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- Book Review
- Copyright (c) 1994, Steve Powers
- All rights reserved
-
- Pure Baseball - by Keith Hernandez and Mike Bryan
- (HarperCollins $21.00)
-
- As sure as the return of the swallows to Capistrano, the coming of
- spring brings a flood of baseball books. One such book is Pure Baseball.
- Most baseball books stay with tried-and-true topics. They may be
- biographies of superstars, accounts of championship seasons or a foray
- into the golden past. Pure Baseball dares to be different.
-
- Keith Hernandez, a former major league baseball player with 17 seasons
- of experience behind him, offers his candid insights into the game of
- baseball. A front page blurb promises "pitch by pitch for the advanced
- fan," and the book delivers on that promise. This is, indeed, for the
- advanced fan, the fan who honestly desires to delve beneath the surface
- to understand the reason for every pitch selection, to understand
- managerial strategies in certain situations, to understand why the
- fielders move around against particular batters and to understand many
- other subtle and not-so- subtle nuances of the game. This book moves
- beyond the world of the casual fan, who observes a baseball game largely
- on the surface, although they may understand some very broad strategies
- that "everybody in the park knows".
-
- Keith Hernandez, with his inner knowledge of baseball and the ability to
- simplify even the most complex baseball decisions, teaches the advanced
- fan to do more than just watch a baseball game. He shows fans how to
- observe it, to notice all the little things that can make a big
- difference in the ultimate outcome of the game.
-
- Hernandez focuses on two games played in the early part (June) of the
- 1993 season: Philadelphia versus Atlanta and Detroit versus the Yankees.
-
- His pitch-by-pitch analysis of both games is fascinating, at times
- zeroing in on the smallest detail. For instance, in describing
- Philadelphia catcher Darren Daulton's pursuit of a behind-the-plate foul
- ball, he explains why Daulton waits until the last minute to yank off
- his catcher's mask (to make sure he doesn't trip over it).
-
- The depth of his explanations are, at times, astounding. Baseball may
- be only a game, but it's a very complicated one, criss-crossed with
- multiple layers. Take the situation of bringing the infield in on a
- certain hitter. Hernandez shows that this sets off an entire chain of
- reactions. The opposing manager must respond with a move of his own and
- has several to choose from, depending on who's at bat and the status of
- the game. However, Hernandez doesn't allow the reader to become
- confused; he gives clear, concise explanations of the intricate
- reasonings of all involved.
-
- Hernandez's observations are totally straightforward and honest. He does
- much more than explain strategy; if he disagrees with a manager's move,
- he doesn't hesitate to voice his feelings. This candidness is present
- throughout the pages of Pure Baseball; it makes for a lively and
- entertaining book, keeping it from falling into the yawning trap of dry
- statistics so many baseball books fall into.
-
- This effort stands head and shoulders above the current crop of baseball
- books. Dedicated baseball fans will come away with a new understanding
- which will greatly enhance their viewing of the game.
-
-