stadium did "The Wave" first make an appearance?

    - How do some hitters use iPods to improve their skills?

    - Which positions are never played by lefties?

    - Why do some players urinate on their hands?

    Combining the narrative voice and attitude of Michael Lewis with the compulsive brilliance of Schott's Miscellany, Watching Baseball Smarter will increase your understanding and enjoyment of the sport-no matter what your level of expertise.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 24, 2017
    ISBN9781541480506
    Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks

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    Reviews for Watching Baseball Smarter

    4/5

    107 ratings11 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Before reading this I considered myself a fairly intermediate level fan. This book opened my eyes to the literal chess match that goes on underneath what you see on the field and watching on TV. It really is the perfect game. Excellent read for people who want more from their experience of the perfect game.
    • 1/5
      There's some good information in this book, but the structure and the insistence on the use of emphasis for lingo and unfamiliar terms make the tone condescending.

      Disclaimer: I hate Zack Hample (and ANY ballhawks) and find them to be greedy vultures.
    • 5/5
      What a great book for anyone who wants to understand the game and get more out of watching it. Now if only someone would do this for ice hockey . . . .
    • 3/5
      This is a breezy, accessible and often humorous survey of the various positions, strategies, and structure of Major League Baseball. It comes with a very useful glossary that runs the gamut of baseball terms and lingo from a to z. Even a serious fan of the game will find things here that surprise and enlighten. But it should be a fun read even for those (relatively) new to the game. You’ll read it, and then you’ll want to recommend it to a friend. As do I.
    • 3/5
      I read it from cover to cover, and it is thoroughly enjoyable--if you have an interest in baseball and already know something about the game. I read this book after my first full season of watching baseball games, and I still found it challenging. It can get pretty detailed when it comes to the description of plays, and you need to know your baseball ABC's really well if you don't want to get lost. I have decided to use it as a reference book, reading one section at a time to learn about specific parts of the game.
    • 3/5
      This is a pretty good book, as noted by previous reviews, but for a real classic, read "A Thinking Man's Guide to Baseball," by Leonard Koppett. I've read it several times over the years and still find it interesting and informative. In some ways it may be a bit outdated as it was published in 1967 I believe. The chapter on who's better, Mays or Mantle, is a must read for anyone interested in the history of baseball.
    • 4/5
      Zack Hample's book is enjoyable and informative, and it makes for a great read in preparation for Opening Day. I'm a Kansas City Royals fan (please have mercy on me), and have been a casual fan of the sport for many years. Recently, something has clicked and I have found the sport to be much more engaging and enjoyable. I'm looking forward to the upcoming season more than I have in many years.Watching Baseball Smarter includes some things I already knew, and many things that I didn't. It includes very basic information for the person who knows next to nothing about the game (e.g. what a force out is) but also deals with more obscure information and even a bit of trivia (e.g. at which stadium did "The Wave" first appear?). I also enjoyed the Baseball glossary at the back of the book, which included such terms as 'worm-burner,' 'meatball,' and 'human rain delay.' After reading this book, I understand more of the strategy and intricacies of the game as I renew my hope that the Royals can do some damage in the AL Central this year.I recommend this book whether you're a new fan to the sport, or a long-time follower of America's Pastime, as it will deepen your appreciation for all that happens on the field.
    • 5/5
      Very informative, even for a new-to-the-sport fan like me.
    • 4/5
      Hemple offers a useful and easy-to-understand primer for baseball fans. The book assumes that you have been watching along and want to better understand what you're seeing; it's probably not the best book if you're preparing to watch but haven't really started yet. Good glossary, good illustrations, not enough fun trivia.
    • 4/5
      A good coverage of the intricacies of baseball - especially for the parent, spouse or partner of an all-knowing fan. Avoid those long suffering explanations, look it up yourself. Zack Hample writes well and is witty enough that this is a good read even if you are only moderately interested in baseball. This book is likely better to keep around and dip into from time to time than to red straight through.
    • 5/5
      A nice quick look at baseball as we watch it. The baseball fan should read it then give it to the spouse and kids. Even a friend if they are confused!