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Table Of Contents
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments vii
A Comforting Note About Statistics x
Introduction: A Brain Surgeon Walks Into a Bar xii
Prologue xiv
1 The Banality of Incompetence, 1919–2002 1
Extra Innings: How Important Is a Team’s Best Player?
The Noncurse of the Grey Eagle: A Case Study 14
2 Shopping for Winners, November 25, 2003 17
Extra Innings: Dan Duquette: Failed Epstein Prototype 30
3 The A-Rod Advantage, November–December 2003 35
4 Squeezing the Merchandise, March 7 and March 24, 2004 47
5 Varieties of Relief, April 8–9, 2004 63
Extra Innings: Calvin Schiraldi: Industrial-Strength Fluke 73
6 Walking, Wounded, April 16–18, 2004 77
7 Arms and the Man, April 25, 2004 85
8 “You Want Me to Hit Like a Little Bitch?” May 5, 2004 91
9 The Caveman Cleans Up, May 21, 2004 105
10 The Holy Gospel of On-Base Percentage, May 23, 2004 113
Extra Innings: On-Base-Percentage Scripture 120
11 A Streak of Insignificance, May 29–June 8, 2004 125
12 Nomar’s Spring and Regression to the Mean, June 9, 2004 141
13 Better Winning Through Chemistry, July 1–3, 2004 151
Extra Innings: The Fanning Fallacy 157
14 Brothers of the Mind Game, July 6–8, 2004 161
15 Basebrawl, July 24, 2004 169
Extra Innings: Draft-Wise but Career-Foolish 178
16 Nomargate, July 31, 2004 183
Extra Innings: Hail and Farewell to the Holy Trinity = 192
17 Invulnerable, August 16–September 11, 2004 197
Extra Innings: Bicoastal Blues? 202
18 Cracking the Rivera Code, September 17–19, 2004 209
19 Deconstructing Pedro, September 24–26, 2004 217
A Case Study: Pedro, Without Qualification 218
Extra Innings: “Why Don’t We Just Wake Up the Bambino and I’ll Drill Him.” 228
20 Reframing History, October 5–8, 2004 231
21 Insult and Injury, October 16, 2004 241
22 The 510-Square-Inch War Zone, October 17–18, 2004 249
23 Beat the Devil, October 19–20, 2004 261
24 The Substance of Style, October 23–27, 2004 269
25 Beat the Yankees, Be the Yankees, October 28, 2004 277
Epilogue 285
Appendix I: Yawkey and Post-Yawkey Red Sox General Managers 291
Appendix II: The Complete List of Baseball Brawls
from Stengel and Weinart to A-Rod and Varitek 293
Appendix III: Glossary and Statistical Leaders 300
Notes 335
About the Authors 343
Index 347
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