Moneyball

[Al Falfa]

Saw the movie this afternoon. If you haven't seen it you have missed a good one.

 

[Hambombs]

Saw the movie this afternoon. If you haven't seen it you have missed a good one.

Planning on seeing it tuesday after the game.

 

[dmc0015]

It is a really good film. I always question how accurate films like this are though. I'm not sure you can truly say that the Red Sox won the WS because they used Moneyball tactics. It was part of it, but they also had a pretty nice payroll that year.

 

[Al Falfa]

It is a really good film. I always question how accurate films like this are though. I'm not sure you can truly say that the Red Sox won the WS because they used Moneyball tactics. It was part of it, but they also had a pretty nice payroll that year.

I don't recall ever hearing of the Red Sox using the moneyball approach. Also, the A's had some pretty good starting pitching that sort of got left out.

Heard a guy behind me ask someone as we were leaving the theater, "I wonder if the movie was based on a true story?" Obviously not a baseball fan.

 

[powerchord86]

Great movie. Every true baseball fan should see it.

 

[powerchord86]

I don't recall ever hearing of the Red Sox using the moneyball approach. Also, the A's had some pretty good starting pitching that sort of got left out.

Heard a guy behind me ask someone as we were leaving the theater, "I wonder if the movie was based on a true story?" Obviously not a baseball fan.

LOL!

 

[jaar01]

It was entertaining. Not a single mention of Zito, Mulder and Hudson though. And they played a huge part in the A's success. And Boston did use some of the tactics by acquiring high OBP players but still spent like drunken sailors.

 

[jta4437]

I don't recall ever hearing of the Red Sox using the moneyball approach. Also, the A's had some pretty good starting pitching that sort of got left out.

Heard a guy behind me ask someone as we were leaving the theater, "I wonder if the movie was based on a true story?" Obviously not a baseball fan.

I've heard some stuff that the Red Sox use it a bit in scouting players, but not in approach to necessarily to build a ML team as they have the resources to puruse the players they want

That said look at the types they get Youk, Pedroia, Gonzalez all fit that patient at the plate approach, but certainly aren't the feast or famine types that the A's tend to get stuck with

 

[AGZBASEBALL]

A Good Movie. But way over simplistic. Sure it was way more heated between the Billy Beane and the Scouts than the movie showed. Also when you trade or release a player its not as simple as the movie showed it either. Sometime they start yelling and shouting. Also having Pitchers like Mulder, Zito, and Hudson didn't hurt either. The A's played in a pitchers park and they did have power guys like Chavez, Tegada, Durazo who could hit the Home Run. And it was during the Steroids Era also.

 

[dmc0015]

A Good Movie. But way over simplistic. Sure it was way more heated between the Billy Beane and the Scouts than the movie showed. Also when you trade or release a player its not as simple as the movie showed it either. Sometime they start yelling and shouting. Also having Pitchers like Mulder, Zito, and Hudson didn't hurt either. The A's played in a pitchers park and they did have power guys like Chavez, Tegada, Durazo who could hit the Home Run. And it was during the Steroids Era also.

I did wonder if it was as easy as, "I'm trading Pena. I need a reliever..... Okay. Deal."

 

[Ginger]

Boston uses the same "moneyball" approach that NYY use. It is called drafting kids that fall in the draft due to "signability" issues thereby always getting top notch prospects. It is also called throwing stacks and stacks of money at the very best free agents available. When somebody flops you just go out and sign 2 more to take his place.

 

[Ginger]

LOL!

Are we convinced that it actually is based on a "true" story. I am certainly not. I think there is probably a heck of a lot of 1/2 truths in that book. A whole lot of self aggrandizement and credit hogging and a whole lot of minimizing the contributions others made to the success of the A's during their great but ultimately completely unsuccessful run of playoff appearances.

People need to remember that when LaRussa and company were running the show in Oakland they went to the playoffs all the time and they actually WON playoff series and a World Series championship. For all the trades, player turnover, steroid needles and great pitching they really don't have much to show for it. No World Series appearances and no fans. I don't know what they did to drive the fans away but until that team gets a clue those fans aren't coming back, ever.

 

[powerchord86]

It is based on a true story just like many movies have been. However, they usually are not word for word exactly what happened. Nothing new there.

 

[Ginger]

It is based on a true story just like many movies have been. However, they usually are not word for word exactly what happened. Nothing new there.

I guess you are not understanding what I am saying. I think the book and Beane's career is largely a work of fiction and salesmanship. He is a good GM, no doubt. He didn't do it alone and they didn't do it without good scouting either.

You think they discovered all of those great pitchers and all of those great hitters without scouting them. How about those latin kids like Tejada? Did they pick that kid up based on stats? How many of the really good players were leftovers from the previous regime? How many were acquired via trade when they tore the thing to the ground and started over?

Now I am as big a proponent of statistical analysis, when done correctly, as anyone but you cannot tell me that you can evaluate how good a player is going to be in the future based on today's performance especially against inferior competition. You need to know the measurables. You need to know a kids size, strength, the velocity of his pitches, what his swing looks like, how fast the kid is, what kind of range he has in the field, etc. All of these things are acquired through scouting. I am calling BS on all of it. Just freaking marketing and glory hounding.

 

[Al Falfa]

I guess you are not understanding what I am saying. I think the book and Beane's career is largely a work of fiction and salesmanship. He is a good GM, no doubt. He didn't do it alone and they didn't do it without good scouting either.

You think they discovered all of those great pitchers and all of those great hitters without scouting them. How about those latin kids like Tejada? Did they pick that kid up based on stats? How many of the really good players were leftovers from the previous regime? How many were acquired via trade when they tore the thing to the ground and started over?

Now I am as big a proponent of statistical analysis, when done correctly, as anyone but you cannot tell me that you can evaluate how good a player is going to be in the future based on today's performance especially against inferior competition. You need to know the measurables. You need to know a kids size, strength, the velocity of his pitches, what his swing looks like, how fast the kid is, what kind of range he has in the field, etc. All of these things are acquired through scouting. I am calling BS on all of it. Just freaking marketing and glory hounding.

So, what did you think of Titanic?

 

[powerchord86]

LOL

 

[AGZBASEBALL]

One thing for sure. Art Howe is not Very Big Fan of Moneyball. I am also sure He didn't like how He was Portrayed in the Film.