Baseball For Dummies by Morgan, Joe; Lally, Richard;

Rövid leírás:

The fun and easy guide to our national pastime?now updated!

Written for players, coaches, and fans, this unbeatable baseball companion shows what it takes to play each position, how to hit and run the bases, what to watch for in a game, and how to appreciate the fine points of the sport.

Hosszú leírás:

"Joe Morgan again shows himself a rare bird: an ex-jock with savvy and the ability to communicate it."


People

"This book has something for everybody, from longtime fans to Little Leaguers."
New York Newsday

Baseball For Dummies, Third Edition, is for baseball fans at all levels, from players and coaches to spectators who love the game. Baseball Hall of Fame player and ESPN baseball analyst Joe Morgan explains baseball with remarkable insight, using down-to-earth language so everyone from the casual observer to the die-hard fan can gain a fuller appreciation of the sport. This updated edition features:

• Everything you need to know about the game, from what it takes to play each position and how to hit and run the bases to what to watch for in the game and how to appreciate the finer points of the sport


• Coverage of new star players, new stadiums, and game milestones


• The lowdown on today s baseball Web resources


• The latest on stats and sabermetrics


• The inside story on the new steroid rules

From how to throw a knuckleball or hit an inside pitch to how to keep a scorecard or pick a winning fantasy league team, Morgan covers all the bases, showing you how to get the most out of the game. You ll see how to:

• Improve your hitting, pitching, and fielding


• Find a team to play on, from Little League on up


• Evaluate stats, players, and records


• Coach or umpire effectively


• Get more out of a trip to the ballpark

Complete with Morgan s personal lists of top-ten pitchers, fielders, and relievers, as well as new quotes from Derek Jeter and Keith Hernandez, Baseball For Dummies gives you all the inside tips, facts, and stats so you can play like a Major Leaguer!

Get all the inside tips, stats, and facts and play like a Major Leaguer

Let Joe Morgan take you out to the ballpark in this update of his classic guide to the National Pastime. From how to throw a knuckleball or hit an inside pitch to how to keep a scorecard or pick a winning fantasy league team, he covers all the bases and shows you how to get the most out of the game.

Discover how to

• Improve your hitting, pitching, and fielding


• Find a team to play on, from Little League on up


• Evaluate stats, players, and records


• Coach or umpire effectively


• Get more out of a trip to the ballpark

Praise for Joe Morgan and Baseball For Dummies

"Joe Morgan again shows himself a rare bird: an ex-jock with savvy and the ability to communicate it."
People

"This book is a grand slam."
Pete Rose

"This book has something for everybody, from longtime fans to Little Leaguers."
New York Newsday

Tartalomjegyzék:

Foreword xxv

Introduction 1

Part I: Getting Started (Before Your First At-Bat) 7

Chapter 1: What Is Baseball? 9

Chapter 2: Suiting Up: Equipment 19

Chapter 3: The Rules of the Game33

Part II: Taking Your Swings: How to Play the Game 45

Chapter 4: Training: Getting into Baseball Shape 47

Chapter 5: Swinging the Lumber: Hitting Like a Major Leaguer 71

Chapter 6: Winning the Arms Race: Pitching Like a Major Leaguer 111

Chapter 7: The Third Dimension: Defense 127

Chapter 8: The Science of Baserunning189

Chapter 9: Joe's Baseball Playbook 213

Part III: From Little League to the Major Leagues: Organized Baseball 241

Chapter 10: T-Ball to College Baseball and Everything in Between 243

Chapter 11: The Minors and Other Leagues 249

Chapter 12: There Are Tricks to This Game: Coaching 261

Chapter 13: Men in Blue: Umpiring Like a Professional 267

Chapter 14: Major-League Baseball 273

Chapter 15: Off-the-Field Baseball Jobs and How to Snag Them 277

Chapter 16: Measuring Performance: Calculating Baseball's Statistics 283

Chapter 17: Going All the Way: Postseason Play and the World Series 291

Part IV: We Don't Care if We Ever Get Back: A Spectator's Guide 297

Chapter 18: Following the Bouncing Baseball 299

Chapter 19: Keeping Up with the Show: Baseball Online, on the Air, and on the Newsstand 321

Chapter 20: Fantasy Baseball 331

Part V: The Part of Tens 341

Chapter 21: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Current Players and His All-Time All-Star Team 343

Chapter 22: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Current Pitchers 351

Chapter 23: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Current Fielders 355

Chapter 24: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Current Relievers 359

Chapter 25: Joe Morgan's Ten Negro League Legends 363

Chapter 26: Ten Things to Love about Baseball 369

Chapter 27: Ten Baseball Nicknames That Hit the Mark 373

Chapter 28: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Future Stars 379

Part VI: Appendixes 383

Appendix A: Baseball Speak: A Glossary 385

Appendix B: Baseball Organizations 405

Index 415