With the new baseball season approaching, the latest baseball books are starting to appear on the doorstep. Satch, Dizzy, and Rapid Robert: The Wild Saga of Interracial Baseball Before Jackie Robinson tells the story of integrated barnstorming in the decade before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. The book centers on three outstanding pitchers. Satchel Paige first performed against Dizzy Dean, then when Dean fell to injury, Bob Feller.

John Thorn, the new official baseball historian, brings us Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game, which examines the true pedigree of the game, exposing the seamy underside of the early game.

Campy: The Two Lives of Roy Campanella tells the story of the baseball life of the first black catcher in the majors, and the life of the paralyzed man working with doctors on new rehabilitation techniques that helped him regain limited motion.

Finally, The Extra 2% comes out Tuesday, and tells the story of the rise of the Tampa Bay Rays. I’m told author Jonah Keri included my getting fined by the Tampa Bay club for calling them the Devil Rays after they changed the name to Rays.

All four books are available for the Kindle Wireless Reading Device as well.