09-23-2003, 01:51 AM
Im currently reading it
(when Im not screwing around at work).
Yeah, it is a good read; even the beginning where Beane has this epiphany since the typical scout thought he was a great prospect,and he kinda knew he wasnt.
More than just relying on players with warts, I thought they were trying to go by "facts" (as in the world of James), instead of just opinions. There are a lot of standard baseball opinions that really have no basis in fact. They try to do away with that.
Yeah, it (so far) paints Beane as a total contrarian, not wanting to do anything that a regular scout would want to do - like his hatred of High Schoolers.
As for Howe, I never thought he was a particularly good manager, certainly no better than Valentine. The fact that Beane describes Howe as someone who does whatever the GM wants, and that Phillips hired him, doesnt look good.
FWIW, Jim Duquette is a kinda compromise - he values some of the Bill James ideas, but isnt as beholden to them as Beane.
(when Im not screwing around at work).
Yeah, it is a good read; even the beginning where Beane has this epiphany since the typical scout thought he was a great prospect,and he kinda knew he wasnt.
More than just relying on players with warts, I thought they were trying to go by "facts" (as in the world of James), instead of just opinions. There are a lot of standard baseball opinions that really have no basis in fact. They try to do away with that.
Yeah, it (so far) paints Beane as a total contrarian, not wanting to do anything that a regular scout would want to do - like his hatred of High Schoolers.
As for Howe, I never thought he was a particularly good manager, certainly no better than Valentine. The fact that Beane describes Howe as someone who does whatever the GM wants, and that Phillips hired him, doesnt look good.
FWIW, Jim Duquette is a kinda compromise - he values some of the Bill James ideas, but isnt as beholden to them as Beane.