Review: Baseball as a budget
Written by Cody Dulaney, Oct 11, 2011, 1 Comment
“Would I like this movie if I don’t care about baseball?” is a very relevant question in regard to the movie “Moneyball.”
Directed by Bennett Miller and released on Sept. 23, “Moneyball” was made for baseball fanatics, but also for those who enjoy an inspirational and comical film. The story does not have the sappy romance or Cinderella-story plot that is frequently portrayed in Hollywood sports blockbusters.
It’s about a former baseball player who was projected to be one of the best the game has ever seen. But he turned out less than average in his time and fell out. Years later, as General Manager of the Oakland A’s, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) set out to turn the odds of baseball in favor of the underdog.
It’s hard to succeed when limited on a budget, especially in a game where whoever has deeper pockets has a better chance of winning a championship. The rich teams get richer, the poor teams get poorer, and everyone in between remains in a rigorous stalemate throughout the season. After losing three of his top performers to higher salaries in New York and Boston, Beane knows he can’t afford talent to replace them, and he needs to change the way things are done.
He acquires a witty assistant in an economics major from Yale. To compete with big budget teams, Beane and Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), employ an unorthodox and controversial method of computer-generated analysis. The normal methodology of baseball scouting has been in practice since the beginning, and is based off biased judgments on personality and character.
Instead of analyzing each player as a person or how they look on the field, Beane and Brand analyze each player’s at-bat statistics. By using on-base-percentage and analyzing each pitch, one by one, they are able to project each player’s success rate—similar to counting cards at a blackjack table.
Using this technique, they organize a small budget team of misfits and washed-up players. When faced with persecution by fellow analysts and critics, the odd couple sticks together and holds strong to their belief system as their luck begins to take a turn for the better.
Baseball on a budget sounds awfully familiar to fans here in the Bay Area. Andrew Friedman, acting General Manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, was a student in finance, and used this system. This year for example, the Rays had one more win than Boston, and went to the playoffs against all odds—they also spent roughly $40 million less in payroll. Some players in “Moneyball,” based on the 2002 Athletics roster, also played for the Rays. Former relief pitcher Chad Bradford was a major role in the movie and spent two years with the Rays. He was said to be the most undervalued pitcher, but was overlooked because “he looks and throws funny.” Other Rays players like Carlos Peña and Johnny Damon were mentioned as well.
Other than prolonged flashbacks to Billy Beane’s playing days, to show how his view on the game is slightly skewed in comparison to other scouts, the film is comical and entertaining. “Moneyball” has an engaging storyline with two characters who have great on-screen chemistry. To the die-hard baseball fans, this is a must see—that is, if you haven’t already bought your ticket.
Image courtesy of Sony Pictures
Wow the article made me want to go see the movie.