Off Speed

“McDermott describes nine pitches, weaving player and coach interviews into an absorbing examination of this arcane art.” —Daniel M. Gold, The New York Times Book Review
 
“A deeply felt portrayal of the men on the mound.” —Will Leitch, The Atlantic
 
“A nostalgic and witty tribute to the cunning and craft of baseball pitchers. . . .  Engaging. . . . Delightful. . . . A treat for statistics junkies [and] readers who appreciate the human dimension of the sport. . . . McDermott is a wonderful person with whom to share a baseball game.” —Tom Zelman, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

“McDermott . . . explores with great affection and insight the art of pitching.” —Chris Foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“A literate and knowing little gem.” 
—George Vecsey, author of Baseball

“What lover of the game will not delight in McDermott’s field-of-dreams nostalgia for the baseball he played and watched growing up in his small Iowa hometown? No one passionate about America’s national pastime will leave these pages disappointed.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“A lovely memoir of the game as it is played from Iowa sandlots to the Kingdome, along with a fascinating and absorbing history of pitching. A terrific book for both beginners and longtime fans.”
—Kevin Baker, author of America the Ingenious

“Nine innings, nine pitches, one hell of a book. Off Speed is a must-read for any fan of the magic that can be found at the intersection of New School data and Old School romance.”
—Ian O’Connor, author of The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter

“Off Speed is baseball magic. As soon as Terry McDermott set down thirteen deft definitions of pitches, with which I happily began to quibble, then gave me Willie Stargell likening the attempt to hit Sandy Koufax to trying to drink coffee with a fork, I fell into a flow state that held to the last chapter.”
—David James Duncan, author of The Brothers K

“A fascinating history of pitching mixed with scientific facts, psychological insights, delightful digressions about small-town American life, and the heart-thumping play-by-play of Felix Hernandez’s march to perfection. I always knew that King Felix was great, but now I know why.”
—Zack Hample, author of The Baseball

“A paean to baseball from the perspective of an experienced fan. Off Speed is the rare book that goes deep inside the sport with an approach accessible to insiders and novices alike. Its crisp writing offers historic foundation while conveying, in full bloom, the depth of the author’s passion.”
—Jason Turbow, author of Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic