Tomorrow I'll Be Perfect

by Dave Stieb

This autobiography of one of baseball's most outstanding and controversial personalities features uncensored views on salaries, agents, pitching, life on the road, and the pressures of winning and losing.

Genres: Baseball, Sports

167 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're reading this and you somehow haven't watched Captain Ahab by Jon Bois of Secret Base on YouTube please do yourself a favor. I've never been so moved about inconsequential things that occurred before I was even aware of baseball as I have been by those videos.

This is kind of a scattered jumble of two different things. Part of it is a recitation of stats and events. The other part is deeper thoughts and musings on what it all means. The first is pretty boring. The second is the stuff we're really here for. I'm surprised how much was dedicated to a play by play of events, but considering how early in his career he was when he decided to write this maybe it was necessary since there wasn't a full career to see the arc of to put smaller things in a larger context.

The more introspective stuff runs the gammot of basic stuff about why he was such a hot head on the mound in his early years to the gems about Hall of Famers giving it all up for one more afteroon at the yard. I also liked a line about what could I do with $50 million that he couldn't do for half as much. The love letter to Old Comiskey Park was unexpected. I don't remember a lot of reminiscing about that park compared to others of its generation. I was also surprised about the lack of any mention of Jack Morris. There is mention of the Tigers but nothing about the Morris. There is some about the Royals which makes sense considering they were coming off an ALCS match up at the time. And of course ending on his first 9th inning blown no-hitter is the only way it could end.

I wish it were a better read. But honestly it is more consistent with his character to have that imperfection. Otherwise he wouldn't be Captain Ahab.

[Jeremy Pao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jon Bois, producer of the four-part web documentary on Dave Stieb, cites that Stieb had written his autobiography many years too early; that he had only written it before he'd come to know the biggest trials and tribulations to happen in his career. Stieb published the book prior to the 1986 season, a season riddled with injuries which in turn became his worst statistical season in his profoundly remarkable run as "Best Pitcher of the 80's".

On the surface, Stieb's recounting and reflection of his career on and off the field are retrospective but nowhere near damning or spicy. He's calm and collective, and well processed through Kevin Boland's words. However, there are moments in hid autobiography that are almost prophetic, especially knowing the trajectory of his career.

With the background knowledge of his career reading the book adds an eerie level of enjoyment, reading the words of a younger Stieb and contrasting them to the Stieb that followed is a wild experience only he can produce.

[Mr. X · Rating 5 out of 5]

After watching the “Captain Ahab” docuseries by Jon Bois and Alex Rubenstein (Secret Base on YouTube,) I found myself intrigued by the story of Dave Stieb. This book offers a fascinating insight into his career midway through his playing days, showing the struggles and triumphs a pitcher faces everytime he takes the mound. Stieb is very honest and forthcoming about his feelings and experiences on and off the field, making for a memorable commentary on a man who SHOULD be in the baseball hall of fame.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars is incredibly generous for the book but if you liked the Dave Steve documentary from secret base then it’s a quick read that adds to the myth of Captain Ahab.

[Don Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you were a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays from the beginning till the mid 1980's and in particular if you were a fan of Dave Stieb, then you will enjoy this book. Stieb was my favorite player back then. Almost every time he took to the mound, you knew that the game would be exciting especially for an expansion team that was building itself into a contender. Back then, expansion teams lost lots of games. The Jays lost 107 in 77, 102 in 78, 109 in 79 and 95 in 1980. They played in perhaps the worst ballpark in all of baseball. But they were our Jays. Expansion teams today like the Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL are stacked out of the gate, making the playoffs and winning championships.

Reading this book brought back so many fond memories for me. As a kid, I would get a copy of the paper schedule for the Jays and mark wins and losses for every game. I did this from 1981 through to 1994 after the Jays won back-to-back world championships. I remember going to old Exhibition Stadium and watching Dave Stieb pitch. My Dad got me as many $2.00 bleacher tickets as I wanted from his work. Kids would sit in the outfield and catch fly balls during batting practice. I never got a ball till later in life. I remember all of the players from back then. Solely from memory, they had John Mayberry at 1st, Damaso Garcia at 2nd, Alfredo Griffen and Tony Fenrandez at SS, Garth Iorg and Rance Mulliniks at 3rd, Ernie Whitt and Buck Martinez at catcher and an incredible outfield of George Bell, Lloyd Moseby and Jessie Barfield who had a cannon for an arm. Lastly, there was Otto Velez at DH referred to as Otto the Swatto.

Dave Stieb had a scruff demeanor. He did not seem like a very likeable person. This is in part because during his early years he was on the wrong side of contract negotiations meaning in 1980 he signed for an annual salary of only $55,000. He was also an amazing pitcher with high standards who played for a team that was working its way out of its expansion years. Stieb pitched many complete games and often threw up to 125 pitches in an outing. He had a lifetime ERA of 3.17 and a league best ERA of 2.48 in 1995. Certainly, deserving of a Cy Young award. I believe that his win loss record (99-80 lifetime) was sensational given where the team was in its building process which includes the strength or lack thereof of hitting and the bullpen. Today, starting pitchers rarely go over 100 pitches, have much higher ERA's and complete games are a rarity.

I am thankful for this book as it brought back so many memories from a time when baseball was different, when we were on the edge of our seats cheering for Stieb and this expansion team playing their hearts out in that crumby ballpark.

While baseball is timeless and while the game has certainly changed, it still stirs up the joy and excitement that it always had. Today (2026), I look at Dylan Cease as the modern-day Dave Stieb, pitching deep into ballgames and leaving the team in a strong position to win the game.

At times, I apply the intensity that Stieb brought to the ballpark to my workouts and my golf game and I often think "Tomorrow I'll be Perfect".

[Joe Seliske · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the early days of the Blue Jays, Dave Stieb was one of their most successful pitchers. I'll always remember people talking about his attitude with comments like, "No one is as good as Dave Stieb thinks he is." This book goes into great detail of some of the games in his early career and how the actions of he and his fellow players influenced the outcome of the games. It outlines the years from 1978 until 1985, far from the end of his career in 1993 or if you include the one-shot return in 1998. I prefer to read books about people when their careers are complete.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful and surprisingly emotional tale of what it was like to be a pitcher. Despite writing it so young, Stieb's autobiography remains candid in its views of baseball's complexity and randomness.

[Edward Helldorfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goat on glizzy

[Wyatt J. Beltz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Dave was ahead of his time in regards to the stats metrics that he talks about. He would have balled out if he was playing today.

[TheDenizen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short and pedestrian biography, really only of interest to anyone who was a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays in the mid 80's.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally got my hands on this autobiography of my childhood hero. Love the competitive fire, balanced with perspective.