<< 1 >>
Rating: Summary: "Best Ever" Team Deserves Better Review: The problem faced by the publishing houses as they try to take advantage of a hot topic, such as the recent home run derby or the amazing season the New York Yankees enjoyed, is that invariably things aren't as neat and tidy as they could be. In the case of Messrs McGwire and Sosa, some of the books were packed off to the stores in such a hurry that they are devoid of the final information about the record-shattering blasts. The last-minute spate of books about the Yankees is a victim of the same problems. While the local newspapers have jumped on the bandwagon, inclluding the New York Daily News, the lack the perspective that comes with time (certainly more than a few weeks). No one denies the team had a fantastic season, winning more games than anyone (of course, they also played more games than anyone but let's not quibble), running roughshod over their opponents, with a minimum of off-the-field antics to take away from their run to glory. The fact that the talent was so widespread rather than two or three "big guns" made their year a bit more of a heartwarming "every man" story. Yankees '98 includes reports from staffers Mike Lupica, Bill Madden, Peter Botte, et al, and filled with profiles and glossy photos. It takes the reader through the season, featuring their choice for the best game of each week as well as other highlights and human interest stories. The Divisional Series against Texas is given short shrift, but the ensuing games against Cleveland in the ALCS and the Padres in the World Series are given their proper due. There are a few glaring mistakes, though, which is a problem publishers must face when they're in such a hurry. One "game of the week" involved the Yankees 17-inning loss to the Tigers in the first game of a twinbill; yet on the recap of the rest of the week's scores the doubleheader is credited as a Yankees' sweep. Another example is the famed May brawl between the bombers and the Orioles, in which Armando Benitez plunked Tino Martinez in the back following a long home run by Bernie Williams. In the accompanying box score, Benitez's name isn't even listed. Perhaps that's because it belongs to the game played the following day. When I see mistakes of this nature, I have to wonder what others are there that I didn't catch? So overall, this book is not an "MVP" candidate, which is too bad considering that the 1998 Yankees will be considered a tream for the ages.
Rating: Summary: Maybe Best Team - Flawed Book Review: Very disappointing book due to the number of printing errors. Some of the errors found include (1) the weekly standings from the 10th week on are off by one full week; the standings listed for weeks 1 to 9 are OK, those listed for week 10 are, in fact,for the end of week 11, and that error continues for the rest of the season, (2) there is an article about the 17 inning game the Yanks lost to Detroit, yet in the games for the week there is a W listed, (3) the pitchers records at the end of the book are very hard to read because of the close spacing between the columns, and (4) the score in the Yankees 6-1 loss to the Indians in game 3 of the ALCS is given in the box as 4-1 (though the rest of the box data appears to be correct). Obviously, some of these errors are minor, but the weekly standings error is a major error. There may be others, since I spent only about an hour reviewing the book. On the plus side, the photos are very good, the box scores for one game a week are enjoyable reminders of the season, and the stories and player profiles enjoyable. For a Yankee fan who wishes to have a lasting and readable memory of the fabulous season a book like this is, apparently, a must, but not with all these errors. Hopefully, the publishers will consider issuing an edition that corrects these errors.
<< 1 >>
|