Swing Kings

December 23, 2019
Wall Street Journal baseball writer Diamond delivers a rollicking account of the recent shift in that most joyous and elemental moment in sports: the home run. Diamond explores how changes in how players swing the bat have resulted in record-setting numbers of home runs, leading him to conclude: “Baseball today is about one thing: power—and how to cultivate it.” But rather than digressing into statistics and data analytics, Diamond focuses on the work of such players as Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez, who, after suffering a freak injury and on the disabled list in 2013, changed his swing with the help of “hitting pioneer” Craig Wallenbrock, which resulted in multiple All-Star appearances and Silver Slugger awards. In addition to providing the background story of this swing guru, Diamond provides historical anecdotes about the cultural and strategic significance of the home run and the history of batting strategy and training, such as the famed contrast between Babe Ruth’s home-run slugging and Ty Cobb’s “small ball” game of bunting and hitting singles. Diamond also talks about his own life in amateur baseball, including a colorful story of his work to improve his swing before the annual New York vs. Boston media game. This breezy and engaging history will be a hit with baseball aficionados and casual fans alike.

February 1, 2020

Baseball is often perceived as the sport most resistant to change but in truth, it's steadily evolving, as Diamond, national baseball writer for the Wall Street Journal, explains. The science and art of hitting are in the midst of a rebirth, in the wake of the steroid era that devalued home runs and finally subsided in the early 2000s. Diamond's authorial debut describes revolutionary new theories about putting the bat on the ball, and introduces a cast of characters worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. He even tries the new training methods himself, to see if he can improve his hitting techniques. Written with self-effacing humor and a healthy respect for the national pastime, even the most traditionally-minded baseball fans will find this a refreshing look at the game as it is passed along to the next generation of players and fans. VERDICT A timely reminder that most limits are self-imposed, and most records are made to be broken. Baseball fans who enjoyed Michael Lewis's Moneyball will embrace Diamond's account of new methods of hitting and strategies that are both true to the sport's history and promising for its future.--Janet Davis, Darien P.L., CT

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2020
Baseball purists loathe change because they believe the game must remain consistent. Yet, baseball is always evolving. The pitching mound was lowered because pitching became too dominant in the late 1960s. In the last few seasons, the number of home runs has risen dramatically, though this time not thanks to performance-enhancing drugs. The current surge can be traced to subtle technique changes developed by freelance hitting coaches. Diamond, national baseball writer for the Wall Street Journal, traces the history of hitting over the years. Now independent coaches such as Craig Wallenbrock and Doug Latta have had success improving the performance of hitters either mired in slumps or who simply want to improve. Diamond shows how Wallenbrock and Latta analyze performance with videotape breakdowns and then apply the techniques they've learned through years of trial and error. Of course, this has generated some friction between baseball's official hitting coaches and the various freelancers. In addition to examining modern hitting, Diamond tells the fascinating story of this struggle between the establishment and the innovators. A great way for fans to kick off the new decade.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)