What's the best book about sabermetrics?

Question

I'm intensely interested in baseball and I want to learn more about sabermetrics. What's the best book to read?

Answer 1

Tough question.....there are plenty of books out there that use sabermetrics, but not a lot focused directly on them.

I'd suggest checking some sites like Baseball Prospectus and the Baseball Think Factory to get some good introductions and to familiarize yourself with a lot of the context if you don't already have it.

As for recommendations, I'd suggest that you check out Tom Tango's "The Book," which deconstructs a lot of the game using statistical analysis. For a lighter read, I'd also check out Bill James' New Historical Baseball Abstract, which combines some good analysis with stat breakdowns. And the BP annuals always include a quick and dirty introduction to their numbers, many of which they have created.

I'd really suggest starting with some online reading, then checking out the books. And do some of the analysis yourself - it will give you a good grip on what it all means.

Answer 2

Sabermetrics Books

Answer 3

Start with Bill James. Just about all of his stuff is good. His annual Abstracts (1979-88, though the first few were published by himself by photocopier) were meaty stuff in lean times. They are necessarily dated works, most of the players mentioned long retired, but the concepts hold up well. Or reach for either edition of his Historical Baseball Abstract (they are quite different books) and just savor him going to work on any topic baseball.

After that I'd go with the Baseball Prospectus Annual, available at fine bookstores or websites everywhere.

Answer 4

Anything by Bill James.

Answer 5

baseball between the numbers
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=4704