In 'Astroball,' Ben Reiter uncovers the revolutionary data-driven approach that transformed the Houston Astros from perennial underdogs into World Series champions. This compelling narrative intertwines the evolution of baseball analytics with the personal journey of the players and management who embraced the new philosophy. Reiter explores how intuition meets science in the quest for success, revealing the hidden truths behind the game's strategy. As the Astros shatter conventional wisdom, readers are left questioning what it truly takes to win in America’s favorite pastime. Will this game-changing model reshape the future of baseball forever?
By Ben Reiter
Published: 2019
"In a world driven by data and analytics, the most profound insights often come from trusting the human instinct that lies beneath the numbers."
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The inside story of the Houston Astros, whose relentless innovation took them from the worst team in baseball to the World Series in 2017 and 2019 “Reiter’s superb narrative of how the team got there provides powerful insights into how organizations—not just baseball clubs—work best.”—The Wall Street Journal Astroball picks up where Michael Lewis’s acclaimed Moneyball leaves off, telling the thrilling story of a championship team that pushed both the sport and business of baseball to the next level. In 2014, the Astros were the worst baseball team in half a century, but just three years later they defied critics to win a stunning World Series. In this book, Ben Reiter shows how the Astros built a system that avoided the stats-versus-scouts divide by giving the human factor a key role in their decision-making. Sitting at the nexus of sports, business, and innovation, Astroball is the story of the next wave of thinking in baseball and beyond, at once a remarkable underdog tale and a fascinating look at the cutting edge of evaluating and optimizing human potential.
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“In a world driven by data and analytics, the most profound insights often come from trusting the human instinct that lies beneath the numbers.”
Astroball
By Ben Reiter
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Ben Reiter is an acclaimed author and journalist known for his insightful sports writing and narrative non-fiction. He gained significant recognition for his book, "The Dallas Cowboys: The Outrageous History of the Most Hated Team in America," which explores the cultural impact and legacy of the NFL franchise. Reiter's writing is characterized by its engaging prose and deep analysis, blending humor with a keen understanding of the human experience in sports. With a background in writing for Sports Illustrated and other prominent publications, he combines his passion for athletics with sharp storytelling, making his works resonate with both sports enthusiasts and general readers alike.
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