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Rob Neyer On "Power Ball," Playoff Baseball And Analytics

Power Ball by Rob Neyer
Power Ball by Rob Neyer

If you’ve been watching the major league baseball postseason, it’s obvious the game is changing: strikeouts are way up, pitchers are throwing gas, defenses are setting up in strange alignments, and relievers are starting games from the stretch. In the post-Moneyball era, most clubs are embracing analytics to maximize their chances of success — which is why you’re more likely to see a three-run homer than a sacrifice bunt or stolen base.

Not for first time and certainly not for the last, traditionalists are wringing their hands.

Rob Neyer is one of baseball’s most incisive chroniclers. A veteran of ESPN, Fox Sports and SB Nation, Neyer is the author of the new book “Power Ball: Anatomy of a Modern Baseball Game.” It uses one 2017 matchup between the Astros and A’s to explore the future of a sport in transition.

A lifelong resident of the Capital Region, Ian joined WAMC in late 2008 and became news director in 2013. He began working on Morning Edition and has produced The Capitol Connection, Congressional Corner, and several other WAMC programs. Ian can also be heard as the host of the WAMC News Podcast and on The Roundtable and various newscasts. Ian holds a BA in English and journalism and an MA in English, both from the University at Albany, where he has taught journalism since 2013.
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