Foreword by Peter Gammons    ix
Introduction: Why Care About the Hall of Fame?    xiii

PART I: BATTLES AND WARS    1
Chapter 1: The Ins and Outs of the Hall of Fame    3
Chapter 2: Stat School    9
Chapter 3. Swimming with JAWS    22
Chapter 4: How Voters Put Third Base in a Corner    28
Chapter 5: The Hall of Cronyism    48
Chapter 6: Blyleven, Morris, and the War on WAR    62
Chapter 7: Booms, Busts, Bottlenecks, and Ballot Reform    80
Chapter 8: This Is Your Ballot on Drugs    89

PART II: AROUND THE DIAMOND    105
Chapter 9: Catchers    107
+ Case Study: Ted Simmons
Chapter 10: First Basemen    128
+ Case Study: David Ortiz
Chapter 11: Second Basemen    158
+ Case Study: Bobby Grich
+ Case Study: Lou Whitaker
Chapter 12: Shortstops    189
+ Case Study: Alan Trammell
Chapter 13: Third Basemen    212
+ Case Study: Dick Allen
+ Case Study: Edgar Martinez
Chapter 14: Leftfielders    241
+ Case Study: Tim Raines
+ Case Study: Minnie Minoso
Chapter 15: Centerfielders    273
+ Case Study: Andruw Jones
Chapter 16: Rightfielders    298
+ Case Study: Larry Walker
Chapter 17: Starting Pitchers    327
+ Case Study: Curt Schilling
+ Case Study: Mike Mussina
Chapter 18: Relief Pitchers    388
+ Case Study: Mariano Rivera
Chapter 19: Slouching Toward Cooperstown    403