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Still well worth the money though. Not as critical as players in the past. They lost a star because of that. with an index, of course. I miss the biting criticism. Also had reduced attention to defensive attributes.
Too bad, really used too like this. I'm not sure I'll buy again. I've been a faithful buyer for several years, and I must say I've been disappointed with this release. Lack of index was bad, it's made it a pain to track players who've bounced around.and several I've looked for aren't there at all.
This makes it hard to compare third-basemen, for instance, because you have to look at every team's pages and then dig to find some guys who are not listed where you are now expecting them to be. My only quibble with this book so far is that the players are arranged in it by the team with which they ended last season. The intro tells you this and mentions an "index" of players that will help you find these players, but my copy of the book seems to be missing that index. Good stuff for Fantasy baseballers and for just plain fans who follow individual players and stats. I really enjoy Nate Silver's work here and on his political website fivethirtyeight.com His numbers help temper your "can't miss" expectations with down-to-earth statistics.
The work that goes into this text is staggering, and has been a clear influence on Major League Baseball. Those who dismiss the Baseball Prospectus as strictly for "seamheads" and stat nerds are making a mistake. You'll learn something, have a laugh, and gain a new appreciation for the most tradition-bound but forward-thinking of American sports. But even the casual fan who occasionally watches the Game of the Week should keep BP handy next to the TV. The player profiles are not only thorough, they're cheekily funny and chock full of pop culture nuggets. The writers are not afraid to let you know their opinions and--more importantly--the facts that gird them.
This inattention to detail makes one wonder what else they weren't paying attention as they rushed to press. Badly in need of an index.
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