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The Bill James Gold Mine 2008 | 
 enlarge | Author: Bill James
Publisher: ACTA Sports
Category: Book
List Price: $21.95
Buy New: $13.71
You Save: $8.24 (38%)
New (13) Used (3) from $13.60
Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 14578
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 0879463201
Dewey Decimal Number: 790
EAN: 9780879463205
ASIN: 0879463201
Publication Date: February 15, 2008
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Book Description
Starting in the 1970s, a night watchman wfrom Kansas forever changed the way that many people view baseball analysis and ultimately the game itself. Now Bill James is doing it again with The Bill James Gold Mine--a groundbreaking collection of original essays, statistical profiles, and hidden "nuggets" of information worth their weight in gold. Always known for his piercing wit and cutting analysis, Bill James wrote 17 new essays for The Bill James Gold Mine, including: - Clutching Hitter of the Year
- Measuring Consistency
- Closer Fatigue
- Strength Up the Middle
- Bullpens and Crunches
- Hall of Famers Among Us
Of course, it wouldn't be from Bill James if it didn't come with innovative and intriguing profiles and nuggets of statistical information on players from all 30 teams, including: - Impacting by Position in Inning
- Pitching Type Analysis
- Pitcher's Record of Opposing Batters
- Games Played by Opening Day Starters
- Pitching/Batting Records Against Quality of Opposition
- Team Record by Home Runs
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Offbeat, Informative, Valuable May 3, 2008
This is an offbeat addition from baseball stats-guru Bill James. The book is partly 30-team abstract, but primarily a look at little-known statistics compiled over the last season or so. James examines all 30 teams by looking at a few of their players. We see where certain players hit their batted balls, how many bad pitches others swing at, the pitch selection of certain hurlers, etc. Interspersed between the team sections are chapters on such subjects as no cigars (players that bat .299, or drive in 99 runs, or win 19 games), hard-luck starting pitchers, relievers that allow too many inherited runners to score, etc. The book's great strength is providing hardcore fans with important yet little-known stats that otherwise go unreported. I'd have liked more information on my favorites (White Sox) and the other teams as well, but this book isn't really an abstract. Instead, its an unusual but valuable look for students of the game.
Like many, I've enjoyed Bill James' books dating back to his 1980's Abstracts (which I still miss). I wish he'd included more team information in this offbeat effort. Still, as always, James helps us see baseball in a more informed and imaginative light.
More than weird stats April 7, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Bill James is well known for revolutionizing baseball statistics. Many fans, however, are satisfied with traditional baseball statistics and may avoid his books. If so, they are missing a hanging curveball. James is also the most talented writer among the current crop of baseball authors. While I find his analysis very insightful, I would not pay for a book of numbers and poorly written text. This man will one day be inducted into the Writers' Wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is the Babe Ruth of baseball writers, in my estimation.
 Not Worth the Price, but Worth a Look April 4, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Other reviewers have accurately pointed out that this book is basically an advertisement for Bill James' new website. This is an outline for what Baseball Abstracts used to be, and while there are some very interesting statistics and amusing observations (on Troy Glaus' HOF chances: Birthdays are not kind to .250 hitters), there aren't enough to justify the cost of the book when, for the exact same price, you can get everything in this book and waaaaaay more by subscribing to the on-line site for seven months.
If you enjoy reading Bill James' articles you'll enjoy this book, but you'll enjoy it in the same way someone who loved Raiders of the Lost Ark enjoys the coming attraction for the new Indy movie. You want more. A lot more.
 Still at the top of the game April 4, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've been reading Bill James since 1983, and for years I anticipated his newest book. However, I approached the Gold Mine with trepidation, as I would an aging rock star who lost his chops. I didn't like the Bill James Handbook series at all because it was minutiae that didn't leave room for imagination nor wit.
However, this book returns to the best of Bill James: humor, unusual insights and ideas, social commentary, and sheer unpredictability. This book blazes so many new paths that it's impossible to decide where to go first, and you just sit there thinking, "Well, I hope all those smart sabermetricians follow up on the ideas that Bill has raised."
Interesting, but disappointing March 21, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is another Bill James baseball book...but not really. It is more of an ad for Bill's new website than it is a book of baseball analysis. It is intersting; he has tidbits of items on each team. I was hoping for more analysis, and more of Bill's excellent writing. This is not another Baseball Abstract.
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