Review: The Last Nine Innings

I just finished reading Charles Euchner's book called The Last Nine Innings. The inside flap claims that the book "reveals the seismic changes that are dramatically transforming baseball" by using the "pitch-by-pitch account of the 2001 World Series finale—when the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning to take the championship from the dynastic New York Yankees."

Euchner uses statistics and quotes from experts to speak in-depth about such things as the perfect pitching motion, the importance of players fine-tuning their bodies like never before, and the importance of technology to track new categories of statistics such as range factor, zone rating, fielding runs above replacement, OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage), and win shares. In so doing, Euchner's research definitely helps even the most ardent fan see the game in a deeper fashion than before, and his writing style is clear enough that even an average or nominal fan can follow what he is saying.

The Royals receive one mention in the book when Euchner discusses the "Pythagorean method" (which estimates "how many games a team should expect to win, given how many runs they score and how many runs they allow"). Euchner points out that the 1998 Royals (who won ten more games than projected that year) are one of the six biggest over-achievers out of the "1,970 total teams" that have played "over more than a century."

I did find it a little odd that Euchner used the 2001 World Series as the basis for his book since the vast majority of players on those teams now play for other teams or are out of baseball. And unfortunately, the book is poorly edited. Typos, oddly worded sentences, and grammatical errors can be found throughout the book. And sometimes, he repeats himself several times within the same chapter. This looks more like a first or second draft than it does a completed manuscript.

I still think the book is worth reading though. If you get a chance pick it up, or order it by clicking here.