Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
|
Loading... This Ain't Brain Surgery : How to Win the Pennant Without Losing Your Mind (original 2003; edition 2003)by Larry Dierker
Work InformationThis Ain't Brain Surgery : How to Win the Pennant Without Losing Your Mind by Larry Dierker (2003)
   None No current Talk conversations about this book.  Wombat | Apr 18, 2010 |  no reviews | add a review
Plenty of people were surprised when Larry Dierker was named the manager of the Houston Astros at the end of the 1996 season, but perhaps no one was more surprised than Larry Dierker. Despite his status as a fourteen-year ace starter in the big leagues (thirteen of them with Houston), two-time All-Star, and well-regarded longtime TV colorman for the Astros, Dierker's hiring refuted conventional wisdom and deeply confounded most major league observers. For one thing, Larry had no managerial experience at any level of the game before taking over the 'Stros; for another, former pitchers rarely become managers (especially former pitchers with a taste for Hawaiian shirts and a talent for amateur songwriting); and, well, managers are supposed to become broadcasters, not the other way around! But, in his five years at the controls, Dierker guided the Astros to four National League Central division crowns and four playoff appearances, and was named the National League Manager of the Year in 1998. Employing on-the-field strategies at once cerebral and daring, adroitly handling every sort of distraction and disaster that can befall a team -- including suffering a nearly catastrophic seizure during a game -- he excelled like no other manager in Astros history, until resigning at the end of the 2001 season. Let's face it, after nearly four decades in baseball, Larry Dierker has been there and done that like no one else before him. In This Ain't Brain Surgery he reflects on his memories of growing up in the majors -- from learning the fine art of locker-room pranks at his first spring training to deciding what to say to the crowd when the Astros retired his number ("Aloha," naturally). With the unique perspective that comes from having studied the sport's angles from the mound, the broadcasting booth, and the dugout, Dierker draws from his vast experience to take on everything in the game with sharp wit, keen insight, and startling candor, inviting us farther onto the field, deeper into the clubhouse, and more fully into the baseball mind than we've ever been before. Brimming with indispensable analysis, thoughtful reflection, and raucous humor, This Ain't Brain Surgery is the finest baseball book since Ball Four, and marks Larry Dierker as a writer at the top of his game. No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers 
 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)796.357The arts Recreational and performing arts Athletic and outdoor sports and games Ball sports Ball and stick sports BaseballLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.83)
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wikipedia in English (1)
4
Larry Dierker spent most of his career as a pitcher for the Houston Astros. After retiring as a player he worked as a color announcer for the Astros' local radio and television stations. In the late 90's, the Astros needed a new manager and signed Dierker, despite his lack of managerial experience. His Astros wound up winning the pennant four of the five years he was at the helm. All of this makes the book a bit of an odd read for me, as I've never followed the Astros. I vaguely know Dierker as their manager from about ten years ago, when they were regularly appearing in the post-season, but I didn't know anything else about him before reading this book.
Unlike many memoirs that are arranged chronologically or around a key event or season, this book is organized by topic. There are chapters on pitching, scouting, umpires, etc. Each chapter is a mix of discussion about the topic (e.g., what do scouts do in a major league organization, how do they find talent, etc.) and anecdotes---some biographical and some otherwise.
The strongest chapters were the ones about pitching and managing (no surprise, since Dierker both pitched and managed in the big leagues). A chapter on "Opening Day" was probably the most boring. In it Dierker recounts highlights from the many opening day games he participated in, from his first little league season to his final season as a manager. This litany of one game after another bored me to tears. I put the book down for a few weeks and came close to not finishing it. Happily, I picked it up again, and the book quickly got better.
Dierker comes across as easy-going and knowledgeable. He is proud of his accomplishments, but seems more humble than boastful. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. It started a bit slowly, but once I got into it there was a lot to enjoy. It would probably rate four stars for somebody who actually follows the Astros.