Overview
Baseball has an image problem. The chorus of nonbelievers gets louder every year, and the Major Leagues have made an art of tuning them out. Enter Joe Kelly: a walking, talking, fast-ball-throwing embodiment of why baseball matters. He and his All-Star team of athletes and celebrities have some things to say about whatās gone wrong with our once great game and how to fix it.
A Damn Near Perfect Game is the loudest insiderās exposĆ© of the laws and culture of Major League Baseball since Jim Boutonās classic Ball Four. From Kellyās perspective as a two-time World Series champion and baseballās most memeable player according to ESPN, he takes readers on a house-cleaning tour of the clubhouse, the field of play, the bullpen, the front office, the commissionerās office, and a ballplayerās restricted life off the field. Kelly has something to say about baseballās rule changes (pitch clocks, limiting defensive shifts, the designated hitter); hacks (overused analytics, sign-stealing); stale promotion to new fans; and encouraging playersā emotions (let them fight, bat-flip, and talk sh*t!). Plus, he details how he aired his complaints in an illuminating meeting with commissioner Rob Manfred.
And to show what happens when baseball has some piss and vinegar, Kelly gives the inside scoop on his legendary exploitsāstarting a bench-clearing brawl with the Yankeesā Tyler Austin, his famous āpouty faceā scene when calling out the notorious sign-stealing Houston Astros, and wearing a mariachi jacket to visit the White House with his World Series champion LA Dodgers.
This book title, A Damn Near Perfect Game (Reclaiming America's Pastime), ISBN: 9781635768893, by Joe Kelly, Rob Bradford, published by Diversion Books (February 28, 2023) is available in hardcover. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
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