OT: Moneyball

[Diamondback Jay]

...has been released today on DVD.

Anyone see it? Worth the investment/time?

 

[SunsTzu]

I thought it was ok. I wouldn't recommend buying it but it's worth watching.

 

[BC867]

I saw it in the movies. 'Not a work of art and followed by controversy but, as any movie based on a factual situation, it was interesting to see the details of Billy Beane's approach and how it brought success to the A's.

And I am a lifelong National League fan who won't sit through any A.L. game.

 

[TigToad]

I really enjoyed it, a lot more than I expected to. I'm thinking about buying it, I'd definitely watch it again.

 

[FArting]

It was a good movie.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

It was a very good movie, worth watching for sure.

 

[azsouthendzone]

Like it a lot. Good flick. Baseball movies are the best.

 

[crisper57]

Great movie, but flawed. Seriously overlooks that the A's had the best young rotation in baseball. But it is a good cliff note's intro to the concept for those who always wondered what it was.

 

[Mulli]

Great movie, but flawed. Seriously overlooks that the A's had the best young rotation in baseball. But it is a good cliff note's intro to the concept for those who always wondered what it was.

Exactly! And how has getting rid of that rotation worked out?

 

[crisper57]

I for one am glad Billy Beane remained in Oakland. I look forward to Kevin Towers wearing him out on one-sided trades for years to come.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Exactly! And how has getting rid of that rotation worked out?

Considering Mulder couldn't remain healthy after getting traded (for a nice ransom, which included a young Dan Haren) and Zito has been a $126 million dollar nightmare for the Giants, I'd say it worked out just fine.

 

[Mulli]

Considering Mulder couldn't remain healthy after getting traded (for a nice ransom, which included a young Dan Haren) and Zito has been a $126 million dollar nightmare for the Giants, I'd say it worked out just fine.

Really? In terms of wins? And Hudson? And what do they have to show for Haren?

Quite the shell game in Oakland.

 

[Gaddabout]

Art Howe is sorely misportrayed. Not by the acting (which Hoffman was so dead-on it was almost distracting), but the writing and editing. Howe deserves a to be remembered in a better light. Dude managed over 2,000 games and won over 1,000 of them, which puts him in the Top 50 of all time. Loved his players, was never over-the-top. Just a good man for baseball all the way around.

 

[Mulli]

Art Howe is sorely misportrayed. Not by the acting (which Hoffman was so dead-on it was almost distracting), but the writing and editing. Howe deserves a to be remembered in a better light. Dude managed over 2,000 games and won over 1,000 of them, which puts him in the Top 50 of all time. Loved his players, was never over-the-top. Just a good man for baseball all the way around.

And Art Howe is tall and athletic.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Really? In terms of wins? And Hudson? And what do they have to show for Haren?

Quite the shell game in Oakland.

Kiko Calero was one of their better bullpen arms in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Also, verdict is still out on Daric Barton, who at 26 finds himself still in Oakland's plans.

What they have to show for Haren: Brett Anderson, who likely goes in to 2012 as Oakland's #2 and has pitched ok for himself so far. They also got Vernon "Chris" Carter, who has some pretty nice upside and is one of the better 1B/DH prospects in baseball. Of course, Cargo was part of the deal, although the best way you can judge the return of this deal is to watch how Michael Taylor does, because Cargo was traded in a package for Holliday, who was traded in a package deal for Brett Wallace, who was in turn traded for Taylor.

My point is, of the Big 3, they're hurting long term by losing none of them. They made out well in the Mulder deal, and frankly Zito is the move Brian Sabean wishes he never made. Hudson's been good, but he's another who can't seem to stay healthy.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

And Art Howe is tall and athletic.

And Paul DePodesta... Errrr.. Peter Brand is an ex-athlete, well spoken and pretty sociable; unlike the socially awkward, short, chubby, non-athletic bookworm as Jonah Hill played him as in the movie

 

[Mulli]

Kiko Calero was one of their better bullpen arms in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Also, verdict is still out on Daric Barton, who at 26 finds himself still in Oakland's plans.

What they have to show for Haren: Brett Anderson, who likely goes in to 2012 as Oakland's #2 and has pitched ok for himself so far. They also got Vernon "Chris" Carter, who has some pretty nice upside and is one of the better 1B/DH prospects in baseball. Of course, Cargo was part of the deal, although the best way you can judge the return of this deal is to watch how Michael Taylor does, because Cargo was traded in a package for Holliday, who was traded in a package deal for Brett Wallace, who was in turn traded for Taylor.

My point is, of the Big 3, they're hurting long term by losing none of them. They made out well in the Mulder deal, and frankly Zito is the move Brian Sabean wishes he never made. Hudson's been good, but he's another who can't seem to stay healthy.

Just moving prospects is never going to win in that division. Right now they are a borderline AAAA team.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Athletics#Season_records

No winning record since 2006? Great.

 

[Dback Jon]

Just moving prospects is never going to win in that division. Right now they are a borderline AAAA team.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Athletics#Season_records

No winning record since 2006? Great.

And until they get the new stadium, that is the best they can hope for

 

[Mulli]

And until they get the new stadium, that is the best they can hope for

Can't wait for the sequel.

 

[crisper57]

And until they get the new stadium, that is the best they can hope for

I bet the Raiders move out and the A's become the only tenants of the building before they ever get a new stadium for themselves.

 

[Bert]

And Paul DePodesta... Errrr.. Peter Brand is an ex-athlete, well spoken and pretty sociable; unlike the socially awkward, short, chubby, non-athletic bookworm as Jonah Hill played him as in the movie

I saw Jonah Hill talking about that on some show. He said the guy he was playing looks nothing like him but they went that way for cinematic effect, his appearance made him seem like even more of an outsider that baseball guys were even less likely to listen to.

You know Hollywood, they gotta spell everything out for the audience cuz they're afraid we're all morons who dont get it.

"Hey, that guy is tall and good looking, surely they would listen to his 'moneyball' ideas!!! Oh wait he's short and fat? Yeah that's better, there's no way anyone would listen to that dork!"

 

[DWKB]

1) Does Sandy Alderson have a roll in the movie? He really is the catalyst of the Oakland A's use of sabermetrics.

2) You want to see what Beane can to with a budget, just look at the Red Sox from 2003 on....

 

[crisper57]

1) Does Sandy Alderson have a roll in the movie? He really is the catalyst of the Oakland A's use of sabermetrics.

Don't recall him being referenced.

2) You want to see what Beane can to with a budget, just look at the Red Sox from 2003 on....
You just gave away the last line of the movie...

See my responses above.

 

[Gaddabout]

1) Does Sandy Alderson have a roll in the movie? He really is the catalyst of the Oakland A's use of sabermetrics.

He was effectively rolled into the Peter Brand/DePodesta character (Ivy League grad/non-baseball), and the timeline was changed for the character. I think Alderson left the A's in the late 90s after 3 years or so of sabremetrics. Alderson is the one who built that late 80s monster. He was definitely a great GM. He also knew how to draft and project, with or without sabremetrics.

 

[McCutchenistheTruth]

Can't wait for the sequel.

Hahaha. Decent movie. Book was better.