Rating: 
Summary: Good for laymen or experts, in both physics and baseball..
Review: I thought this book was good for the most part. It gives great discussions on topics like bat types and different pitches (curve, fastball, etc). It dispells myths about corked bats (they don't really help) and rising fastballs (they don't rise).Most results of his studies are presented in tabular format, so it will be easy to get the basics of the book even if you don't understand all of the physics. Personally, I had trouble understanding the sections about curve balls. I think this is more of a personal hang-up. Even though I have an engineering degree, I have never quite grasped the physics of spinning objects.. Otherwise, I thought this was a good book. Just not quite great to earn a 5 Star..
Rating: 
Summary: it was pretty bad
Review: it didnt give many details and didnt give info on many physics of hittin
Rating:
Summary: A little tough to follow but good all-around
Review: Many interesting topics are covered in this book, such as bat types, various pitches, and flight of the ball, just to name a few. Several myths are dispelled, including the use of corked bats and "rising" fastballs. Even though I have an engineering degree, I found some of the discussion of the curve ball to be confusing. I have always had trouble with the physics of spinning objects, and this book did not allow me to overcome my problem. However, this is a book that most people will understand. The results are presented in table format so that even a casual reader can get the basics of what the author is saying..
Rating: 
Summary: fascinating and enlightening
Review: some parts are a little technical for me, but overall the book was one of the most interesting and educational books I've read in a long time. it changed the way I watch baseball and gives me even more respect and admiration for those who can play at the professional level. It takes what seems to be a simple act of hitting or throwing and makes me wonder how any can actually do this, then I think about how amazing the human body is to be able to perform like that. wow.
Rating:
Summary: The only book in its class
Review: The author does a very good job of explaining the basic physics behind national pastime for those who are willing to understand and do a bit of their homework (you just need to be able to read figures and graphs). The various aspects of the game such as the flight of baseball, breaking balls, batting the ball, and the effect of the properties of bats are discussed concisely, without being bogged down into the details of physics. Since the book is targeted for the mass audience (though not including casual baseball fans), readers who studied physics and math at high school or first-year college level should find it very manageable to read and understand. The use of equations is kept at minimum (the author does not use much of mathematical argument anyway), so mathematically challenged readers can also enjoy and extract the most important part of discussions fully. It somewhat reads like a textbook, and will turn away those who have no fond memories in school. The otherwise fine book has its own place in the library of baseball books, since it is the only book in its class for over a decade. This is a very unique baseball book.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book if you have the background
Review: The Physics of Baseball is not physics text - it uses the principles of physics to explain things like why a curveball curves, what happens when the bat hits the ball, how far a ball can be hit, and so on. The book is not math-heavy, but it does assume the reader has some knowledge of basic physics and can follow technical discussions. The only part of the book that disappointed me was the discussion of corked bats. Adair uses a theoretical model to prove that a corked bat doesn't help - that corking a bat will make the ball travel only a few feet farther at most. While he may be right in his conclusion, I think his theory should be tested with experiment. A batter hitting a pitched ball is a complex system, and it's quite possible Adair's model is too simple.
Rating:
Summary: Written for neither the physicist or the baseball fan
Review: The problem with "The Physics Of Baseball" is not that it doesn't cover the topic... it's that it doesn't cover the topic for baseball fans or physicists. One would think that a book of this sort would be tailored to either of these two audiences, but it seems to have been haphazardly thrown together, and unfortunately enough, printed on cheap paper. It's not a horrible book, but by no means does it satisfy the niche it intends to. Physicists will find the book tedious and boring. The physics found in this book pale in comparison to those in a first semester college textbook. Equations are provided at the end of the chapter, forcing the reader to earmark and flip while reading in order to make any sense of the numbers. He is also occasionally guilty of using poor physical comparisons, and while he apologizes in technical notes, even amateur physicists will no doubt be angry at his wanton misuse of their craft. Baseball fans will no doubt find the book sterile and textbook-like. Fans rely on the stories and personalities of the game, and while using anecdotal evidence is practicing poor science, it doesn't help that Adair takes 18 pages before mentioning the name of a single baseball player. The knuckleball gets barely a page. And while there's certainly a wealth of information for baseball fans, the appeal of this book is akin to that of an annual report for a company you're not vested in: lots of numbers, all of them adding up to something... but do you really care? And though the second edition is dated 1994, it already appears outdated. One of Adair's hypotheses (and indeed an important one, as it's quoted on the back cover), is that a batted ball should be able to travel no farther than 545 feet. He again pulls a number of figures out of the air to support his theory. Witness Manny Ramirez at SkyDome on June 3, 2001. He hit a 491 foot home run, indoors, off a 75 mph meatball from Chris Carpenter. Using his own calculations, a faster pitch and a modest tail wind easily push it past 545 feet. Has the game changed so radically in 7 years? As mentioned above, this is not a horrible book, but it is sorely lacking. I'm not sure, though, whether there's a better alternative.
Rating:
Summary: Written for neither the physicist or the baseball fan
Review: The problem with "The Physics Of Baseball" is not that it doesn't cover the topic... it's that it doesn't cover the topic for baseball fans or physicists. One would think that a book of this sort would be tailored to either of these two audiences, but it seems to have been haphazardly thrown together, and unfortunately enough, printed on cheap paper. It's not a horrible book, but by no means does it satisfy the niche it intends to. Physicists will find the book tedious and boring. The physics found in this book pale in comparison to those in a first semester college textbook. Equations are provided at the end of the chapter, forcing the reader to earmark and flip while reading in order to make any sense of the numbers. He is also occasionally guilty of using poor physical comparisons, and while he apologizes in technical notes, even amateur physicists will no doubt be angry at his wanton misuse of their craft. Baseball fans will no doubt find the book sterile and textbook-like. Fans rely on the stories and personalities of the game, and while using anecdotal evidence is practicing poor science, it doesn't help that Adair takes 18 pages before mentioning the name of a single baseball player. The knuckleball gets barely a page. And while there's certainly a wealth of information for baseball fans, the appeal of this book is akin to that of an annual report for a company you're not vested in: lots of numbers, all of them adding up to something... but do you really care? And though the second edition is dated 1994, it already appears outdated. One of Adair's hypotheses (and indeed an important one, as it's quoted on the back cover), is that a batted ball should be able to travel no farther than 545 feet. He again pulls a number of figures out of the air to support his theory. Witness Manny Ramirez at SkyDome on June 3, 2001. He hit a 491 foot home run, indoors, off a 75 mph meatball from Chris Carpenter. Using his own calculations, a faster pitch and a modest tail wind easily push it past 545 feet. Has the game changed so radically in 7 years? As mentioned above, this is not a horrible book, but it is sorely lacking. I'm not sure, though, whether there's a better alternative.
Rating:
Summary: It was a Great Book!
Review: This book explains everything. It is very easy to understand. It shows diagrams and graphs and has everything you ever wanted to know about the physics of baseball. It really helped me on my science project.
Rating:
Summary: Jamaal's Advertisement of "The Physics of Baseball"
Review: This book technically describes the physics of baseball. It contains descriptions of techniques of how you pitch and hit the ball. The book goes into every single detail of what angle the bat could hit the ball. If you are interested in baseball and you think you know the game, you don't because this book provides information that you could not have thought of. For the serious baseball player, I recommend reading this book.
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