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Science News

Two mathematicians with a passion for America's national pastime help their fellow baseball and numbers fans look anew at the statistics that proliferate in the sport. Most sports statistics are nothing more than data, say Albert and Bennett. They go a step further by applying statistical models to the numbers to reveal hidden truths. Readers begin with a primer on data analysis as they consider tabletop baseball games. Then the authors delve into batting statistics, examining the notion of streaks, situational effects, and new measures of performance. Finally, they look at the ways that statistical models -- and chance -- can predict individuals' performances and teams' wins. All this offers readers an interesting way to learn the basic concepts of the often-daunting field of statistics.

Sci-Tech Book News

Two statisticians and baseball fans advocate a fresh approach to statistics that permits baseball enthusiasts to increase their understanding of baseball numbers and further appreciate the game. Some of the themes explored include situational statistics, the phenomenon of 'streaks,' or alternatives to traditional measures such as the time-honored batting average.

Wall Street Journal

Smart and energetic . . . hardcore fans will find its mission refreshing. Curve Ball doesn't pay the usual misty-eyed homage to baseball's traditions and conventional wisdom. Rather it tests whether baseball's accepted measurements stand up to scrutiny. . . . This is great stuff. . . . Curve Ball makes clear how pleasurable [stats] can be, and arguably how important, to view the great American game with real precision.

SEATTLE POST

"Numbers add to the beauty of baseball . . . Baseball is a lovely dance of numbers . . . [Jim Albert and Jay Bennett] have taken the sport's statistical bent to a new extreme . . . CURVE BALL is a study in how the game is wonderfully prone to numerical study. . . . for numerical loyalists, this book delivers a new degree of bliss."

Library Journal

Baseball is a fascinating game for the statistical analyst. On the surface it appears so simple and limited. But the more closely one studies the game, the more, it seems, there is to know. The coauthors are both former chairs of the American Statistical Association Section on Statistics in Sports and fans of the Philadelphia Phillies. Though there are many other books about baseball statistics, these authors are particularly sophisticated statisticians. As they illuminate baseball, they demonstrate the power of college-level statistics to interpret the numbers. Starting with simplified board game simulations, the authors show how to model player performance or predict game outcomes. Then they use actual statistics to make the models more complex and true to life. Part of the fun is that statistical results can be counterintuitive. Does the best team always win the World Series? Not necessarily. No matter how talented other teams are, the element of chance means that Phillies fans can still hope for victory. Recommended for public and academic libraries, especially in cities with a major league baseball team. Amy Brunvand, Univ. of Utah Lib., Salt Lake City Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

Two statisticians and baseball fans advocate a fresh approach to statistics that permits baseball enthusiasts to increase their understanding of baseball numbers and further appreciate the game. Some of the themes explored include situational statistics, the phenomenon of "streaks," or alternatives to traditional measures such as the time-honored batting average. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents