Watching Baseball : Discovering the Game within the Game

Rating:
Summary: From the Insiders View
Review: Baseball is such a simple game. Someone throws the ball, someone else tries to hit it, if he does he runs around .... Well you know.

But what's really going on. In this quite large (367 page) book, Jerry Remy, a former second baseman explains the game as the players see it. There are hundreds of little tips: playing in the rain is to the advantage of the hitter, should the cutoff man jump if necessary to catch a ball, what about contract negotiations. And of course there's the discussions about people. As a player and then a baseball broadcaster, and a chat room moderator he knows all the principals in the business/game. If baseball is your thing....

Rating:
Summary: For fans and students of baseball
Review: I always look forward to baseball games when Jerry Remy is in the broadcast booth because he continually teaches me new things about the sport. This book is full of those insights, all written in Remy's entertaining, conversational voice.

Rating:
Summary: Great for the serious fan or player
Review: I bought this book for my son. It's a little less anecdotal and more technical than I expected. If you really want to understand the strategy of the game, this book is for you. It is light-hearted and there are also some funny baseball stories and info on the Red Sox, but that's not the main part of the book, and if that's what you're looking for this probably isn't the book for you. Overall, I very much recommend this book for those who are true students of the game, and especially for kids about age 12 and up who want insights into how to become a better player MENTALLY, or those interested in coaching. Jerry doesn't explain how to hit a fastball, but he explains the STRATEGY of the game exceptionally well.

Rating:
Summary: Baseball 202 -- Intermediate appreciation
Review: I have enjoyed Jerry Remy's astute analysis during Red Sox games for many years and anticipated that Watching Baseball would offer the same depth that he provides as a color commentator. Unfortunately the book, while enjoyable, proved to be a bit of a let down.

Watching Baseball seems to be aimed at the fan who has a basic understanding of the game but may not appreciate all of its nuances. For these readers -- such as my wife -- Remy's book will be extremely helpful in deconstructing the proverbial game within the game.

For those like myself who have been watching and playing baseball for several decades, Remy's book comes up a little short. In particular I found that his analysis was somewhat shallow; he would begin to get into a topic and then move on to something else just as things were starting to get interesting.

While Remy provides anecdotal examples from his own playing days, I would have appreciated more emphasis on strategy. It would have been more interesting if, for example, he had picked one game from the past season and broken it down "pitch-by-pitch" from batting practice to the final out.

The book is also very Red Sox-centric -- with a particular emphasis on the 2003 season. This is understandable given Remy's connection to the team, but a lot of his insight might be lost on a casual fan from Kansas City or Oakland or New York. A second edition of the book would do well to try to appeal to a broader audience.

Watching Baseball also suffers from spotty editing (the organization is choppy and there are several typos -- as if the book was being rushed into print) and is filled with what I consider gratutious quotes in praise of Mr. Remy himself. I found the latter in particular to detract from the book: I didn't need to find a quote every tenth page telling me what a scrappy ballplayer Remy was, or what a great broadcaster he is.

My final analysis: Watching Baseball is good for the casual fan who wishes to improve his or her appreciation for the game; serious fans will find the book lacking, however. Still, 3 for 5 ain't a bad day at the ballpark.

Rating:
Summary: Almost as good as a day at the park
Review: I know what my Father's Day gifts will be. This book is like getting personalized instructions from the man himself, Jerry Remy. It has so much inside information abut the art of baseball. Not just for Red Sox fans but fans of the game anywhere.

Rating:
Summary: I loved it!
Review: Remy is the best. His analysis of the game and insights into why players do what they do are second to none--and he's always entertaining, too. I loved this book.