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Rating: 
Summary: Year In and Year Out One Of The Best References
Review: I look forward to every November when this comes out (just a few weeks after the last World Series out is recorded). This is amazingly accurate considering the time pressure they are under to produce this book. Every major league player that played last year is represented with complete stat lines, basic breakdowns (for more detailed breakdowns, see the Player Profile book), and leader boards. I find the projections to be dubious at best because the projections usually are published prior to the heavy wave of player transactions and free agent signings that take place each year. However, I enjoy STATS' book more than TSN's or others because of the wealth of information.
Rating:
Summary: 2002 Edition
Review: I look forward to the release of this book every November. The amount of work the staff puts into this book from the time the last pitch of the regular season is thrown till the publishing date is incredible. This is usually the first of the 2002 baseball books released every year and the STATS staff should be commended for their work and diligence. This remains the best baseball handbook on the market today. Much better than the Sporting News book which just publishes the basic stats, it includes L/R splits, fielding averages, ball park data, runs created and component ERA, and manager tendencies. Also, there are a couple of pages devoted to players' chances of reaching certain career numbers of home runs, hits, and RBIs. A minor drawback of this book that has plagued this book ever since its inception is that the L/R splits and fielding averages are in different sections from the player register. The book also makes projections for batters and pitchers in 2002. While there is no way it can predict things like the great season Barry Bonds had in 2001 or the injuries to Frank Thomas or Nomar Garciaparra, their predictions are reasonable. Of course, in a book published as early as this one is every year, it cannot account for trades, new ball parks, or late free agent signings. However, STATS usually makes an update available in the spring. This book and its companion Player Profiles are my favorite baseball stats books. They dig a little deeper than the basic stats that you would find on baseball cards or in the Sporting News books. At the same time, the presentation is concise and informative.
Rating:
Summary: Essential Basics for Real Baseball Fans
Review: I've been reading Bill James for almost ten years now, and the Baseball Handbook just keeps getting better. Whether you're in a fantasy, rotisserie, or simulation league, this book is the basic set of data and analysis you need. I'd buy it for the career player stats and the left/right breakdowns alone. Don't draft without it!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Reference, but it could be better
Review: I've purchased this book each of the past six years, and I anticipate purchasing it the next six as well. It has all the basic stats for anyone in the major leagues that year and the projections for 2000 and probably the most accurate available. I enjoy the leaderboards and also the park effects and defensive stats. My only problems with the book are how it meshes with the Minor League Handbook (green book). For rookies or part-time major leaugers it does not include minor league career totals despite showing all of the player's minor league stats. These numbers would be far more interesting than the career totals they show with just minor leaguers. I also wish they would include Zone Rating in the defensive stats, but Mr. James refuses to allow it in a book with his name, so you are forced to purchase the Player Profiles (blue book) as well if you want those numbers. All in all, it is the earliest and best yearly stats annual available, but I would like to see some small improvements made.
Rating:
Summary: 2002 Edition
Review: If you're a stats freak, this is the book for you. Bill James is the MAN! I have read this book every day for 3 weeks and I find something new everyday. BUY IT!
Rating:
Summary: The baseball annual
Review: Lists career major league stats for every one who appeared in a game in 2001. There are also break downs for lefty/righty, pitchers hitting, managers tendancies, projections, and leader boards in many obscure categories. You can refer to it through out the year. I haven't missed one yet and don't intend to. No commentary, just pure stats.
Rating:
Summary: The baseball annual
Review: Lists career major league stats for every one who appeared in a game in 2001. There are also break downs for lefty/righty, pitchers hitting, managers tendancies, projections, and leader boards in many obscure categories. You can refer to it through out the year. I haven't missed one yet and don't intend to. No commentary, just pure stats.
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