Unwritten

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Insider takes on the culture of America's favorite pastime and its march into the future

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Unwritten

Bat Flips, the Fun Police, and Baseball’s New Future

By Danny Knobler

The ground rule double. The infield fly. Three strikes and you’re out. Baseball’s rulebook is almost as old as the game itself. The guidelines for how to play the game haven’t changed much since the late 19^th century, but the standards for how to play the game the right way are constantly shifting.

In Unwritten: Bat Flips, the Fun Police, and Baseball’s New Future (Triumph Books, April 9, 2019), Bleacher Report national baseball writer Danny Knobler explores the nuance of baseball’s unwritten rules, the dynamic, sacred set of principles that govern the sport. Baseball is in transition, as analytics, technology, youthfulness and diversity replace the longstanding traditions that defined the sport for generations. Knobler’s analysis and perspective offer insights on what’s changed, why we should (and shouldn’t) be worried and what fans can expect from the players of tomorrow. Highlights include:

• Tracing the origin of the bat flip, and the shifting attitudes surrounding showing up pitchers
• How young stars like the Cubs’ Javier Baez bridge the gap between stylish flair and old school respect for the game
• Interviews with some of baseball’s most iconic legends and modern superstars, including players, managers and journalists
• The politics of a perfect game, when to pull a pitcher, when to stand pat and the superstition of dugout isolation
• Bunting for a hit, stealing signs, crashing into catchers and countless other factors that define the culture of the sport

Unwritten illuminates the parallels between baseball and society at large. Fans of all ages will find value in the pages of this engaging, of-the-moment glimpse into the inner world of Major League Baseball.

About the Author:

Danny Knobler is a national lead MLB writer for Bleacher Report. He has covered baseball for more than 30 years for Booth Newspapers, CBSSports.com, ESPN.com, and other publications. He is the author of Numbers Don't Lie: The Biggest Numbers in Detroit Tigers History.

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