Hardball Architects – Evaluating Roster Construction and Team Performance Based On Player Acquisition Methods

available now at Amazon – two-volume set!

Volume 1 – American League Teams

376 pages.

Volume 2 – National League Teams

375 pages.

Hardball Architects examines the trades, free agent acquisitions, draft picks and other transactions for the 30 Major League Baseball franchises. The book is divided into a 2-volume set (Volume 1 – American League, Volume 2 – National League). All key moves are scrutinized for every team and Sabermetric principles are applied to the roster construction throughout the lifetime of the organization to encapsulate the hits and misses by front office executives. Team performances are analyzed based on transaction type with graphs depicting the WAR (Wins Above Replacement) in every decade. Individual results for each player-transaction is charted over the duration of their stint with the franchise. Every team chapter includes All-Time Rosters and Single-Season Leaders based on transaction type. The Team Trade Record chronicles the WAR and WS (Win Shares) accumulated by players acquired in comparison to those traded to opposing teams. The opening chapter is devoted to the Evolution of the General Manager and incorporates a discussion with former Dodgers GM Fred Claire on a variety of front office topics. Prepare yourself for a journey through baseball history to discover the path to building a contending ball club!

Note: Volume 2 – National League Teams contains additional interviews with former Angels GM Mike Port and Reds GM Nick Krall in the Evolution of the General Manager chapter.

Book Discussions / Promotional Appearances

Praise for Hardball Architects

“This book examines how players were acquired by each franchise through all of baseball history. I just received it and devoured the pages about the Red Sox in the 1960’s and in recent times. It takes a moment to learn the coding for the bar graphs, but after that the patterns jump out at you. Teams that were built out of expensive free agents can be compared year by year to those built out of the amateur draft, and that’s just the beginning. If you’re a fan who thinks about how GM’s build (and destroy) teams, Bain gives you all the data you need in narrative, graph and list formats. Just a wonderful research tool, and fascinating when you read the pages for your favorite team.” – Lita, Amazon reviewer