Moneyball

[BrianMonk]

My wife comes home Fri night after a movie and says, "Hey there's another movie we can go see together."

What is it I ask?

Wife, "I think Dirtball"

I was watching the entertaining Mizzwho vs. Az. football game so I just leave it at that and don't follow up with.....what???

Sunday I find a book on the bed called....Moneyball.

I ask if that's the movie and she says yes.

I told her I already had the book but it's definately a movie I want to see.

Just an FYI, the book is something Patrick Murphy recommended a few years ago at a clinic and it is a very good read.

I'm hoping the movie will be the same.

 

[Greenmonsters]

My wife comes home Fri night after a movie and says, "Hey there's another movie we can go see together."

What is it I ask?

Wife, "I think Dirtball"

I was watching the entertaining Mizzwho vs. Az. football game so I just leave it at that and don't follow up with.....what???

Sunday I find a book on the bed called....Moneyball.

I ask if that's the movie and she says yes.

I told her I already had the book but it's definately a movie I want to see.

Just an FYI, the book is something Patrick Murphy recommended a few years ago at a clinic and it is a very good read.

I'm hoping the movie will be the same.

Your wife is awesome, but you'd better hope she doesn't take a shining to the "Greek God of Walks"

 

[Izzy's Dad]

I don't know what to think about ZOU. Franklin is discouraging. Where's our #10 ranked defense? And freezing our kicker? Uncharacteristic of Pinkel.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Moneyball is a good book if you have any interest in how the A's built a winning team despite lower payrolls and revenues, though it may be a bit dated now. It did show how the A's at the time were ahead of the curve in using advanced statistics. I loved the chapter about how many runs they figured Johnny Damon saved in CF, nothing like UZR (if you are into baseball sabemetrics) was readlly available at the time and I found it facinating how they broke it out.

Michael Lewis is also a very good writer so it was quick enjoyable read.

I'll probably wait for the DVD to come out but I am looking forward to eventually seeing moneyball the movie.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Moneyball opened my eyes to the importance of on base percentage and changed how I built my line-ups. I stopped focusing on AVG and started focusing on OBP. One year my lead-off guy had maybe 5 hits all year. However, he led off because he usually drew 2 BBs and/or HBPs per game.

If I had been managing by AVG, this kid would have hit last and it would have cost me 1 to 2 runs per game.

As I tell my kids, "I don't care HOW you get on base. Just get on base."

 

[Ken Krause]

I also read Moneyball a few years ago on the recommendation of a friend, and found it fascinating as well. It also changed my thinking in some areas (although I will admit I am still a fan of stolen bases).

Definitely looking forward to the movie. It looks like they took an appropriately lighthearted approach to it.

 

[Greenmonsters]

For those wanting something a little meatier about the utility and history of BB stats, check out Alan Schwarz's The Numbers Game: Baseball's lifelong fascination with statistics Unless you're a complete stats/math geek, its best read a chapter at a time.

.

 

[RichK]

Methinks your wife might like Brad Pitt more than baseball : >

 

[knightsb]

Methinks your wife might like Brad Pitt more than baseball : >

I just saw the trailer and was thinking the same thing ;-)

 

[absdad]

I don't know what to think about ZOU. Franklin is discouraging. Where's our #10 ranked defense? And freezing our kicker? Uncharacteristic of Pinkel.

Pinkel said that he intentionally did that; was trying to draw a particular ASU player off, who didn't seem to draw the refs eye.