How Could You Trade Billy Pierce? Essays and Analyses of MLB's Best Pitchers (1901 - 2005)

“Challenges long-standing interpretations of pitching statistics with forceful, unsurprisingly lawyerly arguments. A masterful chronicle.” Edward J. Pappas, author They Tasted Glory—Among the Missing at the Baseball Hall of Fame • Pitchers don’t win or lose games • The won-lost record is one of baseball’s most deceptive numbers Anyone who wants to accurately rate a pitcher’s performance, in a single game, a season, or over an entire career cannot ignore PAPA—The Park Adjusted Pitching Average “Plawecki’s ground-breaking system of rating pitchers explodes conventional wisdoms about what it means to be truly great. This book is not just for sabermetricians—although they will love it—but for everyone passionate about the game. Plawecki’s witty, engaging prose will win you over.” Lawrence S. Katz, author, Baseball in 1939, The Watershed Season of the National Pastime “A well-reasoned and thoughtful approach that will have readers re-evaluating their favorite pitchers.” Gary Gillette, editor, the 2006 ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia Columnist, ESPN.com’s MLB Insider