Title/Author:
“In
Pursuit of Pennants: Baseball Operations From Deadball to Moneyball” by Mark L.
Armour and Daniel R. Levitt
Tags:
Baseball,
management, history, Yankees, Reds, Pirates Royals, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Giants
Published:
April
1, 2015
Length:
504
pages
Stars:
5
of 5 stars (Outstanding)
Review:
In
the synopsis of this book, this question is asked: why do some baseball teams win while others don’t? It is a question that has been around as long
as the game itself. This well-researched
and well-written book examines the method used by winning teams to not only put
together that successful club but also what was done to either keep winning or
why the success had to come to an end.
Nearly the entire history of professional
baseball is covered, from the early days of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise to
the current success of the San Francisco Giants. The reader learns how different owners and
general managers from Barney Dreyfuss (Pirates for 32 seasons in the early 20th
century) to Colonel Ruppert for the New York Yankees in the 1930s and 1940s, to
Branch Rickey, George Steinbrenner and Billy Beane, they are all covered in
this book.
The stories from various baseball executives are
entertaining, funny and keep the book light despite some of the heavy research
material. It reads like a fun history book without worrying about the next
assignment or essay that might be due.
Nearly every type of strategy to build a winning
baseball team that has had some degree of success is analyzed. Whether a team was built through its farm
system, by signing free agents, building through the first-year player draft, statistical
analysis or any combination thereof, this book will discuss the way it is
done and the men behind that club’s success.
Any reader who has even a passing interest in baseball will enjoy reading this book. I especially enjoyed the sections on how the teams of the first half of the 20th century were able to build their winning clubs. However, if more recent history is what the reader wants to learn, the stories from modern times are just as good. This is an excellent source of baseball history through the lens of the front office.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the University of
Nebraska Press for an advance review copy of the book in exchange for an honest
review.
Did I skim?
No. This was a very interesting baseball history
lesson wrapped up in a book, so I wanted to make sure I read every word.
Pace of the book:
Very
good – even with the extensive research required, it was a smooth easy read.
Do I recommend?
This
is an absolute must-read for anyone who enjoys the game of baseball and is
curious about why a winning team is so successful.
Ebook
(Kindle)
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