Rating: 
Summary: A Baseball Clinic
Review: I never knew how much I was missing during a game. Even with twenty years of baseball experience, I learned much about the game after reading Pure Baseball.Based on two games played in 1993, one in the American League and one in the National, Pure Baseball is a pitch-by-pitch analysis that scrutinizes every decision made. This is not just a replay of two games; it's a text on just about every offensive and defensive strategy in baseball. Known for his insight on and off the field, Keith Hernandez's knowledge of the game flows from the pages. What modern day baseball writer (other than, perhaps, George Will) would devote several pages to the importance of hitting the cutoff man? The consequences of not executing the proper defense on a long double are detailed. Many baseball commentators claim that the "little things" win baseball games. Positioning the infield and outfield, holding runners on first and pickoff moves are more important than one might think. Mr. Hernandez's attention to the arcane details of the game is what really drives this book. The most interesting part of Pure Baseball is the explanation of the hit-and-run. The hit-and-run is probably the least understood concept in baseball. Mr. Hernandez believes that "the in's and out's of the hit-and-run go to the heart of baseball strategy, and you have to understand them to understand the game." The author got my attention with this sentence. No fewer than nine pages are devoted to this subject, and I would have liked to see more. Since I now understand the strategy behind the hit-and-run, it's easier to match wits with the manager when the leadoff runner reaches first base. This is a great book. If you're an aspiring coach or just want to understand more about baseball, you can't go wrong here. Save some money when you go to the ballpark, buy a scorecard rather than that third beer. When you start bringing your own scorebook that counts balls and strikes, Keith Hernandez will say you've really made it to the bigs. As a fan, of course.
Rating:
Summary: A Baseball Clinic
Review: I never knew how much I was missing during a game. Even with twenty years of baseball experience, I learned much about the game after reading Pure Baseball. Based on two games played in 1993, one in the American League and one in the National, Pure Baseball is a pitch-by-pitch analysis that scrutinizes every decision made. This is not just a replay of two games; it's a text on just about every offensive and defensive strategy in baseball. Known for his insight on and off the field, Keith Hernandez's knowledge of the game flows from the pages. What modern day baseball writer (other than, perhaps, George Will) would devote several pages to the importance of hitting the cutoff man? The consequences of not executing the proper defense on a long double are detailed. Many baseball commentators claim that the "little things" win baseball games. Positioning the infield and outfield, holding runners on first and pickoff moves are more important than one might think. Mr. Hernandez's attention to the arcane details of the game is what really drives this book. The most interesting part of Pure Baseball is the explanation of the hit-and-run. The hit-and-run is probably the least understood concept in baseball. Mr. Hernandez believes that "the in's and out's of the hit-and-run go to the heart of baseball strategy, and you have to understand them to understand the game." The author got my attention with this sentence. No fewer than nine pages are devoted to this subject, and I would have liked to see more. Since I now understand the strategy behind the hit-and-run, it's easier to match wits with the manager when the leadoff runner reaches first base. This is a great book. If you're an aspiring coach or just want to understand more about baseball, you can't go wrong here. Save some money when you go to the ballpark, buy a scorecard rather than that third beer. When you start bringing your own scorebook that counts balls and strikes, Keith Hernandez will say you've really made it to the bigs. As a fan, of course.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Baseball
Review: I read this book at the start of every baseball season, and I love it. This is the book to read if you want to learn everything about baseball's strategies and complexities and learn why baseball is the greatest game in the world. Hernandez examines two games in the 1993 season in great detail, stopping and explaining each situation. He talks about hit-and-runs, double-steals, fielding techniques, large gaps in the outfield, infield shifts, and much more. But, because Hernandez considers the give and take between the pitcher and batter the heart and soul of baseball, he concentrates on that and shows how the count shifts the odds back and forth. I am a huge baseball fan and know so much more about the game from reading this book. This book is only for a serious fan, but it will give anyone great information.
Rating: 
Summary: Pitch by pitch by pitch by pitch ...
Review: I'm a huge baseball fanatic and I *love* reading detailed anlaysis of baseball strategy and tactics. But even this book was too tedious for me. And I've almost never read a baseball book that I found too tedious. Hernandez, although very knowledgeable, dwells too much on each pitch. The reader might think the title is a metaphor for detailed analysis (pitch by pitch). No, it means *exactly* what it says. Hernandez discusses EACH pitch. At first the analysis is interesting. Then you realize you're a third of the way through the book and he's *still* talking about whether the next pitch will be a curve or a slider, or whether this particular left-handed hitter should be thrown a change-up, or whether the pitcher should challenge the batter with his superior fastball, or whether the pitch should be low, or high, or out of the strikezone. Enough already! As far as baseball strategy goes, this book is 90% about pitch selection and batter analysis. There is not too much discussion of the other elements of baseball. So if you're looking for a wider variety of baseball discussion, I'd recommend you look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Pitch by pitch by pitch by pitch ...
Review: I'm a huge baseball fanatic and I *love* reading detailed anlaysis of baseball strategy and tactics. But even this book was too tedious for me. And I've almost never read a baseball book that I found too tedious. Hernandez, although very knowledgeable, dwells too much on each pitch. The reader might think the title is a metaphor for detailed analysis (pitch by pitch). No, it means *exactly* what it says. Hernandez discusses EACH pitch. At first the analysis is interesting. Then you realize you're a third of the way through the book and he's *still* talking about whether the next pitch will be a curve or a slider, or whether this particular left-handed hitter should be thrown a change-up, or whether the pitcher should challenge the batter with his superior fastball, or whether the pitch should be low, or high, or out of the strikezone. Enough already! As far as baseball strategy goes, this book is 90% about pitch selection and batter analysis. There is not too much discussion of the other elements of baseball. So if you're looking for a wider variety of baseball discussion, I'd recommend you look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST read for the real fan
Review: If ever there was a necessary baseball book, this is it!! I reread it every season (as does at least one other reviewer) and always learn something more from doing so. I have taken Mr. Hernandez' advice and always turn off the sound when watching a game on TV. I find it to be a major improvement and I'm no longer distracted by the content-free, pointless remarks made by most announcers. Frankly, judging from the mental errors common to the game today, it should be required reading for each and every player from the rookie leagues to the bigs. If you're not a serious student of the game, then maybe you should pass on this one!!
Rating:
Summary: A MUST read for the real fan
Review: If ever there was a necessary baseball book, this is it!! I reread it every season (as does at least one other reviewer) and always learn something more from doing so. I have taken Mr. Hernandez' advice and always turn off the sound when watching a game on TV. I find it to be a major improvement and I'm no longer distracted by the content-free, pointless remarks made by most announcers. Frankly, judging from the mental errors common to the game today, it should be required reading for each and every player from the rookie leagues to the bigs. If you're not a serious student of the game, then maybe you should pass on this one!!
Rating:
Summary: Worth the time for the advanced fan
Review: It takes time and patience to read this book. The title says "Pitch by Pitch for the Advanced Fan," and it means it literally. Hernandez talks about what goes through a player's mind during a game. His descriptions of how a batter thinks about an at-bat are priceless. It takes a while to plow through all this stuff - there's a *lot* of detail - but if you do you'll have a deeper knowledge of the little in-game strategies and decisions that make baseball so special.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the time for the advanced fan
Review: It takes time and patience to read this book. The title says "Pitch by Pitch for the Advanced Fan," and it means it literally. Hernandez talks about what goes through a player's mind during a game. His descriptions of how a batter thinks about an at-bat are priceless. It takes a while to plow through all this stuff - there's a *lot* of detail - but if you do you'll have a deeper knowledge of the little in-game strategies and decisions that make baseball so special.
Rating:
Summary: A pitch-by-pitch analysis of two baseball games
Review: Pure Baseball is a treat for the serious, and I stress 'serious' baseball fan who wants to delve deep into the minds of pitchers and batters. This is pretty dense reading material, but Hernandez shares his wisdom in an entertaining fashion. I found myself having to re-read portions of the book, sometimes even using it as a reference.
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