Annoucements: Globe Pequot / Lyons Press

GB/LP have put out some interesting, off-beat baseball books and they continue that tradition this year.

The Ballad of Billy & George, by Phil Pepe picks up on the recent ESPN miniseries, The Bronx is Burning, which highlighted the tempestuous relationship between Yankees manager Billy Martin and owner Billy Martin. If reality was anything like the way it was depicted on the small screen,… man! Pepe, who had a better-than front row seat as the NY Daily News‘ beat writer recalls not just that one season, but the entire run of the George and Billy Show. (April)

101 Baseball Places to Visit Before You Die, by Josh Pahigian. Can we please get away from this genre of “Bucket Lists?” It’s all right for younger people, who presumably have the majority of their years ahead of them. But for the rest who will never have the chance to get it all in in a timely manner, it’s just depressing. Some of the author’s picks are meant for the true fan of the game (the National Baseball Hall of Fame Cooperstown, the Yogi Berra Museum, the Field of Dreams movie set) while others seem more in line for the gawkers in the crowd (Lenny Dykstra’s Car Wash?) (March).

Dice-K: The Fabulous First Season of Boston’s $100-Million Pitcher, by Ian Browne. Sorry, but I’m opposed to books like this in general. Other than the fact that he’s managed to pull down an obscene amount of money, Daisuke Matsuzaka has yet to really prove himself and as such doesn’t “deserve” a book (see “flavor of the month.” (April)

Benchclearing: Baseball’s Greatest Fights and Riots, by Spike Vrusho. It may not be hockey, but I think baseball fans appreciate a player who will stand up for himself after being knocked down by a purpose pitch. The cover shows Mike Piazza at the bottom of a pile, but it’s not the Mets and Yankees, which might have sold a few extra copies just for that fact alone. (March)

For Cubs Fans Only / For Yankees Fans Only bt Rick Wolfe. Like the titles say, these are for the hard-core out there who can’t get enough, regardless of how many times they’ve heard the same stories. (April)

Watching Baseball: Discovering the Game Within the Game, 4th Edition, by Jerry Remy. Fourth edition? The game hasn’t changed that much since the first to warrant so many re-edits. Unnecessary for the avid fan; for the new-comers, there are better titles out there. (April)

Facing Clemens: Hitters on Hitting Against Baseball’s Most Intimidating Pitcher, by Jonathan Mayo. A little perspective, please. Most intimidating ever? Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson and Sal Maglie come immediately to mind. Having read this on, I can say that Mayo did a nice job, rounding up an assortment of batters. Some, such as Cal Ripken, Jr. have/had a long history against Clemens. Others, like Piazza, enjoyed success in limited face-offs. Still other write about the sheer thrill of facing one of the games undeniable legends. And finally, Clemens own son relates the unique opportunity he had in a special moment. Can’t help wondering if the interviewees knew then what seems to be coming out now, if they would have the same sentiments. It will be interesting to see how this book does in the aftermath of the Congressional hearings. (March)