» The Best: Unique New Statistics That Compare and Rank the Best Batters in Baseball History

The Best: Unique New Statistics That Compare and Rank the Best Batters in Baseball History Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Poor Analysis, Poor Read
Comment: There are many baseball books on the market that include statistical analysis of hitters and offensive production. Any baseball enthusiast who buys this book hoping for a Bill James-like analysis and commentary on baseball's best hitters will be highly disappointed. Strauss uses only four metrics for evaluating and ranking players across the past century, but half (two) are based on a faulty premise. Total Run Production (TPR) is based on the simple addition of Runs and RBIs; Strauss then normalizes this total by dividing it by a player's at bats for comparison purposes between players. The thinking behind TPR is that it measures the batter's hitting skill of driving in other players on base and also getting on base to score runs. The problem is the double counting of Home Runs. Based on the Strauss metric a Home Run counts as a Run and RBI, although only one run is scored by the team by the hitter. According to the Strauss metric the act of hitting a solo HR is equivalent to a player who triples in another runner, and then scores on a subsequent play. The former play accounts for only one real run, but a total of two runs for purposes of the TPR total; the latter play truly accounts for two runs (1 run, 1 RBI). The TPR fault is then compounded as the basis for another metric. The result is a too high rating of home run hitters and too low a rating for hitters who hit for average without home run power.

Strauss' evaluation process also fails to take into account ballpark effects, hence the high ratings and rankings of players like Todd Helton and Larry Walker, or the fluctuation of offensive production over time, hence the dominance of players from the 1920s to early 1930s and the late 1990s. All-time greats like Willie Mays and Honus Wagner are hurt by this disregard of ballpark and time affects. Hack Wilson is helped, playing in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field and having his best season in 1930 when everyone had fantastic statistics.

Even if the statistical is overlooked, Strauss provides very little commentary or personal analysis. Most of the book is little more than yearly or lifetime batting count totals that can be found in a host of other books.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Must Have for Your Collection
Comment: If you have an interest in baseball statistics, this is the book for you. This book uses several new metrics to analyze the performace of baseball's best and rank them more accurately than ever before. It is compact, concise and easy to read. I strongly recommend it.

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