Painting the Corners: A Collection of Off-Center Baseball Fiction

Bob Weintraub’s marvelous collection of baseball stories goes directly to the core of what the game does for us when we watch it being played on the field, and shows how its heroes and villains can reach into our lives and remain a part of us for the rest of our days. The stories are told from various perspectives, including those of the player, manager, general manager, coach, scout, owner, writer, broadcaster, and fan.

In “Knuckleball,” a manager is beside himself when he can’t let his sta...