John Wiley & Sons Baseball For Dummies Cover Learn the basics of baseball as a player, spectator, or coach Baseball For Dummies gets you started.. Product #: 978-1-394-29083-3 Regular price: $21.40 $21.40 In Stock

Baseball For Dummies

Morgan, Joe / Lally, Richard

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5. Edition February 2025
400 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd

ISBN: 978-1-394-29083-3
John Wiley & Sons

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Learn the basics of baseball as a player, spectator, or coach

Baseball For Dummies gets you started learning about this popular sport. You can improve your fundamentals as a player, inspire your team as a coach, or enjoy watching baseball as a superfan. The book includes helpful illustrations and diagrams that make it easy to understand the rules. You'll learn about offensive and defensive strategies, hitting and pitching techniques, the roles of each player on the team, what managers and coaches do, and how to understand baseball statistics. In beginner-friendly terms, this guide also covers the differences between the Minor and Major Leagues, T-Ball, college baseball, and leagues around the world. Batter up!

* Get a handle on the basic rules, strategies, and skills of baseball

* Learn about the different baseball leagues--including recent changes to the rules--so you can have fun following the sport

* Improve your technique with tips on pitching, hitting, and fielding

* Delve into statistics and advanced concepts that will help you understand pro play

This book is for baseball fans of every level, from beginners to loyal fans who want to know even more. Players and coaches will also love this book's advice on how to sharpen their skills.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Baseball 5

Chapter 1: The Lowdown on Baseball 7

Chapter 2: Suiting Up: Equipment 17

Chapter 3: Tackling the Rules of Baseball. 33

Part 2: Taking Your Swings -- Playing Offense 49

Chapter 4: Preparing to Swing the Lumber: Life in the Batter's Box 51

Chapter 5: Hitting Like a Major Leaguer 67

Chapter 6: The Science of Baserunning 89

Part 3: The Ball in Play -- Playing Defense 113

Chapter 7: Knowing the Players and Plays 115

Chapter 8: Winning the Arms' Race: Pitching Like a Major Leaguer 131

Chapter 9: Behind the Plate: The Catcher 155

Chapter 10: Playing Infield 169

Chapter 11: Playing the Outfield: Where Fly Balls Go to Die 193

Part 4: From Little League to the Major Leagues -- Organized Baseball 203

Chapter 12: T-Ball to College Baseball and Everything in Between 205

Chapter 13: The Majors, the Minors, and Other Leagues 215

Chapter 14: The Rest of the Field: Managers and Coaches 231

Chapter 15: Identifying the Rest of the Cast of Characters in the Ballpark 241

Chapter 16: Measuring Performance: Calculating Baseball's Statistics 251

Chapter 17: Going All the Way: MLB Postseason Play and the World Series 259

Part 5: The View from the Stands -- A Spectator's Guide 267

Chapter 18: Following the Bouncing Baseball 269

Chapter 19: Baseball Bans: Don't Do the Crime If You Can't Do the Time 293

Chapter 20: Keeping Up Online, on the Air, and on the Newsstand 303

Chapter 21: Playing Fantasy Baseball 313

Part 6: The Part of Tens 323

Chapter 22: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Toughest Pitchers He Batted Against 325

Chapter 23: Joe Morgan's Ten Smartest Players 333

Appendix: Baseball Speak: A Glossary 339

Index 361
Joe Morgan played on two -Cincinnati Reds World Series ¯-championship teams and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990.

Richard Lally has written numerous popular books on baseball and other subjects, including the best-selling The Wrong Stuff -(coauthored with former major league pitcher Bill Lee), which was adapted to the screen for the movie, "Spaceman."