I'm sure many of you caught this little conversation during tonight's ALCS Game 1 broadcast on Fox during the top of the 5th inning.
Steve Lyons: "They [the A's] just do an outstanding job in their scouting department with Billy Beane and being able to spend the money that they have here - spend it well. They don't have alot of it but they know how to spend it."
Lou Pinella: "So you like Moneyball then?"
Steve Lyons: "I like some of the philosophies of Moneyball. I say give me a baseball player, give me a guy who plays baseball. Just like Billy Beane said, I was a great athlete, I wasn't a good player."
Then the inning ended. Although time didn't allow any real explication of exactly what Lyons likes and doesn't like, I like the fact that Lyons is implying that scouting based only on tools is shortsighted just as scouting based only on undervalued skills or one dimensional skills also has its problems. The tone of the question from Pinella however, seemed just a little confrontational and Lyons responded well since it didn't appear he knew it was coming.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Lyons on Moneyball, Sort Of
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1 comment:
It's not just Lou Pinella that does not like Moneyball or Billy Beane. I believe the paperback version of Moneyball devotes a whole chapter to the negative reaction of the club of baseball insiders.
By the way, I think we met in the upper deck of Coors field, one rainy day in 2005, and discussed Bill James and Billy Beane.
I said that a Coors field team was never going to win, because it is too hard on pitchers, and that the best strategy was lots of sluggers.
You suggested that the humidor equalized things. I said that the humidor is a method of cheating by management.
Anyway, whether we've met or not, I enjoy your blog.
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