The Contrarian: Billy Beane is Merely Adequate

"The A's have put the finishing touches on a trade to net them All World outfielder Matt Holliday. So far the reaction from the baseball analyst community has been predictable: near-universal praise. And why shouldn't it be? Godman Billy Beane made the deal, after all. How Godman is he? Well, with Moneyball optioned for film, Brad Pitt is likely to play Beane. The man deals shirtless? We hope so! " http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3700269

about 3 years ago foulpole 4 comments 0 recs |

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Not guilty :-)

“The Rockies look to have pulled one over the A’s, big-time.”

Interesting article. It’s a question of managerial style, I think. Beane likes to keep the pot boiling with a team that’s always good enough to contend, rather than being great, while other franchises – hello, Marlins! – seem to prefer the boom and bust approach. Both have their merits and demerits.

by Jim McLennan on Nov 20, 2008 8:28 PM EST reply actions

I don't buy

that Smith and Street are going to boost Colorado’s pitching until it’s actually happening. The only bad thing for the A’s is that they have Holliday for a year, but I’m sure some stupid, desperate team will try and make a deal for him come trading deadline. If anything, I’d say this is a deal of epic blase, and neither side really pulled one over on the other.

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Nov 20, 2008 11:09 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah,

that’s pretty much where I’m at too — it seems like CO kinda got hosed, but the A’s got someone they simply didn’t need. I don’t know if Beane plans on letting him walk and getting the draft picks, or trading him to some desperate team right under the gun.

Meh. It’s a wash. Like so many things in life, the anticipation of a blockbuster Matt Holliday trade was waaay cooler than the real thing. OTOH, as a fan of a division rival of the Rox, I guess it worked out well for us.

"If the government's nuclear football ever were to fall into the wrong hands, Chris Horton would be called upon to intercept it on behalf of the Pentagon." -Kissing Suzy Kolber

by DbacksSkins on Nov 21, 2008 2:41 AM EST up reply actions

That article

is full of fluff the way I’d expect an ESPN the Mag article to be. It’s not hard-hitting enough to have actual substance of attack, and it’s not clever enough to be satire, though I’m sure Mr. Paulas tried hard for both.

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Nov 20, 2008 11:17 PM EST reply actions