Endorsements
“Baseball fans will find Tom Stone’s book among the most interesting they have read. His exhaustive research brings to us a treasure chest of information, allowing us to see how the use of modern metrics can facilitate the comparison of each team’s best players across the decades. … This volume joins Bill James’ Historical Baseball Abstract and a few other books of its genre on an accessible bookshelf.”
Bill Brown, Broadcaster for Cincinnati and Houston for 37 years
“Stone takes a look at each franchise’s history through a unique lens, spanning the generations by using modern-day metrics. This takes the classic baseball bar room debate to the next level.”
Mark Feinsand, MLB.com Executive Reporter
“The only thing that dedicated baseball fans like more than a good argument is having 30 good arguments. Tom Stone presents his studious case for every franchise’s all-time team, which no doubt will spark many lively conversations and inspire a lot of interesting thought.”
Mark Herrmann, Newsday columnist
“Tom Stone’s dream team lineup for every team is a joyful read even if your team is out of contention. It’s all about the glory days and what makes your team special. Every fan can appreciate putting that one of a kind time-machine team on the field together at last, the ultimate fantasy team for each franchise.”
Kevin Kernan, New York Post columnist
“Here’s a book that actually answers Abbott & Costello’s questions. Using modern analytics and a sense of history, Tom Stone has thoughtfully constructed all-time lineups for every franchise. And in the process, he tells you who’s on first, why that guy is the left fielder and the reason for today’s catcher. He also makes difficult decisions that will lead to both arguments and epiphanies.”
Steve Wulf, ESPN Senior Writer
“Mantle or DiMaggio? Campanella or Piazza? Cedeno or Wynn? Tom Stone ends every old baseball argument—and starts new ones—in a guide that is as breezy to read as it is meticulously researched. You will lose yourself in pages that bring the histories of 30 franchises to life, and go willingly. This is the joy of Now Taking the Field, a massive undertaking executed with style and substance. Mantle or DiMaggio? Hmm. Both?”
Tim Brown, National baseball writer for Yahoo Sports and New York Times bestseller author
“As a broadcaster and baseball fan for nearly 40 years, it’s my great pleasure to endorse this wonderful book, Now Taking the Field. I was actually the Orioles batboy when many players from the great Oriole teams in the 70’s, Brooks and Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Boog Powell and many others were dominating the sport. I had also great professional relationships with Cal Ripken Jr., Eddie Murray and Earl Weaver. … I found this book fascinating and compelling and a must for any baseball fan. 5 stars!!”
Roy Firestone, 7-Time Emmy Award Winner with ESPN
“View your favorite team in a new light thanks to Tom Stone’s exhaustively researched and immensely enjoyable Now Taking the Field. This book is sure to spark debates and bring back treasured memories for any baseball fan.”
Bryan Hoch, MLB.com reporter
“Tom Stone’s Now Taking the Field is a great reminder that there is nothing more fun than a good baseball argument. This book is filled with them. For instance, Thurman Munson. Really? Thurman Munson? I have very strong feelings about Thurman Munson’s place in Tom’s all-Yankees team and I would very much like to argue with him about it for the next three days. This book is filled with countless Thurman Munson-like arguments, which will make it endlessly fun for baseball fans everywhere.”
Joe Posnanski, Columnist for MLB.com and New York Times bestseller author
“Tom Stone did incredible research with this book which provides a wondrous history and ranking of the top players and managers on each major league team over the past many years and decades. They aren’t just recent players—some go back more than 100 years—which makes the book all that more interesting. I was very impressed with his picks, all of whom deserve their spots. You’ll love reading his list for your favorite team—as well as those of others (even the rival teams you may hate.)”
Jim Caple, Former longtime writer for ESPN who has covered baseball for more than 30 years
“What a great concept. A book that is guaranteed to generate arguments from fans of every major-league team! That is what Tom Stone has done in his new book Now Taking the Field. Stone picks the all-time, all-star team for each franchise, which would stir debates on its own merit. But add in his use of modern-day sabermetrics like WAR to complement traditional Triple Crown statistics and you’ve got an old school-new school war of words. … You can’t argue with Stone’s research, though, nor the fact that this book is a fun to read and fun to talk about when you are done. That’s a pretty good double-play combination.
Bob Herzog, Veteran sports writer and editor for Newsday
“Tom Stone delivers his ingenious version of baseball history in Now Taking the Field, a book guaranteed to entertain, enlighten and at times even exasperate you. In selecting his all-time dream teams for each MLB franchise, Stone cuts across eras and infuses modern-day sabermetrics to assemble starting lineups that will provoke debate and evoke awe. Whether he’s writing about Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds, Honus Wagner or Derek Jeter, the vintage Yankees or the expansion Marlins, Stone’s knowledge and love for the game carry the reader along like a ballpark organ melody. It’s the ultimate fantasy league.”
Linda Robertson, Miami Herald columnist