Issue #5 - Part I, August 2013


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** Books to Die For and Become a Baseball Guru **
      (on this page are special books linked to the game of baseball or Strat-o-matic)

{ Wolfman: This webpage contains various books we have uncovered that provide a greater knowledge of the game of Baseball or Baseball Statistics. So far there has only been one book published specifically about Strat-o-matic by Glenn Guzzo but there are other books done by some individuals involved with the game of baseball who played the game. To assist our members, we have a special agreement with Acta Sports, a sports book publisher in Chicago that any books they sell or distribute, our members receive a 10% discount.  We intend to add more books to this page in future Issues.}

Books that we Recommend

Acta Sports
This publisher specializes in publishing books about all type of sports and has been around since 2003.  They are the publisher for example for two books by Glenn Guzzo (including "Strat-o-matic Fanatics"), the amazing books by Bill James and John Dewan - "Fielding Bible". They have been involved with Baseball Statistics since 2006 and have a connection with the organization called STATS which also features the most indepth statistics related to Baseball.  We have negotiated with Acta Sports to give our members a 10% discount on all of your purchases with them. To find the specific book you want, just click on the link below and it will take you to the webpage of that e-book, of course you can look around for the other books too.

How does this discount work? We are told if you go to the page link we provide below our discount code of "SOMB" will automatically be entered for you but when you go to your shopping cart, underneath the last book to order is an area titled "Promo Code", if "SOMB" is not shown in that area, type it in and hit submit, the price of all your books will be updated to include the discount. This special discount is only for our members.

Below are seven important baseball or SOM related books (two by Glenn Guzzo) that we recommend for you to take a look at:

Strat-o-matic Fanatics - Glenn Guzzo
(Normal Price: $14.95 with Newsletter Discount $13.45)

http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/WolfmanRecommends/Guzzo-SOMFanatics.htm

(The History of Strat-o-matic as told through its creator Hal Richman and the baseball board game became the icon of the industry opening the company up to create other sports games plus stories from various gamers)

-- Wolfman Note: A Review copy is coming and we will review this book in a future issue of our newsletter to give you our perspective - but this is the only book we know that has ever been written exclusively about Strat-o-matic!

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The New Ball Game - Glenn Guzzo
(Normal Price: $14.95 with Newsletter Discount $13.45)

http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/WolfmanRecommends/Guzzo-NewBallGame.htm

(Understanding Baseball Statistics of the Causal Fan - as the use of statistics becomes more popular as well as complex, Mr. Guzzo takes the reader in hand providing a friendly explanation of such.)

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How Bill James Changed Our View of Baseball - Bill James
-- Subtitle: The Inspiration Behind Moneyball
(Normal Price: $19.95 with Newsletter Discount $17.95)

http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/WolfmanRecommends/BillJames-ChangedBaseball.htm

(Stories by various Baseball Authors and Sports Writers, General Managers and more how their view on baseball and life was changed by the legendary theories of Bill James)

-- Wolfman Note: A Review copy is coming and we will review this book in a future issue of our newsletter - many people have told us that Bill James is a master about discussing baseball and looking at it in a unique and different way - this is one of his new books!

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The Bill James Handbook 2013 - Bill James
(Normal Price: 26.95 with Newsletter Discount $24.25)

http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/WolfmanRecommends/BillJames-Handbook2013.htm

(The first, best, most complete annual baseball reference guide available. Full of exclusive stats,
this book is the most comprehensive resource on every hit, pitch, and catch in Major League Baseball's 2012 season--and includes player projections for 2013.)

-- Wolfman Note: A Review copy is coming and we will review this book in a future issue of our newsletter - I am really looking forward to this book for its 2013 projections for my personal league with the CBA, I think the Handbook is what people wait for each other from Mr. James

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Baseball Prospectus 2013 - King Kauman & Cecilia M. Tan
(Normal Price: 24.95 with Newsletter discount $22.45

http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/WolfmanRecommends/BaseballProspectus2013.htm

(Featuring the Industry Leading Projections and Comments for more then 1600 players)

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Ron Shandler's 2013 Baseball Forecaster - Ron Shandler
(Normal Price: $25.95 with Newsletter discount $23.35)

http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/WolfmanRecommends/Shandler-BaseballForecaster2013.htm

(The 2013 Baseball Forecaster, published annually since 1986, is the first book to approach prognostication by breaking performance down into its component parts. Rather than predicting batting average, for instance, this resource looks at the elements of skill that make up any given batter’s ability to distinguish between balls and strikes, his propensity
to make contact with the ball, and what happens when he makes contact -- reverse engineering those skills back into batting average. The result is an unparalleled forecast of baseball abilities and trends for the upcoming season and beyond.)

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The Fielding Bible Volume III - John Dewan & Ben Jedlovoc
(Normal Price: $24.95 with Newsletter Discount $22.45)

http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/WolfmanRecommends/FieldingBible3-Dewan-n-Jedlovec.htm

(The Fielding Bible -- Volume III is a thorough compilation of the latest breakthroughs in defensive analytics from Baseball Info Solutions. With information previously exclusive to major league teams, Volume III is 100% new material that builds on the well received Volumes I and II. Included are comprehensive defensive evaluations, a study on the effectiveness
of the "Ted Williams shift", the new Timer Plus/Minus system, and updated Defensive Runs Saved numbers that estimate the value of each fielder in Major League Baseball.)

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Special E-book from Wolfman Shapiro
"Secrets of the Wolfman"
(Offered in honor of the September Convention by Donation, read at:)
http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/Secrets-of-the-Wolfman-d.htm

(This is the first e-book written by Ultimate Strat Baseball editor Wolfman Shapiro which provides a very comprehensive telling of how he built his championship team, the Skokie Wolfmen, to become the CBA (Cyber Baseball Association) champion in 2012, also feature on the SOM website where they show pictures of other SOM gamers who were champions with trophies. He holds nothing back and reveals all of his strategies which have led his team in the CBA to 6 out of 7 playoff appearances (missing out once in an extra death match by one game) and three World Series appearances. In honor of the first SOM On-line Baseball Convention in September of 2013, he is offering this book to anyone just for whatever donation you wish to give. The e-book is in a PDF format.)