Buzz Saw, Jesse Dougherty
Buzz Saw, Jesse Dougherty
1 Rating(s)
List: $25.99 | Sale: $18.20
Club: $12.99

Buzz Saw
The Improbable Story of How the Washington Nationals Won the World Series

Author: Jesse Dougherty

Narrator: Angelo Di Loreto

Unabridged: 9 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/24/2020


Synopsis

The remarkable story of the 2019 World Series champion Washington Nationals told by the Washington Post writer who followed the team most closely.

By May 2019, the Washington Nationals—owners of baseball’s oldest roster—had one of the worst records in the majors and just a 1.5 percent chance of winning the World Series. Yet by blending an old-school brand of baseball with modern analytics, they managed to sneak into the playoffs and put together the most unlikely postseason run in baseball history. Not only did they beat the Houston Astros, the team with the best regular-season record, to claim the franchise’s first championship—they won all four games in Houston, making them the first club to ever win four road games in a World Series.

“You have a great year, and you can run into a buzz saw,” Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg told Washington Post beat writer Jesse Dougherty after the team advanced to the World Series. “Maybe this year we’re the buzz saw.” Dougherty followed the Nationals more closely than any other writer in America, and in Buzz Saw he recounts the dramatic year in vivid detail, taking readers inside the dugout, the clubhouse, the front office, and ultimately the championship parade.

Yet he does something more than provide a riveting retelling of the season: he makes the case that while there is indisputable value to Moneyball-style metrics, baseball isn’t just a numbers game. Intangibles like team chemistry, veteran experience, and childlike joy are equally essential to winning. Certainly, no team seemed to have more fun than the Nationals, who adopted the kids’ song “Baby Shark” as their anthem and regularly broke into dugout dance parties. Buzz Saw is just as lively and rollicking—a fitting tribute to one of the most exciting, inspiring teams to ever take the field.

About Jesse Dougherty

Jesse Dougherty is the Washington Nationals beat reporter for The Washington Post, and previously covered college athletics, high school sports, and the Washington Capitals. Before joining The Washington Post in February 2017, he briefly covered the NHL for the Los Angeles Times. Jesse was born in Philadelphia and graduated from Syracuse University.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jen

Brilliant blend of the season as it unfolded with back stories prior unknown/untold before this book. The back and forth is captivating and recreated the emotional roller coaster of the season better than I had even hoped for. This is a page turner for Nationals fans as well as anyone who loves base......more

Goodreads review by Ed

What do you do when major league baseball is on hold due to the Covid virus? This lively account of the Washington National's improbable winning the 2019 World Series helps a lot. We learn personal things about the different players. I personally feel like the players shouldn't take the field again......more

Goodreads review by Nick

Obviously biased as both a Nationals fan and Syracuse grad, but I truly feel Jesse has written a phenomenal account of the Nationals bizarre, incredible season. Great backstories of both the players and front office staff, interwoven wonderfully with the drama of the baseball season. Captures all th......more

Goodreads review by Carly

3.75 stars. While I obviously love the subject matter, being rushed to print meant it was poorly edited. Still, a fun read!......more


Quotes

"This well-timed audiobook details what it took for the Washington Nationals to overcome a more than sluggish start and turn into a cohesive unit that became the first team to win four road games in a World Series. Angelo Di Loreto brings gravitas and a genuinely interested tone to his narration. He provides emotion when appropriate—so when a player shouts over a controversial play, Di Loreto raises his voice. When someone is introspective, his tone shifts quietly. The book's strength is the author's knowledge of the background of the players—Dougherty covers the Nationals for THE WASHINGTON POST. These short biographical portraits, coupled with Di Loreto's deep, serious voice, help the interested listeners understand what this team is about."