Ben Reiter

Ben Reiter is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who covers baseball and other sports. He has spent over a decade reporting on Major League Baseball, with particular focus on analytics and the business side of professional sports. Reiter gained recognition for his book "Astroball," which examines the Houston Astros' transformation from one of baseball's worst teams to World Series champions. The book details how the organization used data analytics and unconventional strategies to rebuild their franchise. He documented this process through extensive reporting and interviews with team executives, players, and analysts. His journalism background includes coverage of major sporting events and profiles of athletes across various sports. Reiter's work often explores the intersection of technology, data, and traditional sports culture. He has written for Sports Illustrated since the early 2010s, contributing feature stories and investigative pieces about professional athletics.

Readers praise "Astroball" for its detailed reporting and accessible explanation of baseball analytics. Many appreciate how Reiter makes complex statistical concepts understandable for casual fans. Reviewers note the book provides insight into front office operations and decision-making processes that fans rarely see. Baseball enthusiasts value the behind-the-scenes access Reiter provides to the Astros organization. Readers comment that the book offers a compelling narrative about organizational change and modernization in professional sports. Many find the characters and personalities involved in the team's transformation engaging. Some readers criticize the book's timing, noting it was published before the Astros' sign-stealing scandal became public knowledge. A few reviewers mention the book can become technical when discussing statistical methods. Others suggest the narrative occasionally loses focus when balancing multiple storylines about different team personnel and their contributions to the organization's success.