Anytime publishers decide to use words like “greatest” or “best” in the title, they’re angling for a fight. The same can be said for the authors of CHANGE UP: An Oral History of 8 Key Events That Shaped Modern Baseball. Larry Burke and Peter Thomas Fornatale interviewed scores of players, managers, writers and other personnel on items that are sure to have some readers scratching their heads. The key word here is “modern,” which the authors decided started in 1962, when the Mets heralded the return of Major League Baseball to the National League, five years after the Dodgers and Giants left for the West Coast. Other “events” include the influx of Latin and Asian players (which counts as two separate items), Frank Robinson as the first African-American manager and Cal Ripken Jr.’s record-breaking consecutive games streak, among others.

The only “key event” with which I agree is the publication of BALL FOUR. When it first came out in 1970, author Jim Bouton was branded a pariah by teammates, baseball’s hierarchy, and many fans who didn’t want their legends depicted in anything other than glowing terms. For better or worse, Bouton created a new and human way of looking at those we would celebrate as role models. And, for better or worse, BALL FOUR opened the door for Canseco and his ilk to benefit from Bouton’s sacrifices.