The Bill James Baseball Abstract

Written by Bill James, the annual Bill James Baseball Abstract struck like a bolt out of the blue for many baseball fans. James realized that common baseball statistics were hopelessly inadequate to describe the modern game, and he invented new concepts to do a better job. He then applied those concepts to analyze teams and individual players. James had a knack with words, and so the Abstracts were as valuable for the quality of the writing as they were for the statistical innovations.

Self-published:

• 1977 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1978 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1979 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1980 Bill James Baseball Abstract

Abstracts published by Ballantine Books:

• 1981 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1982 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1983 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1984 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1985 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1986 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1987 Bill James Baseball Abstract
• 1988 Bill James Baseball Abstract