- Paperback: 367 pages
- Publisher: Globe Pequot Press (April 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0762730757
- ISBN-13: 978-0762730759
- Product Dimensions: 17.9 x 12.8 x 2.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,247,007 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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But what's really going on. In this quite large (367 page) book, Jerry Remy, a former second baseman explains the game as the players see it. There are hundreds of little tips: playing in the rain is to the advantage of the hitter, should the cutoff man jump if necessary to catch a ball, what about contract negotiations. And of course there's the discussions about people. As a player and then a baseball broadcaster, and a chat room moderator he knows all the principals in the business/game. If baseball is your thing....
Watching Baseball seems to be aimed at the fan who has a basic understanding of the game but may not appreciate all of its nuances. For these readers -- such as my wife -- Remy's book will be extremely helpful in deconstructing the proverbial game within the game.
For those like myself who have been watching and playing baseball for several decades, Remy's book comes up a little short. In particular I found that his analysis was somewhat shallow; he would begin to get into a topic and then move on to something else just as things were starting to get interesting.
While Remy provides anecdotal examples from his own playing days, I would have appreciated more emphasis on strategy. It would have been more interesting if, for example, he had picked one game from the past season and broken it down "pitch-by-pitch" from batting practice to the final out.
The book is also very Red Sox-centric -- with a particular emphasis on the 2003 season. This is understandable given Remy's connection to the team, but a lot of his insight might be lost on a casual fan from Kansas City or Oakland or New York. A second edition of the book would do well to try to appeal to a broader audience.
Watching Baseball also suffers from spotty editing (the organization is choppy and there are several typos -- as if the book was being rushed into print) and is filled with what I consider gratutious quotes in praise of Mr. Remy himself. I found the latter in particular to detract from the book: I didn't need to find a quote every tenth page telling me what a scrappy ballplayer Remy was, or what a great broadcaster he is.
My final analysis: Watching Baseball is good for the casual fan who wishes to improve his or her appreciation for the game; serious fans will find the book lacking, however. Still, 3 for 5 ain't a bad day at the ballpark.