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Pure Baseball
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Customer Reviews
Rating:  - A Baseball Clinic
I never knew how much I was missing during a game. Even with twenty years of baseball experience, I learned much about the game after reading Pure Baseball.
Based on two games played in 1993, one in the American League and one in the National, Pure Baseball is a pitch-by-pitch analysis that scrutinizes every decision made. This is not just a replay of two games; it's a text on just about every offensive and defensive strategy in baseball. Known for his insight on and off the field, Keith Hernandez's knowledge of the game flows from the pages.
What modern day baseball writer (other than, perhaps, George Will) would devote several pages to the importance of hitting the cutoff man? The consequences of not executing the proper defense on a long double are detailed. Many baseball commentators claim that the "little things" win baseball games. Positioning the infield and outfield, holding runners on first and pickoff moves are more important than one might think. Mr. Hernandez's attention to the arcane details of the game is what really drives this book.
The most interesting part of Pure Baseball is the explanation of the hit-and-run. The hit-and-run is probably the least understood concept in baseball. Mr. Hernandez believes that "the in's and out's of the hit-and-run go to the heart of baseball strategy, and you have to understand them to understand the game." The author got my attention with this sentence. No fewer than nine pages are devoted to this subject, and I would have liked to see more. Since I now understand the strategy behind the hit-and-run, it's easier to match wits with the manager when the leadoff runner reaches first base.
This is a great book. If you're an aspiring coach or just want to understand more about baseball, you can't go wrong here. Save some money when you go to the ballpark, buy a scorecard rather than that third beer. When you start bringing your own scorebook that counts balls and strikes, Keith Hernandez will say you've really made it to the bigs. As a fan, of course.
Rating: - Pure Baseball
I read this book at the start of every baseball season, and I love it. This is the book to read if you want to learn everything about baseball's strategies and complexities and learn why baseball is the greatest game in the world. Hernandez examines two games in the 1993 season in great detail, stopping and explaining each situation. He talks about hit-and-runs, double-steals, fielding techniques, large gaps in the outfield, infield shifts, and much more. But, because Hernandez considers the give and take between the pitcher and batter the heart and soul of baseball, he concentrates on that and shows how the count shifts the odds back and forth. I am a huge baseball fan and know so much more about the game from reading this book. This book is only for a serious fan, but it will give anyone great information.
Rating:  - Keith takes us inside the game
For those of us who like keeping score during a baseball game and trying to get inside the real game, Pure Baseball is highly recommended. Keith Hernandez explores two ballgames, one NL and the other AL, and goes pitch by pitch and analyzes the pitcher/batter confrontation in depth. Perhaps it's in too much depth, one of Hernandez's axioms is that this is the essence of baseball, and devotes little time to fielding and baserunning. No matter, the NL game in particular is fascinating to study, as Atlanta's Pete Smith faces the Phillies under lefthander Danny Jackson. I learned so much reading this section alone. Hernandez does his best work in the first half of the book. The AL section seems rushed and not as in-depth, perhaps because the designated hitter takes out so much of the strategy when it comes to pitching changes. If you see this book and enjoy the inner game of baseball, by all means pick it up. It's a book I've re-read a couple of times, there's so much of value here.
Rating: - A classic!
This is one of those rare books that makes you feel so much more intelligent after reading it. If you want to know the hidden game that is happening under your noses and inside the players heads, if you want to know about hit-and-runs and hitting the cut-off man and all the other things that don't make the highlight reel, this is the book.
The only thing that can make this better would be another edition, reflecting the changes in the game. Most of the players in the book have since retired, but that doesn't change how applicable the book is. It is a timeless piece.
Rating: - Pure Love!
I love baseball and this is one great book. If you think the game is too complicated, pick up this little gem. It's a real treasure. Not only will you come to understand baseball, you'll fall in love. (With the game!)
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