You Are Manager Base

by Nate Aaseng

The reader is invited to make a decision in a crucial moment in ten World Series games, based upon analysis of pertinent facts. The actual decisions and their outcome are then supplied. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440998298
• ISBN13: 9780440998297
• Release Date: January 1984
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf Library
• Length: 112 Pages
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

A series of excellent exercises in the strategy of baseball

Of all the major sports played in the United States, baseball involves the most strategic thinking. The primary reason for this is the more rigid rules regarding substitution. Once a player is replaced, then they cannot be used again. Therefore, unlike football and basketball, players cannot be rotated in and out. Furthermore, each pitch is like a play in football, where a strategic decision must be made on both sides, communicated to each player on the field and then executed. Finally, when a personnel decision is to be made, the entire skill set of the player and the context must be taken into account. For example, for a position player, the following are only some of the conditions that the manager must take into account: *) What are their overall characteristics as a hitter? Do they hit for power or are they a singles hitter? Do they strike out a lot or do they make contact? *) Have they been hitting well lately? The manager may opt to send a weak hitter who is on a streak to the plate rather than a good hitter currently in a slump. *) How well has the player done in batting against this particular pitcher? *) What are the potential countermoves that the other manager may make? *) How well does the player field their position? *) What is the current score? In this book, Aaseng describes in detail ten different scenarios taken from the history of baseball. Once you are given all the information, you are asked to state what decision you would make. Then you are told what actually happened. This is an excellent book that not only teaches you some of the many factors that go into managing a baseball team, but also some of the major moments in the history of baseball. For each one of the scenarios involved a critical game in the quest for a pennant or championship.