* The Clemens book: A sneak peek?

"Oddballs"

Not really, but a funny take on what might be, courtesy of Jon Bois on Fanhouse.com.

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* The Fab Five

Biography

books on baseball, that is, at least according to this blogger. The list includes: The Kid from Tomkinsville The Southpaw The Glory of Their Times Stealing Home The Bill James Historical Abstract

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* Reviews (and then some): Cooperstown Confidential

2009 title

From the MLB portion of Fanhouse.com, this piece on Zev Chafets‘ new and controversial book on the Hall of Fame. And another from The Hardball Times. Upshot: Chafets doesn’t portray himself as a baseball expert, a la Bill James. He clearly is a fan of the game—and a passionate one—make no mistake about it, but […]

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* The Money(ball) Pitt

"Ripped from today's headlines..."

We so much for that. It seems that the screen version of Moneyball, which was all set to begin filming, has been canned, according to this story in Variety. The move came after Pascal read a rewrite that [Steven] Soderbergh did to Steven Zaillian’s script and found it very different from the earlier scripts she […]

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* Review: American Icon

2009 title

From Publishers Weekly, this small review of the latest Clemens fiasco. Full disclosure: I used to do freelance work for PW, and at the risk of losing any kind of future assignments, reviewers are instructed to write generally positive assessments. Richly detailed, the muscular narrative often reads like a thriller, though numerous subplots don’t always […]

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* Review: After Many a Summer

2009 title

The Providence Journal posted this review of yet another account of the Dodgers’ (and Giants’) move to California. Upshot: To the dwindling circle of Brooklyn Dodger fans, Walter O’Malley will forever remain a despised #@%&*. If they can bring themselves to read it, Murphy’s book will reinforce their notion.

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* Konichiwa, Darvish-san

2009 title

From the AP comes this report: All-Star Japanese pitcher, philanthropist and model Yu Darvish can now add writer to his ever-growing resume.The 22-year-old Darvish, considered by many to be Japan’s best pitcher, has written an instructional baseball book that reveals his techniques for throwing a variety of pitches including change-ups, curves, sliders and sinkers, the […]

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* Author Interview: Paul Keck

2009 title

3G, a Yankee-centric blog, posted this Q&A with the author of The Greatest Comeback Ever: A Fan’s Daily Diary of the 1978 New York Yankees Championship Season.

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* Review: Satchel

2009 title

Larry Tye’s new bio of the great Negro League pitcher gets the treatment from the Stockton (CA) Record.

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* Roger Clemens, auteur?

"Oddballs"

Move over, Jose. Roger Clemens wants to join the band of ballplayers turned … well, words fail me. According to news reports, Clemens is considering writing his own book to answer allegations about his use of PED. During an on-line interview on Houstonist.com, the question was asked, “Do you believe that you will get a […]

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* Author appearances

Author appearance

The Caldwell Public Library will hold a Book Fair at the Barnes & Noble located on Route 3 E., in the Clifton Commons (Clifton, NJ) on Monday, June 29. The book fair will feature Robert Skead, author of Safe at Home,” at 6 p.m. and John Zinn, author of The Major League Pennant Races of […]

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* Review: Cooperstown Confidential and American Icon

2009 title

By Allen Barra, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Upshot: “Cooperstown Confidential” is bold, intelligent, gutsy. [Author Zev] Chafets is strongest on what is soon to be the next controversy of the Hall — steroids. and … if you don’t like Roger Clemens — and there are so many who don’t that one questions why the authors […]

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* Pass the popcorn

Documentary

A new documentary, Touching the Game: Alaska chronicles the 50-year history of the Alaska Baseball League and how it became a source of more than 500 Major League Baseball players.

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* This week (June 22) in Sports Illustrated

Magazines

The NBA finals get the cover story, deservedly so. Baseball items this week include Jon Heyman on the mid-season trade market and Mark Bechtel’s profile on Phillies’ skipper Charlie Manuel.

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* The more things change…

"Ripped from today's headlines..."

Bobby Feller’s generation complained about the high salaries of the players that came after them. Now Wade Boggs speaks for the players from his era on the steroiders and their possible entry into the Hall of Fame. Can chicken be considered a performance enhancing food? Come to think of it what about that? Why are […]

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* Site offers free viewing of Greenberg documentary

Documentary

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* TWIBB

2009 title

This week in baseball books, featuring the best-sellers according to Amazon.com on Friday, June 19. Title Rank General The Yankee Years, Torre and Verducci 1 As They See ‘Em: A Fan’s Travels in the Land of Umpires, Weber 2 Satchel: The Life and Times of an American Legend, Tye 3 Moneyball: The Art of Winning […]

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* Author profile: Curt Smith

2009 title

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published this piece on the author of the new Vin Scully biography. The Amazon Report on Pull Up a Chair: The Vin Scully Story

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* "Author" appearance (earplugs not included)

2009 title

White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen and sportswriter Mark Gonzales will sign copies of Gonzales’ book, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: Heart-pounding, Jaw-dropping and Gut-wrenching Moments from Chicago White Sox History, on Thursday, June 25, at 6:30 p.m. at the Downers Grove Recreation and Fitness Center, 4500 Belmont Road, Downers Grove, IL The Amazon […]

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* Review ("sort of"): Ticket for a Seamstitch

Classic title

The Henry Wiggen Blog posted this “sort of” review of one component of Mark Harris’ classy trilogy.

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