Scan barcode
tofugitive's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Fascinating listen about the revolutions made in hitting development over the last decade or so, mostly recognized as the launch angle revolution. It's a cool insight to the movement and some of the origins of it back in the early 2010s or so, and you learn about a lot of the unheard-of coaches and thought leaders that helped re-shape the game. That being said, it was hard to keep of track of who's who sometimes, and it felt repetitive. But it was really good.
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
This might be the nerdiest sports book. I think it outshines Money ball, in the stats and depth category. MB was a bit more readable, but the spirit and intent is there. The research and humility here is what drives it.
Not too often I learn from a baseball book, but I learned a lot here and enjoyed the learning.
Not too often I learn from a baseball book, but I learned a lot here and enjoyed the learning.
rpych2's review against another edition
4.0
This is a must read for any baseball fan. It was full of interesting stories about the relatively unknown masterminds that changed the game forever. Even if you don’t enjoy the shift in baseball towards the home run (I personally do), these stories of the men that changed the careers of Justin Turner, J.D. Martinez, and others are so good. Originally, I decided to pick up this book because I’m missing baseball during this quarantine and the mention of Aaron Judge piqued my interest. But as someone who genuinely enjoys the game, I had such a good time reading this. I’d highly recommend it.
dsheffield206's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
eely225's review against another edition
4.0
Fans of baseball cannot help but hear about the fly ball/ home run/ launch angle revolution over the last five seasons. Batters have increasingly retooled their swings to focus on uppercut motion, matching the plane of the ball's approach, and keeping the bat in the strike zone longer. This book explains some of those responsible for that shift.
If that seems a little niche, it is. The book is for fans of the game who want to understand a phenomenon that is ubiquitous but simultaneously hard to see unless you're looking for it.
The text is very readable and the narrative aspect keeps things moving. There is a lot of overlap between the stories and philosophies of the coaches profiled, so they sometimes can blend together. But ultimately, it is less about the innovators themselves and more about the process of innovation into an industry that doesn't want you. Also, the author subjecting himself to a similar training regimen was a good way to tie together the disparate coaching tips in the book, and I loved the epilogue.
The book probably could have been 50 pages shorter as much of the information and stories tend to run together. Sometimes it feels like there are anecdotes there just for the sake of being anecdotes without adding to the arguments.
Overall, if you're someone who has wondered about the surging home run rates in MLB since 2015, you won't regret the read.
If that seems a little niche, it is. The book is for fans of the game who want to understand a phenomenon that is ubiquitous but simultaneously hard to see unless you're looking for it.
The text is very readable and the narrative aspect keeps things moving. There is a lot of overlap between the stories and philosophies of the coaches profiled, so they sometimes can blend together. But ultimately, it is less about the innovators themselves and more about the process of innovation into an industry that doesn't want you. Also, the author subjecting himself to a similar training regimen was a good way to tie together the disparate coaching tips in the book, and I loved the epilogue.
The book probably could have been 50 pages shorter as much of the information and stories tend to run together. Sometimes it feels like there are anecdotes there just for the sake of being anecdotes without adding to the arguments.
Overall, if you're someone who has wondered about the surging home run rates in MLB since 2015, you won't regret the read.