Billy Beane

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It's all about evaluating skills and putting a price on them. Thirty years ago, stockbrokers used to buy stock strictly by feel. Let's put it this way: Anyone in the game with a 401(k) has a choice. They can choose a fund manager who manages their retirement by gut instinct, or one who chooses by research and analysis. I know which way I'd choose.

Billy Beane [42]

While "Moneyball" had already changed how MLB players were valued, Beane had begun concentrating on high school players, a group he once largely ignored, in the MLB draft, considering them to be heavily undervalued. [42] He and other like-minded GMs also changed their draft strategies to focus more on defensive skills, which became undervalued in the years immediately after the Moneyball revolution. This new emphasis on defense was displayed in the 2010 season; although the Athletics finished at .500 and again missed the playoffs, they led MLB in defensive efficiency, measured as the percentage of balls put into play by opponents that resulted in outs, and allowed the fewest runs in the AL. [45] In February 2012, the Athletics extended Beane's contract through 2019. [46] In the 2012 season, the Athletics again made the playoffs under Beane, winning the AL West title on the last day of the regular season. The Athletics returned to the playoffs in 2013 by winning the American League West division title again, the team's first back-to-back division championships since the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

On October 5, 2015, the Athletics announced that Beane had been promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations. Assistant GM David Forst assumed the job of general manager. [47] In November 2022, Beane transitioned into a new role as senior advisor to owner John Fisher, and Forst became the new head of baseball operations. [1]

Activities outside baseball

Soccer

When the Athletics ownership group agreed to purchase the reincarnation of the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer, Beane, who has expressed a passion for soccer, began developing a system for objectively analyzing soccer players. He has agreed to help the Earthquakes front office develop a method for building a cost-effective team, as the salary cap in MLS is even more restrictive than the Athletics status as a small-market team in Major League Baseball. [48] However, a system has yet to be implemented.

Beane has regarded Arsenal's former manager Arsène Wenger as a personal idol. Beane has held discussions with Wenger, former Manchester United F.C. manager Alex Ferguson, and Liverpool F.C. owner John W. Henry. [49] His friendship with ex-Arsenal scout Damien Comolli and Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke allowed him to delve deep into the world of English soccer. [50]

In March 2015, the Dutch soccer club AZ Alkmaar, under general director Robert Eenhoorn, a former major leaguer, hired Beane as an advisor. [51] He became a shareholder of the club five years later. acquiring a 5% stake in 2020. [52] On December 19, 2017, Beane became part of a consortium led by Chien Lee to purchase Barnsley Football Club, which plays in the EFL League One, the third tier of the English football league system. [53] [54]

Software industry

On January 4, 2007, the software company NetSuite named Beane to its board of directors; NetSuite co-founder Evan Goldberg cited Beane's ability to combine facts with instinct. [55] Beane also served as a consultant for, and appears in, the video game MLB Front Office Manager . [56] [57]

Moneyball

Author Michael Lewis' 2003 best-selling book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, explores Beane's methods as the GM of the Athletics and how he, along with Paul DePodesta, [58] used sabermetric principles to field a winning team despite an exceptionally low payroll. The book and Beane's methods influenced the way many teams and players think about the game of baseball. [59]

The book was made into the 2011 film Moneyball , [42] in which Beane was portrayed by Brad Pitt, whose performance earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

Personal life

Beane's first marriage was to Cathy Sturdivant. The couple has a daughter, Casey Beane.

Beane is married to Tara Beane. [60] The couple have twins, Brayden and Tinsley Beane. [42] [61]

Beane attended the University of California, San Diego during the baseball off-seasons of his playing career. [62]

Notes

  1. ↑ The list's only other MLB executives were Theo Epstein (No. 3) and Pat Gillick (No. 7). [44]

References

Bibliography

  • Lewis, Michael D. (2003). Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. New York: W. W. Norton. ISBN   0-393-05765-8.

In-line citations

  1. 1 2 "A's architect Beane takes on new role as senior advisor". www.mlb.com. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Billy Beane takes minority stake in AZ". www.az.nl. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  3. ↑ Jenkins, Chris (December 8, 2014). "Billy Beane a baseball brainiac". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  4. ↑ Krasovic, Tom (September 23, 2011). "'Moneyball' revolution has ties to San Diego". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Moneyball. p. 66.
  6. ↑ "Oakland A's: Executive Profiles: Billy Beane". Mlb.mlb.com. October 17, 1997. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  7. ↑ Moneyball. p. 7.
  8. 1 2 Moneyball. p. 9.
  9. 1 2 Moneyball. p. 10.
  10. ↑ "Mets get first grab". The Bonham Daily Favorite. United Press International. June 3, 1980. p. 3. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  11. ↑ Moneyball. pp. 10–11.
  12. ↑ Moneyball. p. 11.
  13. ↑ Moneyball. pp. 12–137.
  14. ↑ Moneyball. p. 43.
  15. 1 2 Moneyball. p. 44.
  16. ↑ Moneyball. p. 45.
  17. ↑ Moneyball. pp. 46–47.
  18. ↑ "Twins Trade Tim Teufel". The Michigan Daily . Associated Press. January 17, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Mets Trade for Twins' Teufel; Stadler, Mize Share Hope Lead". Sun Sentinel . January 17, 1986. p. 2C. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Brackin, Dennis (March 21, 1987). "Beane's battle". Minneapolis Star Tribune . p. 3D. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  21. 1 2 Hafner, Dan (September 5, 1987). "American League Roundup Expanded Roster Gives Twins a Quick Payoff". Los Angeles Times . p. III-10. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ Sinker, Howard (April 1, 1987). "Twins deal for Gladden, drop Hatcher, Sample". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. p. 1D. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ Hartman, Sid (September 4, 1987). "Puckett homer could spur pennant drive". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. p. 2D. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "Expos Buy Pinch-Hitter Nettles". Philadelphia Daily News . Associated Press. March 25, 1988. p. 122. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ Loomis, Tom (April 4, 1988). "King Should Get Put-Up-Or-Shut-Up Trial With Toledo". Toledo Blade . p. 23. Retrieved March 1, 2012– via Google News Archive.
  26. ↑ "Transactions". Ludington Daily News. Associated Press. April 29, 1988. Retrieved March 1, 2012– via Google News Archive.
  27. ↑ Lee, Jane [@JaneMLB] (March 26, 2015). "Billy Beane introduced Billy Bean to team today. They played in same OF in Toledo in 1988. At one point, other outfielder's last name: Rice" (Tweet). Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Twitter.
  28. 1 2 "A's Sign Young for Two Years; Phils, McDowell Agree to 3 Years, $6 Million" . San Jose Mercury News . January 17, 1990. p. 2D. Retrieved March 1, 2012– via NewsBank.
  29. ↑ Kroichick, Ron (April 2, 1990). "Sanderson Wants to Get Back into the Rotation". The Sacramento Bee. p. D7. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  30. ↑ Moneyball. p. 55.
  31. ↑ "Beane Offered Scouting Job, Rickey Says He'll Ask To Renegotiate if he Has Big Season" . San Jose Mercury News. April 3, 1990. p. 2E. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
  32. ↑ Moneyball. p. 62.
  33. ↑ Kroichick, Ron (July 18, 1993). "Rickey Sings New York, New York". The Sacramento Bee. p. C11. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  34. ↑ Moneyball. p. 57.
  35. ↑ Moneyball. p. 58.
  36. ↑ Moneyball. p. 59.
  37. 1 2 Moneyball. pp. 62–63.
  38. ↑ Van Vliet, Jim (October 18, 1997). "Beane Takes Over For Alderson: Former GM Will Remain Team President". The Sacramento Bee . p. C4. Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  39. ↑ "MLB Standings – 2006". ESPN. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  40. ↑ Chass, Murray (November 11, 2002). "Beane Wavers, Then Says No to Red Sox" . The New York Times. p. D9. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  41. ↑ "Beane also gets extension through 2012". ESPN. Associated Press. April 1, 2005. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  42. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bryant, Howard (July 27, 2009). "The Revolutionary". ESPN.com . Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  43. ↑ Cowen, Tyler; Grier, Kevin (December 11, 2011). "The Economics of Moneyball". Grantland.com . Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  44. 1 2 Friedman, Dick (December 22, 2009). "2000s: Top 10 GMs/Executives". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  45. ↑ Jazayerli, Rany (July 8, 2011). "Undervalued Sluggers". Grantland.com . Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  46. ↑ "Oakland Athletics agree to extend GM Billy Beane, President Michael Crowley through 2019". Associated Press. February 7, 2012. Archived from the original on January 16, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
  47. ↑ Calcaterra, Craig (October 5, 2015). "Billy Beane promoted to VP, David Forst named A's general manager" . Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  48. ↑ Kelly, Cathal (August 21, 2007). "Mr. Beane's love affair with football". The Star. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  49. ↑ Lyttleton, Ben (March 26, 2015). "Why Billy Beane was right to avoid the EPL and work with AZ Alkmaar". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  50. ↑ Bascombe, Chris (October 13, 2011). "Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is an idol of mine, says revered baseball coach Billy Beane" . The Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  51. ↑ "AZ Alkmaar hire Oakland A's general manager and Moneyball hero Billy Beane". The Guardian. Associated Press. March 18, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  52. ↑ "West Ham v AZ Alkmaar: The Dutch Moneyball team chasing Europa Conference victory". BBC Sport . May 11, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  53. ↑ Club Statement Barnsley F.C. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  54. ↑ PRESS: Majority Shareholders Address The Media. Barnsley F.C. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  55. ↑ "Billy Beane takes seat on NetSuite board". San Francisco Business Times. January 4, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  56. ↑ Srinivasan, Shanker (November 21, 2008). "GameSpot MLB Front Office Manager First Look". GameSpot . p. 1. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  57. ↑ "MLB Front Office Manager screenshot". 2K Sports . October 31, 2008. Archived from the original on October 25, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  58. ↑ Kuper, Simon (November 13, 2011). "Inside Baseball: Michael Lewis and Billy Beane talk Moneyball". Slate . Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  59. ↑ "Rethinking Moneyball – MLB – Yahoo! Sports". Yahoo! Sports. February 22, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  60. ↑ "Meet Billy Beane's Daughter Casey Beane With Wife Tara Beane - Photos and Facts".
  61. ↑ Brown, Daniel (October 29, 2013). "Oakland A's Billy Beane's crazy family tree: Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton". San Jose Mercury News . Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  62. ↑ Peters, Nick (February 12, 2006). "Bay Area ballclubs have two gems for GMs". The Sacramento Bee . pp.  C1, C11 . Retrieved February 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
Billy Beane
Billy Beane - General Manager Oakland As (5964095428).jpg
Beane in 2012
Athletics
Senior advisor
Born: (1962-03-29) March 29, 1962 (age 63)
Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 13, 1984, for the New York Mets
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 1989, for the Oakland Athletics
Franchise
Ballparks
Culture
Lore
Rivalries
Key personnel
World Series
Champions (9)
American League
Championships (15)
AL West Division
Championships (17)
AL Wild Card (4)
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