Off Speed: Baseball, Pitching, and the Art of Deception

Written by Terry McDermott

Narrated by Joe Barrett

Tracing the evolution of pitching and the pitcher's art of deception, Terry McDermott tells the fascinating story of baseball's 150-year hunt for the perfect pitch. Using the framework of a single game (nine chapters, nine innings, nine pitches), he explores the history of every type of pitch, combining the folk wisdom of the players with the enormous wealth of new data brought to the sport by the growing legion of statisticians who are transforming many of the sport's once sacred beliefs. As a lifelong baseball fan, McDermott approaches his subject with the love every fan brings to the park plus the expertise of a probing journalist, exploring with irrepressible enthusiasm and curiosity both the science and the romance of the game.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Highbridge Company
• Release date: May 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781681685199

Terry McDermott

Terry McDermott holds a BA from Santa Clara University; a JD from the University of California (Davis) School of Law; and an LL.M from the University of California (Berkeley), School of Law. He is a retired lecturer in law, emeritus, Sacramento State University, and the author of Trail of Tears (2017) and a contributing author to Otto & The White Dove (2023).

Reviews for Off Speed

[reenum_4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book seemed to be more about McDermott's history as a baseball fan. I didn't find the story compelling enough to continue.

[kcshankd · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Part baseball, part memoir. Portions read like it took a long while to write - major leaguers listed with plus curveballs include Aaron Sele, who last pitched in 2007. Including a blow-by-blow Felix Hernandez's perfect game is a good hook, but the game was nearly five years ago. It is now almost sad to read about, given how far 'King' Felix's 'stuff' has slipped.