Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
 Great Baseball for Hardcore Fans June 18, 2010
K.A.Goldberg (Chicago)
Bill James is in solid form with this Gold Mine of facts plus a variety of keen analytical essays. First, readers get a brief but ever-fascinating look at each of baseball's 30 teams and its prior-year performance. We see each key players' Win Shares, how certain pitchers changed their pitch selection, how certain batters hit more or fewer fly balls, etc. Don't forget the prior season's top clutch hitter (Ryan Howard), plus an inventory of young talent for each team. Interspersed with the per-team chapters are a host of analytical essays about many finer points of the game. In these essay we see trends toward increased player mobility and per-game strikeouts, the likelihood that Earl Webb's 1931 season record for Doubles (67) will soon be eclipsed, and which players historicallly performed near top expectations over their career (Hank Aaron, Tommy John, Al Kaline, etc.) versus those that fell short (Lou Gherig, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, etc.) often due to health reasons or military service. As a Chicagoan I enjoyed the comparisons of outfielders (Andre Dawson vs. Minnie Minoso), closers (Bruce Sutter vs. Lee Smith), and the analyisis of the 1959 White Sox, who won the AL pennant despite finishing last in homers and 6th (of eight teams) in runs scored.
I admit to missing the old 1980's Abstracts for their strong analysis of each team for the prior and upcoming season, something the Gold Mine doesn't really do. Still, the book provides interesting data, thoughtful essays, and remains, as do most Bill James books, a must for hardcore baseball nuts.
Very entertaining and fascinating read May 31, 2010
The Dude (Bridgeport, WV)
Many of the bits of information about each team are the types of things that broadcasters would point out about players or teams, if (1) they recognized that some awfully fascinating thigns exist in statistics and (2) they were not Tim McCarver or Joe Morgan. Yes, I suppose I just took a gratuitous slam at two announcers who annoy the bejeezus out of me. But anyhoo. While James is uber confident, he is at the same time self-deprecating, never claiming his views are the only or the best in analyzing performance. You know what? I've convinced myself to add another star to the rating -- just realized in the course of writing how much I am enjoying this book.
 Still the man May 9, 2010
John Mccann (Staten Island, NY)
I am a member of the site, so I have seen most of this. It could stand to have more stats in there.
An absolute must for any baseball fanatic who enjoys the deeper, scientific aspects of the game April 17, 2010
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Numbers are science, and science can give a glimpse of things to come. "The Bill James Gold Mine" delves into the finer points of statistics and how analyzing them gives a greater understanding of the game of baseball. Every aspect of the game is analyzed as Bill James gives readers much in depth thoughts and theories to who shined and who sunk this year. "The Bill James Gold Mine" is an absolute must for any baseball fanatic who enjoys the deeper, scientific aspects of the game.
Abstract Flashback March 30, 2010
N. Bilmes (Vernon, CT United States)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is the Bill James I remember from my (relative) youth. The 2010 Gold Mine is filled with interesting statistical tidbits for every team, and many, many, many fascinating articles from the one, the only, Bill James. James compares pitchers across eras to rank the best of all time, chimes in on the value of RBI in determining MVP votes, debates the worthiness of steroid era Hall of Fame candidates, and much, much, more. I am extremely pleased with my purchase, and expect to refer to this book repeatedly over the next few months.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 7
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