Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf
If it fits on a bookshelf, it fits here.
From the category archives:
May 13, 2016 · 1 comment
NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be people who’ve never read the best-seller entries before. So on […]
Tagged as: baseball analysis, baseball statistics, ESPN, instructionals, Jackie Robinson, Michel Lewis, Mike Matheny, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, Pitching, Ron Darling, St. Louis Cardinals, Ted Williams, Tim Kurkjian, Ty Cobb, Washington Nationals, World Series
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April 25, 2016
Full disclosure: Howard Megdal and I go back a fair piece. I did a story on him when he published The Baseball Talmud: The Definitive Position-by-Position Ranking of Baseball’s Chosen Players and we’ve kept in touch over the years. In a sense, I consider him my “rabbi,” the consigliere type as opposed to than something […]
Tagged as: Excelle Sports, Howard Megdal, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals
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April 18, 2016
You can pretty much count on a new book or two about the Yankees of Mets every year. But 2016 has a bonanza with titles covering not only the latter’s success in 2015, but the 30th anniversary of the World Championship 1986 squad. On of these comes from Erik Sherman, who worked with Mookie Wilson’s […]
Tagged as: Erik Sherman, New York Mets
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March 8, 2016
Often imitated, never equaled, the author of the book that “started it all” turns 77 today. “Bulldog” was kind enough to share his thoughts with an incarnation of the Bookshelf Conversation in 2010. You can listen to all three parts here.
Tagged as: Jim Bouton
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February 4, 2016
Since I posted the first of these on a Thursday, which is known on social media as a time of reflection, I thought to make it a regular thing under this rubric. These are kind of fun; it’s like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. (Actually, I never understood […]
Tagged as: Arnold Hano, Baseball Cards, Bill James, David Simon, Dock Ellis, ESPN, John Grisham, Jon Leonoudakis, Mark Ulriksen, NPR, Ray Negron, Sports Illustrated, Trouble With the Curve, Zack Hample
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January 27, 2016
The last time I spoke with Jon Leonoudakis for a Bookshelf Conversation, it was to discuss his 2012 project Not Exactly Cooperstown, a documentary about The Baseball Reliquary, a “nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball history and to exploring the national pastime’s unparalleled […]
Tagged as: Arnold Hano, Jon Leonoudakis
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January 21, 2016
Since I posted the first of these on a Thursday, which is known on social media as a time of reflection, I thought to make it a regular thing under this rubric. These are kind of fun; it’s like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. (Actually, I never understood […]
Tagged as: Baseball Cards, baseball DVD, Bobby Valentine, business of baseball, Mike Piazza, Terry Francona
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December 17, 2015
(Note: I posted this originally on my blog about Jews and sports, but since it’s based on a fantastic baseball book, I thought it would be appropriate here as well.) And when I say “The Catch,” of course I’m talking about Willie Mays’ iconic grab in Game One of the 1954 World Series against the […]
Tagged as: Al Rosen, Arnold Hano, Bergino Baseball Clubhouse, Jon Leonoudakis, Willie Mays
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November 16, 2015
Here’s guy who takes the admonition “Don’t quite your day job” to heart. Dr. Doug Wilson, a full-time ophthalmologist with a thriving practice, has written biographies about four prominent men — including two Hall of Famers — who nevertheless have slipped under the radar, especially for fans who never saw them player. Wilson’s latest — […]
Tagged as: Brooks Robinson, Carlton Fisk, Doug Wilson, Fred Hutchinson, Mark Fidrych
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November 13, 2015 · 1 comment
NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be people who’ve never read the best-seller entries before. So on […]
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November 2, 2015
I had hoped, by the time you hear this, the New York Mets would still have been in Wold Series. Alas. But even though they lost the fall classic, they still gave their fans a season to remember, one for the books, as the saying goes. One book that might need revising, thanks to Daniel […]
Tagged as: New York Mets
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October 30, 2015
Missed last week because of vacation. Hey, I’m entitled. Anyway… NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be […]
Tagged as: Bob Gibson, Derek Jeter, Kansas City Royals, Lonnie Wheeler, Los Angeles Dodger, Michael Lewis, Molly Knights, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, Yogi Berra
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October 9, 2015
NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be people who’ve never read the best-seller entries before. So on […]
Tagged as: Bob Gibson, Cincinatti Reds, Derek Jeter, Lonnie Wheeler, Los Angeles Dodgers, Moneyball, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Ted Williams, World Series, Yogi Berra
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October 1, 2015
Since I posted the first of these on a Thursday, which is known on social media as a time of reflection, I thought to make it a regular thing under this rubric. These are kind of fun; it’s like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. (Actually, I never understood […]
Tagged as: baseball and politics, Baseball Cards, Baseball Propsectus, Bill Veeck, Brooklyn Dodgers, Carl Mays, Chad Harbach, Detroit Tigers, Ebbets Field, Jim Abbot, Josh Lewin, Molly Lawless, Paul Dickson, Ray Chapman, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, The Art of Fielding, Tim Wendell
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September 21, 2015
In the Seinfeld episode, “The Boyfriend,” Jerry and his friend George Costanza encounter guest star and Mets player Keith Hernandez at their gym. GEORGE: look at this guy. Does he have to stretch in here? JERRY: You know who that is? That’s GEORGE: Keith Hernandez? The baseball player? JERRY: Yeah, that’s him. GEORGE: Are you […]
Tagged as: baseball poetry, Boston Red Sox, Dick Flavin
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September 3, 2015
Since I posted the first of these on a Thursday, which is known on social media as a time of reflection, I thought to make it a regular thing under this rubric. These are kind of fun; it’s like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. (Actually, I never understood […]
Tagged as: Arnold Hano, Baseball Cards, baseball fiction, BookPage, Gary Moore, Jerry Reuss
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August 31, 2015
All of Jonathan Knight‘s books have been about Cleveland sports. While those might seem to be of interest only to denizens of that city, his latest — The Making of Major League: A Juuuust a Bit Inside Look at the Classic Baseball Comedy — is much more “universal,” appealing to fans not only of the local […]
Tagged as: "Major League" movie, Charlie Sheen, Cleveland Indians, Jonthan Knight
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August 11, 2015
Been following the adventures of Brad Balukjian, who’s traveling the country in search of his baseball heroes for a book project. He was a guest on a recent edition of Slate’s excellent sports podcast, Hang Up and Listen. We had a Bookshelf Conversation prior to his departure and I hope to have another one upon his […]
Tagged as: Andi Dorfman, baseball history, Brad Balukjian, Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin, Joe Girardi, John Klima, Josh Murray, Lonnie Wheeler, Matt Nadel, minor leagues, NY Yankees, The Bachelorette
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August 4, 2015
My New Jersey landsman and veteran sportswriter Filip Bondy has crafted a fun volume on one of the most famous games in the history of the national pastime. Whenever there’s a baseball show featuring a compilation of clips, there’s a good chance you’ll find the July 24, 1983 contest between the New York Yankees and […]
Tagged as: Billy Martin, Filip Bondy, George Brett, George Steinbrenner, Goose Gossage, Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees
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July 27, 2015 · 3 comments
This is how I remember Fritz Peterson. A smiling, happy-go-lucky ballplayer. And why not? When this Topps card came out, he had just finished a successful rookie year for the New York Yankees, finishing 12-11 with a 3.31 ERA and allowing just 196 hits in 215 innings. Unfortunately, the good times were few and far […]
Tagged as: Fritz Peterson
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is available on Amazon.com,
In a former life, I was the sports and features editor for a weekly New Jersey newspaper, where I hosted an award-winning bog about Jews and Sports.
I did a profile piece on the legendary cartoonist Arnold Roth and he was very generous in immortalizing me in this caricature.
In Forbes Magazine re: Baseball Business Books
On Will Carroll’s “Under the Knife” substack
Most recent books read updated 12/21/24:
Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball, by Keith O’Brien
Grade: A. The most in-depth bio to date, focusing on Rose's gambling addiction.
Sometimes You See It Coming, by Kevin Baker
Grade: B. I first read this one when it originally came out some 30 years ago. I must say I don't remember it being so raunchy in spots. Draws on lots of real-life events and characters that real fans will recognize.
The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness, by Andy McCullough
Grade: A. I usually don't like titles with superlatives, but in this case the author might be right, although there are probably a couple of Kershaw's contemporaries (Verlander and Scherzer) who fit that description.
The Yankee Way: The Untold Inside Story of the Brian Cashman Era, by Andy Martino
Grade: B+. Even this non-Yankee fan found the deep background with its Moneyball-like machinations interesting
The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City, by Kevin Baker
Grade: A. Well-researched, well-written. What else could you ask for? Baker has a lot of street cred writing about New York as well, both in fiction and non-fiction.
The Body Scout, by Lincoln Michel
Grade: C. Perhaps the ultimate performance enhancers -- interchangeable body parts -- help major leaguers of the future. But, as with all of these things, there's a price to pay.
Cardboard Gods: An All-American Tale Told Through Baseball Cards, by Josh Wilker
Grade: A. Re-read in preparation for a Bookshelf Conversation with the author. Had a deeper meaning than when I first read it more than a decade ago.
The Bookshelf Conversation
Discussions about all things baseball with authors, journalists, filmmakers, musicians, artists, et al
Subscribe to the "Bookshelf Conversations" podcast on iTunes and please leave a rating and/or review. Gracias!
Mike Shannon on "Diamond Classics II" ( video)
Todd Radom, Ellen Linder, and Brian Kong ( video)
Rick Cerrone (Baseball Digest, video)
Kevin Baker (Sometimes You See It Coming, video)
Curtis Pride and Doug Ward (video)
Dan Epstein on James Earl Jones (video)
Jim Gilmore and Tracy Holcomb (video)
"The Lost Tapes": Conversations prior to 2011 (audio)
My article on Sandy Koufax in the 1965 World Series appears in
My article on the later biographies of Babe Ruth appears in
My article on the Mets’ 1969 postseason appears in
Profiles of several Jewish baseball figures appear in
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