Going, Going, Gone!

Long before free agency, arbitration, and no-trade clauses reshaped the game, swapping players in America's national pastime could be nearly as casual as trading baseball cards. Trades were easier to make when the reserve clause still bound players to their clubs.

Fran Zimniuch examines how trades have played out over the decades. He profiles many players whose teams later regretted sending them away, and he gathers perspectives from general managers and the players themselves.

The book includes a foreword by Fred Claire, former general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is aimed at baseball fans who want to know how the trade market has developed.