A to Z Professional Scouting Guide (Benson's A to Z Baseball Scouting Guide)

Rating:
Summary: Sadly mediocre
Review: A to Z Thumbnail Sketches of all MLB players is a more appropriate title. This book falls well short of the other John Benson books and frankly I'm surprised he has his name on it. The comments written regarding each player could have easily come from a casual observer and surely there were no scouts involved in the making of this book. Its great for the beginner fan just getting involved but most of the bios and forecast seem like something right out of the team's annual player guide. A far better guide of all players is Sheehan's annual Baseball Prospectus and sells for less. It's published about a month later than Benson's book and includes comments regarding most of the off season trades and free agent signings. For the advanced fan my advice is wait for Sheehan's book.

Rating:
Summary: A to Z Professional Scouting Guide falls short
Review: A to Z Thumbnail Sketches of all MLB players is a more appropriate title. This book falls well short of the other John Benson books and frankly I'm surprised he has his name on it. The comments written regarding each player could have easily come from a casual observer and surely there were no scouts involved in the making of this book. Its great for the beginner fan just getting involved but most of the bios and forecast seem like something right out of the team's annual player guide. A far better guide of all players is Sheehan's annual Baseball Prospectus and sells for less. It's published about a month later than Benson's book and includes comments regarding most of the off season trades and free agent signings. For the advanced fan my advice is wait for Sheehan's book.

Rating:
Summary: Great Reference Book
Review: I buy this book every year, not because I play rotisserie baseball but as a baseball fan. This book lists thousands of players, every player that has a chance of playing in the major leagues at some point during the season. It is a good way to evaluate trades, keep track of your favorite teams, or even look up older players who are still hanging around the minors. This book always come out in a timely manner, and provides good thumbnail sketches of almost any player you can think of. As far as forecast accuracy, they are correct more often than not and given the volatility of these predictions, as much as you can ask for in a book published just a month after the season ended.

Rating:
Summary: Great Reference Book
Review: Not many people can get more complete, concise, and detailed scouting reports than those contained in this book. Every year, this relates (almost) all useable info about every player who's got a chance to play in the big leagues, plus big prospects still in the works. Any baseball fan would like this.

Rating:
Summary: Sadly mediocre
Review: This book has promise: bios on a wide variety of players, from the Majors to even a few guys in college or indy ball. But, the assessments occasionally contain inaccuracies or outdated information that makes this book a secondary source, at best. The Baseball Prospectus offers a better (albeit more sabremetrically oriented - which isn't everyone's cup of tea) look at a player's talent level - the STATS books are better at describing their tools. Still, worthwhile if you buy multiple books of this nature per year (as I do).