{"product_id":"power-ball-rob-neyer-9780062853615","title":"Power Ball: Anatomy of a Modern Baseball Game","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"Winner of the 2018 CASEY Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe former ESPN columnist and analytics pioneer dramatically recreates an action-packed 2017 game between the Oakland A's and eventual World Series Champion Houston Astros to reveal the myriad ways in which Major League Baseball has changed over the last few decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn September 8, 2017, the Oakland A's faced off against the Houston Astros in a game that would signal the passing of the \u003cem\u003eMoneyball\u003c\/em\u003e mantle. Though this was only one regular season game, the match-up of these two teams demonstrated how Major League Baseball has changed since the early days of Athletics general manager Billy Beane and the publication of Michael Lewis' classic book.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOver the past twenty years, power and analytics have taken over the game, driving carefully calibrated teams like the Astros to victory. Seemingly every pitcher now throws mid-90s heat and studiously compares their mechanics against the ideal. Every batter in the lineup can crack homers and knows their launch angles. Teams are relying on unorthodox strategies, including using power-losing--purposely tanking a few seasons to get the best players in the draft.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs he chronicles each inning and the unfolding drama as these two teams continually trade the lead--culminating in a 9-8 Oakland victory in the bottom of the ninth--Neyer considers the players and managers, the front office machinations, the role of sabermetrics, and the current thinking about what it takes to build a great team, to answer the most pressing questions fans have about the sport today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Rob Neyer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0062853619\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780062853615\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Harper\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/09\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.10lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.30w x 1.00d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/27\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2018 pg. 37\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/15\/2018 pg. 63","brand":"Rob Neyer","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":43996696805631,"sku":"9780062853615","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_472178ab-a0de-4066-b953-cf8d6c43dbf5.jpg?v=1683343167","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/power-ball-rob-neyer-9780062853615","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}