★ 04/11/2016
Sportswriter Passan (Death to the BSC: The Definitive Case Against the Bowl Championship Series) delivers one of the more important books on baseball of the decade, a superbly researched and detailed look at the current "epidemic" of arm injuries in the sport. Passan expertly describes the main problem, the torn ligament in the elbows of baseball pitchers that requires what is commonly known as Tommy John surgery—using a tendon in the wrist to rebuild the elbow. Passan's focus on the people affected by the injury makes the book successful history as well as compelling reading. He presents fascinating accounts of those most responsible for the success of the Tommy John surgery, notably Dr. Frank Jobe, a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge whose experimental surgery remains the best of its kind over 40 years later. Passan also follows the careers of two major-league pitchers, Daniel Hudson and Todd Coffey, as they try to return to the game after surgery. Passan argues passionately that unless Major League Baseball confronts a situation in which "more than 50 percent of pitchers end up on the disabled list"—as do increasing numbers of young pitchers in the American and Japanese youth leagues—and figures out how to keep them from blowing out their elbows, "the current generation of pitchers is lost, their arms ticking time bombs." (Apr.)
The Arm makes it official—Jeff Passan is the best young baseball writer in America. This searing, meticulously reported account of the orthopedic revolution that began with Tommy John is must reading for every manager, general manager, pitcher and, most especially, every parent whose child has 100 mph dreams.
Jeff Passan’s The Arm is the real deal-a book that’s both readable as hell and that has something meaningful to say about the way the game works...This human element lends the book its propulsive quality, but every part is fascinating. The Arm is a must-read.
This is a stunning exposé of the hidden story behind the most frequent operation performed on the most important players in this most important game in our country.
‘Give[s] readers an insider’s perspective on the threat hanging over every player who takes the mound.
A timely and comprehensive look at all aspects of a baseball problem that in recent years appears to approach a crisis.
05/01/2016
Yahoo Sports baseball columnist Passan spent three years investigating the epidemic of broken and torn ulnar collateral ligaments (UCL), and the pervasiveness of its fix: Tommy John surgery. Failure of the UCL, located in the elbow, is an accumulation injury, although the specifics of its cause remain a puzzle. In 1974, Frank Jobe performed the first surgery on Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, who continued to throw in the majors until he was 46. The procedure that now bears his name has been performed on approximately 25 percent of current major league pitchers. Passan brilliantly combines an array of facts and information with dozens of personal accounts, giving special attention to the grueling post-surgery experiences of Daniel Hudson and Todd Coffey, which contribute to the book a common thread and emotional richness. Passan also explores the "youth baseball-industrial complex" (57 percent of Tommy John surgeries are performed on teens), the arm-care business and its host of both legitimate scientists and charlatans seeking explanations and vying for solutions, and the need for a cultural shift that leads to increased research dollars and better sharing of information. VERDICT Highly recommended for baseball fans, parents of young players, and those interested in sports medicine.—Brian Sullivan, Alfred Univ. Lib., NY
A timely and comprehensive look at all aspects of a baseball problem that in recent years appears to approach a crisis.” — Bob Costas
“This is a stunning exposé of the hidden story behind the most frequent operation performed on the most important players in this most important game in our country.” — Ken Burns
“The Arm makes it official—Jeff Passan is the best young baseball writer in America. This searing, meticulously reported account of the orthopedic revolution that began with Tommy John is must reading for every manager, general manager, pitcher and, most especially, every parent whose child has 100 mph dreams.” — Jane Leavy, New York Times best-selling author of The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood
“The best baseball book of the year… Jeff Passan spent several years in clubhouses and operating rooms to report The Arm. It’s a close, exceptionally well-written look into the game’s epidemic of ruptured elbow ligaments, and the hard fact that medical science still has no real answers for it.” — Boston Globe
“One of the most important books on baseball of the decade, a superbly researched and detailed look at the current ‘epidemic’ of arm injuries in the sport.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“ . . .A must-read for any sports dad or anxious Mets fan. A rating.” — Entertainment Weekly
“Jeff Passan’s The Arm is the real deal-a book that’s both readable as hell and that has something meaningful to say about the way the game works...This human element lends the book its propulsive quality, but every part is fascinating. The Arm is a must-read.” — BookPage Magazine
“This is the most important baseball book in years, not just for major league pitchers like me who had Tommy John surgery but for every parent who wants a child with a healthy arm. This is an epidemic that can be fixed, and The Arm is a great first step.” — John Smoltz, former Cy Young Award winner
‘Give[s] readers an insider’s perspective on the threat hanging over every player who takes the mound.” — Booklist
The best baseball book of the year… Jeff Passan spent several years in clubhouses and operating rooms to report The Arm. It’s a close, exceptionally well-written look into the game’s epidemic of ruptured elbow ligaments, and the hard fact that medical science still has no real answers for it.
‘Give[s] readers an insider’s perspective on the threat hanging over every player who takes the mound.
This is the most important baseball book in years, not just for major league pitchers like me who had Tommy John surgery but for every parent who wants a child with a healthy arm. This is an epidemic that can be fixed, and The Arm is a great first step.
. . .A must-read for any sports dad or anxious Mets fan. A rating.
In 1974, Major League pitcher Tommy John was the first to undergo a new surgical technique designed to repair career-ending ligament damage in baseball pitchers. Baseball fans who know little about the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) will learn from this deep dive into the mechanics of the arm. Narrator Kevin Pierce captures the struggles and triumphs of players determined to return to their careers after suffering the ubiquitous injury and undergoing what has become a common medical procedure in the Major Leagues. The author travels the globe to learn details of the pitching arm, players, scientists, doctors, and many others. Pierce’s varying tones help listeners understand the historical, physiological, and athletic ramifications of the game-changing surgery—now called “Tommy John surgery”—that has saved countless careers. M.B. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
