by Jonah Keri
First published 2011
Financial journalist Jonah Keri tells the story of how three Wall Street professionals turned around baseball's most struggling franchise. When former Goldman Sachs colleagues Stuart Sternberg and Matthew Silverman bought the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2005, they acquired what seemed like a worthless investment. The team had been the division's worst performer for years. Working with general manager Andrew Friedman, they applied financial industry methods to baseball operations. They changed the team name to simply the Rays, developed new metrics to identify undervalued players and strategies, and hired managers who embraced unconventional tactics. Their approach focused on aspects other teams ignored, particularly defense. Keri chronicles how these business techniques transformed organizational culture, player development, and game strategy. The result was the 2008 American League championship, marking one of baseball's most dramatic turnarounds. The book examines how quantitative analysis and corporate management principles can revolutionize sports franchises, offering lessons for any organization seeking dramatic improvement.
Genres: business, economics, sports, non-fiction
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: against-the-odds, underdog-story
Setting: Tampa Bay, Wall Street
Period: 2005
272 pages · Hardcover · ESPN Books