Intangibles: Unlocking the Science and Soul of Team Chemistry

Sports analytics may have turned “team chemistry” into a nostalgic relic, argues sportswriter Ryan (Little Girls in Pretty Boxes), but as he shows in this fascinating mix of reportage and clinical research, it has great value for a team’s success. Ryan explores the psychiatry undergirding team chemistry (“Everything about another person is contagious,” a psychiatrist tells Ryan), as well as the physiology behind it (the hormone oxytocin is released when people show trust in another, prompting the recipient to be trustworthy and generous in return). The sheer belief that a team performs better with a certain player can actually improve performance, Ryan writes, citing the 2013 Red Sox’s love of utility outfielder Jonny Gomes, a mid-level player who’s dedication inspired the World Series-winning team. Ryan identifies seven archetypes that can lead to a team’s success (among them “The Warrior” and “The Jester”), and real-life players who embody the qualities of each, including “Super-Carrier” Gomes, who possessed a blue-collar toughness and an earnest desire to improve his play. However, Ryan notes, games are still played by people who need to be fully invested and fine-tuned: “There are so many interdependent parts that a change in one can cause a web-like cascade of changes throughout the whole system.” Ryan’s cogent, persuasive effort will give sports fans much food for thought. (Apr.)