I loved this piece. My favorite was this bit:

The A's' president, Michael Crowley, walks by and laughs. ''What's the rush?'' he says. ''We don't need Rincon until the sixth or seventh inning.''

Hilarious.

Anyway, for a chuckle, look again at the "Roster" of Batter's Box writers on the front page. We decided to do a little renaming, for a limited time only, in honour of everyone's favorite columnist and everyone's other favourite GM.

That was a really good article. Lewis is a good writer; I've read a few of his books and enjoyed them all. I'm looking forward to this one.

Sorry to hijack the conversation but does anyone know if Sunday Night Baseball will be televised in Canada this year? I just checked the websites for TSN, Sportsnet, and The Score and none of them mention the game tonight. I'm seriously jonesin' for baseball and I'll be horribly disappointed if Sunday Night Baseball isn't televised tonight--especially having drafted John Lackey in my pool.

Hhhhhhhhhhssssss. Must....eat...more...brains.

That being said, I'm lucky enough to have a Sunday subscription to the New York Times. I very much enjoyed the article on Beane, despite my cynicism about Beane's motives, and might well pick up Lewis' book.

What *is* the latest on Sunday Night Baseball and Web Surfing?

'The Score' gave up or bought out it's Major League Baseball contract with MLB last year, and i've never read/seen any mention of a '03 package being picked up by any other Canadian channels.

No game on TV tonight according to the TV guide with the Globe yesterday.

There are games this week on Sportsnet (Jays - Mon and Tue) and TBS (Braves - Fri) and on WGN and SBK if you get them.

I read that the Score was losing crazy amounts of money on its deal with MLB. I guess thats why no one else picked it up.

After hijacking the thread I'll bring it back to where it began: the Beane article.

That is definitely an amazing read and I'll be definitely looking for the book when it is published. The one thing that strikes me about the writing is that it makes other GMs seem inferior. Won't some of them be even more reluctant to trade with Beane after reading this book? In any case, I can't wait to read the chapter detailing how Beane swindles Baird got and the chapter that details how Beane swindles Baird again.

http://economics.about.com
I wish we got Sportsnet here in Rochester. Then I could find out how opening day catcher Ken Huckaby is doing. :P

I need to gloat now because after I finish 20th in the Yahoo league, I'll have to keep my mouth shut.

MP

The 2003 rosters for AAA Syracuse and AA New Haven have been set. I'm a little surprised that Jason Arnold is starting off at AA, but I doubt he'll be there for very long.

Where's Russ Adams?

Nevermind, he's back with Dunedin.
(for some reason I thought he'd start at AA this year)

Benum, it's a formality, but Adams hasn't "mastered" High-A yet. He was tired after the longest season of his life when he was promoted there, and tailed off a bit. Give him a month of hitting .350 or so in Florida and making those great plays, then I expect him to be in New Haven most of the year, and I wouldn't be surprised, after the impression he made in camp, if he got a September callup to the big club.

There will be plenty about the J.P. Jays in the Lewis book, I found out yesterday, making it even more of a must-add to my collection. Note to family: early Father's Day presents are always thoughtful.

I miss Jon Miller and even Little Joe.

A great article into a world we rarely see. This, and the Alfonso article on his negiotiations, were great reads.

Thanks for the rosters Steve. Now I just have to figure out the starting rotation schedule so I can watch Arnold pitch.

Thanks to Phil for finding this article.

I'm definitely looking forward to the book. It's quite a thrill to read a baseball piece that doesn't have me rolling my eyes two paragraphs in.

I do have a question, though. Why would Beane allow insider access to his world? It's not like a post-career memoir. He has to continue dealing with the Shapiros, Phillips(es) and Sabeans of the world. He appears to be offering up his modus operandi just for the sheer recognition of his accomplishments.

I enjoy exposure to his world. I just don't understand why I have access.

He'll have to hope that his fellow GM's are as illiterate as they are innumerate.

Won't some (GMs) be even more reluctant to trade with Beane after reading this book?

Chuck has indirectly answered Christian's question -- "his fellow GM's are as illiterate as they are innumerate" is not just a hope, it's a fact. Joey Garagiola, who wasn't afraid to trade Durazo to Billy, will fall asleep midway through the first chapter. Allard Baird may not get that far.

The GMs who do read it (and understand it) will be outnumbered by those who are resentful and/or disdainful of the new breed. There are already a few teams who won't trade with the smarter clubs, but there are others who still believe they can improve their teams by "stealing" toolsy players from Beane et al, for short control pitchers or slow hitters who walk a lot. So while the book will be illuminating to most of us, it won't change a thing in most front offices. You might think that an owner, after reading it, would rethink his organizational philosophy and hire a DePodesta ASAP, but the ones most in need of change are stubborn and short-sighted.

I share Chuck's surprise that the A's cooperated so openly, but my impression of the Jays' front office is that if you ask the right questions, you will get honest answers. I don't think any of this was self-serving, though I'm sure Beane has a considerable ego. My guess? Billy, approached by a writer he respected to contribute to a worthwhile project, has nothing to hide, and we are the beneficiaries of his generous access.