Money Ball the movie

It feels like Beane was a one-trick pony, and when everyone caught onto that trick, he didn't have anything else to go to. I'm wondering if he's analogous to the novelist who basically has one book in him. A great one, but just one book.

 

The A's are bad primarily because their owner is pulling the "Major League" strategy of intentionally failing in order to get out of that stadium and that market. They make money every year just like the Pirates and Marlins do. They also make no effort to present a decent fan experience, hoping that the numbers will show that they are in an unworkable situation in Oakland and can build a new ballpark in downtown San Jose, which is now the Giants' territory. If they don't get to move, they will sell; and if baseball ever seriously considers contraction again, the A's will be the first ones to raise their hands.

Billy has made some less-than-wise moves lately. But the atmosphere around the whole team is just pathetic, and it will be until the stadium/ownership situation changes.

 

I've been to a game there. I've never had a worse baseball experience. Just brutal.

 

I can't wait for the sequel:

No Moneybawl II: The NBA

 

Anderson set him up with a team in the verge of greatness and he turned it into one of the worst teams in baseball. There has never been a GM that has lasted as long as he has -since five years and counting - without a winning season. The only remarkable thing Beans has done since 2002 is promoting himself and his theories.

 

Facts are hard: Branch Rickey was the Pirates' GM for five seasons, 1951-55, and his team's BEST season in that run was 64-90 in 1951.

Hell, just sticking with the low-hanging Bucs:

Cam Bonifay, GM, Pirates, 1993-2001 ... nine losing seasons in a row.
Dave Littlefield, GM, Pirates, 2001-2007 ... seven losing seasons in a row.

There's plenty more examples of guys who did a lot worse than Beane.

 

The Kingdome, pre-1995, or The Trop, pre-2008, get my vote.

 

So only a couple more years and Beane will be in the running for worst GM ever?

 

Not while Randy Smith breathes.

 

Obviously you never went to Anaheim Stadium in the early 1990s.

 

Really, was there a single dual-purpose 1960s stadium that was a good place to watch a baseball game? The Vet, Riverfront, Three Rivers, Busch II, Atlanta, The Murph, RFK, Candlestick all are on the list, as well.

But there's a special place in hell for those miserable domes.

 

Busch had character with the arches at the top of the stadium, and eventually the Cardinals hall of fame of sorts in the center field upper deck.