America's Game in the Wild-Card Era

Bryan Soderholm-Difatte is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research and a regular contributor to The Baseball Research Journal. He is the author of The Golden Era of Major League Baseball: A Time of Transition and Integration, America’s Game: A History of Major League Baseball through World War II, Tumultuous Times in America’s Game: From Jackie Robinson’s Breakthrough to the War over Free Agency, and The Reshaping of America's Game: Major League Baseball after the Players' Strike,all published by Rowman & Littlefield.

The game of baseball has been around for well over a hundred years and in that time, it has endured both success and criticism. More specifically, the modern era, which is also called the “wild card era,” has experienced a series of highs and lows. In 1994, Major League Baseball suffered through a player’s strike and, since then, has sought to recuperate and become more dynamic than ever. In this detailed look at the last 25 years of the sport, baseball historian Soderholm-Diffate (Tumultuous Times in America’s Game) takes readers through the wild card era’s many struggles and triumphs. Moments such as the unbelievable pitching trio of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz of the 1990s Atlanta Braves; the return of the championship of the Chicago Cubs; the struggles of the New York Yankees; the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, and more are highlighted throughout. The author also considers the legacy of dynasties such as the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox, and their paths to the World Series over the years. Baseball fans actively following the sport in the 1990s and 2000s will greatly appreciate this fantastic book and its detailed insight.

• Author’s NoteIntroduction: Back to Baseball—The Wild-Card Paradigm ShiftPart I: Return to ActionTrio of Aces Front the Always-First BravesReturn of the Yankees’ Forever Dynasty Cleveland’s Runaway Central Train The End of the Dodgers’ O’Malley Era The Bottom 25 % Part II: Wrestling With HistoryWild Card World Series Cubs Lose: Blame It On Bartman? Yankees “Apocalypse Now” Becomes Red Sox Resurrection Mets Meltdowns Phillies Flip the ’64 Script Baseball Back in Washington Part III: Navigating the Competitive LandscapeThe Cardinals Longevity Reboot Breaking Through in the AL East Giants and Red Sox Rollercoaster Dynasties Mets Meltdowns: The Superheroes Hubris Episodes Part IV: Paradigm ShiftsCubs Climate Change in Chicago; Droughts Continue Elsewhere Houston’s Cheatskates: A Dynasty’s Self-Inflicted Wound “Wait ‘Til Next Year” Comes to L.A. Not the Same Steinbrenner: The Yankees’ Long Road Back to “Forever” EPILOGUE: Baseball in the Year of CoronavirusQuotes and NotesBibliographyIndexAbout the Author