Power Ball

Power Ball examines the state of Major League Baseball through the lens of a single 2017 game between the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros. The narrative uses this September matchup as an anchor point to explore baseball's rapid transformation in the modern era. Rob Neyer breaks down each inning of the game while branching into discussions of analytics, shifting defensive strategies, pitch velocity, and the economics that shape today's MLB. The book moves between granular play-by-play analysis and broader examinations of how data and technology have revolutionized baseball operations. Through interviews with players, coaches, executives and analysts, Power Ball tracks the evolution from traditional scouting and gut instinct to an era dominated by data and quantitative decision-making. The changes in pitcher usage, defensive alignments, and organizational philosophy take center stage throughout the narrative. The book serves as both a time capsule of MLB circa 2017 and an exploration of baseball's ongoing tension between tradition and innovation. Through this single game snapshot, Neyer captures a sport in transition as new methods challenge century-old wisdom about how baseball should be played.

Readers found Power Ball provides a detailed look at modern baseball through the lens of a 2017 Astros-Athletics game, though some felt the game itself gets lost among tangents. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of analytics and statistical concepts - Behind-the-scenes insights into team operations - The focus on how baseball has evolved - Neyer's conversational writing style Common criticisms: - Too many diversions from the main game narrative - Can feel scattered and unfocused - Some sections drag with excessive detail Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (271 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (89 ratings) Sample reader comments: "The game serves as a jumping off point for interesting baseball topics, but I kept losing track of the actual game." - Goodreads reviewer "Great for understanding how data shapes modern baseball decisions." - Amazon reviewer "Could have been more tightly edited - meanders at times." - Goodreads reviewer

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🔹 Author Rob Neyer spent 15 years as a columnist and blogger for ESPN, where he worked closely with baseball statistics pioneer Bill James. 🔹 The book centers around a single 2017 game between the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics, using it as a lens to explore baseball's dramatic evolution over the past decades. 🔹 "Power Ball" examines how analytics and technology have transformed baseball, from the rise of defensive shifts to the increasing emphasis on launch angles and exit velocity. 🔹 The Astros team featured in the book would go on to win the World Series that year, though their victory would later be tainted by the sign-stealing scandal revealed in 2019. 🔹 Throughout his career, Neyer has written or co-written six baseball books, including collaborations with Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Bill James.