“This book has something for everybody, from longtime fans to Little Leaguers.”
—New York Newsday

It’s known as America’s National Pastime. It’s nicknamed “The Greatest Game Ever Invented.” No question about it: baseball is a way of life for millions, whether they’re watching from the bleachers or sluggers in their own right. After more than 150 years as an all-American sport, baseball lingo is even part of our everyday language. With all its history and influence, baseball is a phenomenon we should at least be able to yak about at the water cooler—even if we never set foot on the diamond.

Whether you don’t know the difference between a shortstop and a backstop, dabble in a bit of fantasy baseball, or need to perfect your split-fingered fastball, the second edition of this classic guide shows you the ropes. Ever wondered how great outfielders get a good jump on an incoming ball? Why the bases are 90 feet apart? Baseball For Dummies has answers to those questions, along with loads of All-Star tips on:

• Rules of the game
• Improving your hitting, pitching, and fielding
• Finding a team to play on, from Little League on up
• Coaching and umpiring effectively
• Getting more out of a trip to the ballpark than hotdogs and ice cream
• Evaluating stats, players, and records

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan—who played with the Cincinnati Reds in two World Series championships—teams up here with sportswriter Richard Lally to coach you through everything from keeping a scorecard to hitting like a Major Leaguer. In their down-to-earth style, they cover all the bases, including:

• Getting in shape, from warm-ups to free weights
• Playing the field: batting, baserunning, pitching, and defense from catcher to shortstop
• Landing the best seats in the park
• Baseball online, on the air, and on the newsstand
• How to play fantasy baseball
• How to snag off-the-field baseball jobs
• All-time and current Top Ten players, pitchers, fielders, and more
• A glossary of “baseball speak”

You’ll get a baseline knowledge—and find out details and trivia even the most die-hard fans don’t know. If you’re looking to walk the walk, or just be able to talk the talk, step up to the plate: Baseball For Dummies delivers the goods.

Amazon.com Review
Baseball is another solid hit in the popular Dummies series. With its chatty style, snappy graphics, and enjoyably informative top-10 lists, the book sticks to the Dummies format better than most pitchers follow their catchers' signs, a plus to be sure. The real plus, though, resides in the deftness of Joe Morgan's voice. The former Hall of Fame second baseman-turned television analyst has proven himself a natural communicator in the booth; he comes across just as comfortable, informative, and thorough in print. His enthusiasm spills over, but not at the expense of his broad knowledge. Morgan, naturally, covers the bases--hitting, pitching, fielding, running, coaching--with plenty of whys teamed up with the requisite how-tos. For added expertise he calls on fellow pros such as Hall of Famer Bob Gibson and MVP third-baseman Ken Caminiti. Deceptively sophisticated, Baseball for Dummies is a marvelously good-natured introduction to the game, but it also hurls enough insight to hook baseball's more advanced students.