Somehow Opening Day has come and gone and I haven’t recommended any baseball books yet, and it’s time to remedy that. There are are quite a few new baseball books this year, but so far just two have made it into my “to read” stack.
R.A. Dickey’s new book Wherever I Wind Up looks like a typical baseball memoir at first glance. You might expect some well-worn stories about Little League success, long bus rides in the minors, and that first cup of coffee in the majors. Instead, Dickey leaves no embarassing secret untold — his childhood in a broken home, molestation by a babysitter, long-lasting depression, and an extramarital affair. The early reviews have been stellar — Dickey is a smart, well-educated guy, with a capable co-author in Wayne Coffey. I’ve read a few excerpts and I’m looking forward to reading this one.
The writers at Baseball Prospectus have been at the forefront of baseball research and analysis for years now. Extra Innings is a collection of new essays from different writers about all kinds of baseball topics, including the steroid era, player scouting and development, and pitching injuries. I was especially pleased to see that one of the chapters was written by Derek Carty, who is one of my favorite baseball writers. I started reading Derek’s articles back when he was writing his own blog, and it’s been nice to see his excellent work recognized.
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