Billy Beane: Changing the Game

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the case study “Billy Beane: Changing the Game Introduction I must preface this paper by saying I know very little about baseball. I started writing with a sense of trepidation. I had to do a great deal of internet surfing to grasp the significance of much of what is being discussed in the case. However, during my surfing a fascinating picture of Billy Beane developed. He is a complex man who did in fact change certain facets of baseball. What I found most interesting is the emotions that he seemed to provoke in some people. Some view him as a brilliant businessman; others curse his name. Before I delve into all the questions however I’d Like to take a quick look at Billy Beane. Michael Lewis authored the book Moneyball, (Lewis, 2003) showcasing Beane. For his singular, unapologetic iconoclasm in the face of the game's long tradition, Lewis lionized him six years ago in "Moneyball," which became a must-read for both baseball and business aficionados. Beane became the lead evangelist of a new baseball orthodoxy that emphasizes greater statistical analysis in the scouting and development of players. The Moneyball way also diminishes the field manager's organizational influence while it increases the power and profile of the general manager position -- a job that was once largely invisible. In the 140-year history of Major League Baseball, the office of field manager has never held less power than it does now, in the wake of Moneyball. (Bryant, 2009) "The reason 'Moneyball' became so important was because so many of the owners read [the book]," says Sandy Alderson, himself a seminal figure in the way baseball is run. "For years, the baseball people would tell the owners, 'Leave the baseball to us. You wouldn't understand.' They kept saying they were different. Then the owners realized the dynamics of baseball
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