Batter Up

Are we supposed to be watching baseball or reading about baseball? Apparently, publishers expect us to do both because they released a number of new books about the “boys of summer.” We actually received eight new books in the month of June alone. There are two unflattering biographies of Roger Clemens that discuss his ALLEGED steroid use and other problems. In similar fashion, the “definitive” biography of Alex Rodriguez talks about steroid use, the end of his marriage, and his financial dealings. In his autobiography, Darryl Strawberry discusses how he turned his life around after years of addiction, domestic abuse, and self-destructive behavior. I know what you’re thinking. Where is the baseball? There are two new books about the National Baseball Hall of Fame, a new biography of Negro League pitcher Satchel Paige, and an autobiography by baseball analyst and former New York Mets all-star pitcher Ron Darling.

• American icon : the fall of Roger Clemens and the rise of steroids in America's pastime
• A-Rod : the many lives of Alex Rodriguez
• Bert Sugar's Baseball Hall of Fame : a living history of America's greatest game
• The complete game : reflections on baseball, pitching, and life on the mound
• Cooperstown confidential : heroes, rogues, and the inside story of the Baseball Hall of Fame
• The rocket that fell to earth : Roger Clemens and the rage for baseball immortality
• Satchel : the life and times of an American legend
• Straw : finding my way