Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game

Billy Beane, the protagonist of Michael Lewis's Moneyball and general manager of the Oakland A's of Major League Baseball, had a challenge: how to win in the Major Leagues with a budget that is less than almost every other team's? For a long time, it was believed that well-known players, very athletic batters, and young pitchers with long arms were the keys to success. However, Beane and his staff felt that more economical strategies, such using pitchers who get a lot of ground outs and hitters with a high on-base percentage, might produce victories. They were supported in this belief by enormous volumes of meticulously analyzed statistical data. With this knowledge and a limited budget, Beane disregarded convention and the advice of his own scouting staff to assemble successful teams from youthful, reasonably priced players and cheap veteran castoffs.

Lewis gives excellent play-by-play and was in the room with the A's senior management throughout the summer of 2002 as they added and subtracted players. Beane got practically every prospect he wanted in the June player draft (few of whom were desired by other clubs), and he fought a nerve-wracking struggle to obtain a lefty bullpen at the July trade deadline. In addition to being one of the most insider baseball narratives ever written, Moneyball is full with interesting personalities. Meet Jeremy Brown, the overweight collegiate catcher whom Beane selects in the first round of the draft but most clubs predict to choose in the fifteenth round. Chad Bradford, a sidearm pitcher, is acquired from the White Sox triple-A team to serve as a crucial setup man, while Scott Hatteberg, a catcher, is reconstructed to play first base. But Beane is the most fascinating figure of all. A quick-thinking, athletic, can't-miss talent who nonetheless fell short, Beane recasts himself as a master of the front office, depending on players who aren't at all like, say, Billy Beane. Moneyball is a compelling book for both businesspeople and sports enthusiasts because Lewis, one of the best nonfiction writers of his day (Liar's Poker, The New New Thing), provides very understandable explanations of baseball statistics and a roadmap of Beane's economic strategy. --Moe John