Reddit mentions of The Only Rule Is It Has to Work: Our Wild Experiment Building a New Kind of Baseball Team

There is a section in the book The Only Rule is it Has to Work" that kind of speaks to the homophobia entrenched in baseball. Sean Conroy, first openly gay professional player (If you count indy ball as pro) strikes someone out and batter grumbling to himself says "I can't believe that faggot struck me out". 2nd at bat, guy Ks again doesn't say shit. The sections about Sean and his relationships with his teammates were my favorite parts of that book they kind of make it seem like there is hope for more inclusion in every part of baseball.

• Went to a wedding over Memorial Day weeekend in Missoula, Montana. Absolutely fell in love with the town; farmers markets, dog parks, beer, and hiking. I know I have plenty of access to those things here in SD, but damn Missoula just does those things in an awesome way.
  
  
• Girlfriend won't let us move to Missoula, however. As it has "winter;" a concept foreign to this SoCal native.
  
  
• We may have found a roommate to move in with us! Looking for one is quite stressful; but we skyped with a young woman from Seattle who we really really liked! Now we just have to get her approved! No word yet on whether she is a Seahawks fan, which might doom this all anyway.
  
  
• I want to play softball. Do any of you have any stories for adult softball leagues? How good does one need to be? Can I, as a single player, just join a random team? How does all this work?
  
  
• Anyone have a good idea for a Father's Day present? I was considering this book, but I have always been told to never gift someone a book that you haven't personally read; but I listen to their podcast extensively, so I feel qualified to give it to my old man. Thoughts?
  
  
• uh......Fuck the Dodgers!
  
  
• Do not fuck the DH, of which I am a fan.
  
  
• However, Bum should definitely be in the HR Derby.
  
  
• I love this sub and I love you all

To steal from a book "The closer's the closer because he's the closer."

He cowrote the book "The Only Rule Is It Has to Work", which I highly, highly recommend. He and the other author got to be gm's of an indy ball team and ran it according to all the craziest sabermetric principles.

It was my vacation book last summer, and my only complaint was that I finished it so fast and the only other thing I had was an LSAT prep book.

If you really enjoyed Moneyball, then The Only Rule Is It Has To Work might be up your alley. In it, two basebal writers run an independent league team, The San Rafael Pacifics, entirely on saebermetrics.

Where Nobody Knows Your Name is a great read about life in the minor leagues.

Smithsonian Baseball is another good choice.

If you don't mind books being team specific, I'd also recommend looking onto Finley Ball, Aces, Holy Toledo! and any of the Brian Murphy/Brad Mangin Giants books (incredible photography in those).

I don't usually buy new release books, but $18 seems high? Is that the case or am I just an idiot?

you gotta give the padres credit though. trying something so radical.

i mean, im probably just saying that cause im currently reading "The only rule is, it has to work"

excellent book.

We're pretty excited too. We plan on reading both older and newer books, I'm sure authors will be more likely to join the cause when they're on their initial press tours. We have some ideas for coming months, but we're open to suggestions. This is the book I'm most excited about next year. It's about two writers/editors from baseball prospectus who got to be Co-GM's of an independent ball club last summer. Hopefully we can get them on the pod.

PS if you haven't already, shoot us your email so we can add you to the mailing list.

You may find this book interesting.