Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
I've been a fan of the Tampa Bay Rays since their early days, when they were still referred to as the "Devil Rays". I remember losing season after losing season; I remember the infamous lineup of aging bats billed as the "Hit Show", but would be more accurately remembered by putting a leading "S" in front of that advertising slogan. AND I remember going to Tropicana Field and having the staff treat me like I should be grateful to have such an opportunity to give the organization my money since they blessed us with Major League Baseball.
I also remember the turnaround when original principle owner Vince Namoli stepped aside, with Stuart Sternberg taking over the role. The way the team rebuilt itself from the minor leagues upward, and began to have some success. And how the staff often the same people were visibly glad that I came to the game, and dropped some of my hard earned money into the organzation's coffers, since there are so many other places where my discretionary entertainment dollar could have gone.
So, it was a pleasure reading Jonah Keri's, "The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First", which described the difference between the two ownership groups and their respective philosophies, and showed how one was incredibly successful while the other failed in an epically miserable manner. It was a further pleasure as I came across individual instances that I remember reading about, or witnessing or even people who I can remember meeting and chatting with. (After all, the fan base was incredibly small in those days.)
Unfortunately, despite my incredible enjoyment of the book, I believe that the book failed in one major no pun intended aspect. The book talks about how each group took their experiences from outside baseball and applied it to running the team. It talks about how Namoli's failed while Sternberg's succeeded. However, while it stated that the team's success was thanks to Sternberg's willingness to apply philosophies from outside of baseball to improve operations and performance of the Rays, it also states that Namoli basically did the same thing, albeit from his own industry. While author Keri documented individual tales of success and failure, I don't believe he ever made clear why bringing in outside experience failed in one case and succeeded in the other. The individual instances that Keri referenced and there were many seemed to reflect on Namoli the man, not on the business background he brought into Major League Baseball. What could Namoli's "fix failing businesses" experience have done to correct his own situation while it was a situation of his own making, by the time he left it certainly WAS a failing business!!
Still, an excellent book. I admit that my fondness for the subject matter may have clouded my judgment, but I would still highly recommend it.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounded up to 5 stars.
I also remember the turnaround when original principle owner Vince Namoli stepped aside, with Stuart Sternberg taking over the role. The way the team rebuilt itself from the minor leagues upward, and began to have some success. And how the staff often the same people were visibly glad that I came to the game, and dropped some of my hard earned money into the organzation's coffers, since there are so many other places where my discretionary entertainment dollar could have gone.
So, it was a pleasure reading Jonah Keri's, "The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First", which described the difference between the two ownership groups and their respective philosophies, and showed how one was incredibly successful while the other failed in an epically miserable manner. It was a further pleasure as I came across individual instances that I remember reading about, or witnessing or even people who I can remember meeting and chatting with. (After all, the fan base was incredibly small in those days.)
Unfortunately, despite my incredible enjoyment of the book, I believe that the book failed in one major no pun intended aspect. The book talks about how each group took their experiences from outside baseball and applied it to running the team. It talks about how Namoli's failed while Sternberg's succeeded. However, while it stated that the team's success was thanks to Sternberg's willingness to apply philosophies from outside of baseball to improve operations and performance of the Rays, it also states that Namoli basically did the same thing, albeit from his own industry. While author Keri documented individual tales of success and failure, I don't believe he ever made clear why bringing in outside experience failed in one case and succeeded in the other. The individual instances that Keri referenced and there were many seemed to reflect on Namoli the man, not on the business background he brought into Major League Baseball. What could Namoli's "fix failing businesses" experience have done to correct his own situation while it was a situation of his own making, by the time he left it certainly WAS a failing business!!
Still, an excellent book. I admit that my fondness for the subject matter may have clouded my judgment, but I would still highly recommend it.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounded up to 5 stars.
Zinn B. (ZinnBeck) reviewed The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First on
The Extra 2% is the history of St. Petersburg and Tampa trying to get a major league baseball team. However, when they finally got the Tampa Bay Devil Rays it quickly became a scenario of becareful of what you wish for, with over demanding owner Vince Naimoli and overwhelmed general manager Chuck LaMar in control. From the start the Devil Rays were doomed with these two men in control because they would create a plan to improve the team and then become impatient and come up with a new plan before completely following through on the previous plan. Jonah Keri dives into how changing directions of the team strategy every other year and bad public relations created a team of perennial losers and an unentertaining atmosphere that became one of the most laughed at sports team in the nation.
In 2005 the team took a dramatic change with new ownership Stuart Sternberg and upper management leaders Matt Silverman and Andrew Friedman. The book also changes tone as it starts to dig into the history of these three men on Wall Street and their background of using analysis and results research and transferring it over to the baseball field instead of using the traditional scouting reports. By using new unconventional trainings methods and unknown sabermetrics the team was able to improve their scouting, drafting, and trading that led to a trip to the 2008 World Series. At the same time the team improved fan relations by creating a fun atmosphere at the ballpark with their popular concert series and other events.
The book was not over loaded with hard to understand sabermetrics or Wall Street theories which made it easy to understand for the common baseball fan. If you are looking for some in depth analysis of the specific sabermetrics used by the Rays you will only find an over view in this book. This is an entertaining book that is a quick read.
In 2005 the team took a dramatic change with new ownership Stuart Sternberg and upper management leaders Matt Silverman and Andrew Friedman. The book also changes tone as it starts to dig into the history of these three men on Wall Street and their background of using analysis and results research and transferring it over to the baseball field instead of using the traditional scouting reports. By using new unconventional trainings methods and unknown sabermetrics the team was able to improve their scouting, drafting, and trading that led to a trip to the 2008 World Series. At the same time the team improved fan relations by creating a fun atmosphere at the ballpark with their popular concert series and other events.
The book was not over loaded with hard to understand sabermetrics or Wall Street theories which made it easy to understand for the common baseball fan. If you are looking for some in depth analysis of the specific sabermetrics used by the Rays you will only find an over view in this book. This is an entertaining book that is a quick read.
