Rating: 
Summary: Intense but fun.
Review: As a baseball fan who's trying to get a little more knowledgeable about the game, this book was excellent. This book goes into pages and pages of details and opinions about the minute details of baseball. I already knew the basic principles behind the hit and run and whatnot, but this book allows itself six or seven page tangents, explaining the vagaries of such subjects in far great detail than I could have. The device of doing so through two baseball games was well-concieved, showing not just the strategy behind techniques, but what the fan watching the game should look for when watching a game. Both games were close, and there was some of the same sense of anticipation, wondering who would win, as attending a baseball game.Be aware that this book was very technical. While I will definitely lend this book to my brother, who wants to become a sports announcer, I was hoping this might be a primer to baseball strategies for my girlfriend. However, it would obviously be over the head of anybody who can't talk baseball already, or is willing to closely study the book. My only real complaint is that Hernandez quite often predicts strategies, and then watches the manager do something entirely different. I appreciate the honesty, but instead of speculating, re-explaining himself, or better yet calling up Sparky Anderson after the game, he leaves it at "who can tell?" Still an excellent book, I'd recommend it to anybody who wants to expand their knowledge of baseball.
Rating: 
Summary: outstanding
Review: Easily the best baseball education in print that I've ever seen. It's like taking a master's course in baseball. You have an opportunity to almost sit down with a major leaguer and say "Teach Me" and he does. Keith has a bit of a weakness as far as pitch sequencing and understanding missed spots, but they are not particularly glaring. His understanding of counts, and situations outside of the count (inning, score, particular players involved etc..) are exemplary. Any serious ballplayer's dream.
Rating:
Summary: outstanding
Review: Easily the best baseball education in print that I've ever seen. It's like taking a master's course in baseball. You have an opportunity to almost sit down with a major leaguer and say "Teach Me" and he does. Keith has a bit of a weakness as far as pitch sequencing and understanding missed spots, but they are not particularly glaring. His understanding of counts, and situations outside of the count (inning, score, particular players involved etc..) are exemplary. Any serious ballplayer's dream.
Rating:
Summary: outstanding
Review: Easily the best baseball education in print that I've ever seen. It's like taking a master's course in baseball. You have an opportunity to almost sit down with a major leaguer and say "Teach Me" and he does. Keith has a bit of a weakness as far as pitch sequencing and understanding missed spots, but they are not particularly glaring. His understanding of counts, and situations outside of the count (inning, score, particular players involved etc..) are exemplary. Any serious ballplayer's dream.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Baseball
Review: 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:
Summary: Keith takes us inside the game
Review: 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:
Summary: for anyone who thought baseball was boring
Review: I am sick of explaining to novices that baseball is not boring. You'd think it would be obvious that anything that you don't know something about can be boring, but the more you know, the more interesting it becomes. Surely baseball is much the same. As a longtime baseball fan an avid softball/baseball player, I can't think of a sports book I enjoyed more. This is the thinking person's view of two baseball games. Did you ever think that every single count (2-2, 3-2 etc...) implies a whole new field of possiblities for batter, pitcher and fielders? No one will make you appreciate the art and the intellectual side of baseball like Hernandez (no relation -- get a grip!) Rather than trying to explain your love of baseball next time, buy a skeptic this book or better yet, read it yourself. Even a pro would learn a lot from this pitch by pitch account.
Rating:
Summary: for anyone who thought baseball was boring
Review: I am sick of explaining to novices that baseball is not boring. You'd think it would be obvious that anything that you don't know something about can be boring, but the more you know, the more interesting it becomes. Surely baseball is much the same. As a longtime baseball fan an avid softball/baseball player, I can't think of a sports book I enjoyed more. This is the thinking person's view of two baseball games. Did you ever think that every single count (2-2, 3-2 etc...) implies a whole new field of possiblities for batter, pitcher and fielders? No one will make you appreciate the art and the intellectual side of baseball like Hernandez (no relation -- get a grip!) Rather than trying to explain your love of baseball next time, buy a skeptic this book or better yet, read it yourself. Even a pro would learn a lot from this pitch by pitch account.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Love!
Review: 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!)
Rating:
Summary: Pure Love!
Review: 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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