Titles by Russell A. Carleton

<strong>Watching a game of baseball today means witnessing phenomena that would have been novel, if not completely unheard of, not so long ago.</strong><br /><br />Starting pitchers sling 100 mile-per-hour heat for just four or five innings before departing; third basemen often station themselves much closer to second (to say nothing of the shortstop&#39;s whereabouts); home runs and strikeouts dominate at-bats; all while the length of contest tips toward the four-hour mark.<br /><br />There&#39;s no getting around it: the game looks different now. And as Major League Baseball scrambles with rule changes, equipment modifications, labor negotiations, and more, fans are left grasping for the true essence of this beloved pastime among the moving pieces.<br /><br />In <em>The New Ballgame</em>, Russell Carleton (<em>The Shift</em>) deftly identifies and examines the many levers and inflection points that have shaped the game into what we see on the field today. Through a singular blend of statistical analysis, history, and cognitive science, readers will trace the rapid evolution of the modern game while contemplating the sport in an entirely new way. <br /><br /><strong>Blending incisive research with affable storytelling, Russell Carleton delivers a kaleidoscopic view on modern baseball in this welcome, revelatory work.</strong>

<div>With its three-hour-long contests, 162-game seasons, and countless measurable variables, baseball is a sport which lends itself to self-reflection and obsessive analysis. It&#39;s a thinking game. It&#39;s also a shifting game. Nowhere is this more evident than in the statistical revolution which has swept through the pastime in recent years, bringing metrics like WAR, OPS, and BABIP into front offices and living rooms alike. So what&#39;s on the horizon for a game that is constantly evolving? Positioned at the crossroads of sabermetrics and cognitive science, <em>The Shift</em> alters the trajectory of both traditional and analytics-based baseball thought. With a background in clinical psychology as well as experience in major league front offices, <em>Baseball Prospectus</em>&#39; Russell Carleton illuminates advanced statistics and challenges cultural assumptions, demonstrating along the way that data and logic need not be at odds with the human elements of baseball—in fact, they&#39;re inextricably intertwined. Covering topics ranging from infield shifts to paradigm shifts, Carleton writes with verve, honesty, and an engaging style, inviting all those who love the game to examine it deeply and maybe a little differently. Data becomes digestible; intangibles are rendered not only accessible, but quantifiable. Casual fans and statheads alike will not want to miss this compelling meditation on what makes baseball tick.</div>