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Read the latest baseball satire from the warped minds of
The Dugout.

Moneyball Now a Bush-League Approach

By KEVIN B. BLACKISTONE

AOL

posted: 43 DAYS 19 HOURS AGO

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filed under: MLB

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Sports Commentary

Two years ago, the Oakland A's achieved something they hadn't done since the early '90s: they won a playoff series.

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Baltimore Orioles shortstop Alex Cintron (R) forces out Boston Red Sox base runner Jason Bay at second base but Cintron's throw to first base trying for a double play was too late during the ninth inning of their American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)

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Baltimore Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora tries in vain to throw out Boston Red Sox batter Dustin Pedroia at first base in the ninth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)

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Boston Red Sox batter Coco Crisp dunks out of the way of an inside pitch thrown by Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Rocky Cherry in the eighth inning of their American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)

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Detroit Tigers' Edgar Renteria (8) looks at home plate umpire Marvin Hudson, left, after striking out against Texas Rangers' Frank Francisco in the seventh inning of a Major League Baseball game, Monday, Aug. 18, 2008, in Arlington, Texas. The Tigers won 8-7 Tigers. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Injured Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria watches their American League MLB baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in St. Petersburg, Florida, August 18, 2008. Longoria broke his wrist and is not expected back until sometime in September. REUTERS/Steve Nesius (UNITED STATES)

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Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon follows through on his pitching delivery against the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)

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Tampa Bay Rays' Willy Aybar (L-R), B.J. Upton, Carlos Pena, Justin Ruggiano, Akinori Iwamura and Gabe Gross celebrate a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels during their American League MLB baseball game in St. Petersburg, Florida, August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Steve Nesius (UNITED STATES)

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Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura dives but comes up short on a single hit by Los Angeles Angels' Erick Aybar during the seventh inning of an American League MLB baseball game in St. Petersburg, Florida, August 18, 2008. The Rays beat the Angels 6-4. REUTERS/Steve Nesius (UNITED STATES)

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Boston Red Sox base runner David Ortiz (L) slides across home plate safely as Baltimore Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez reaches for the late throw in the ninth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)

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Boston Red Sox batter Jason Bay connects on a pitch from Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Rocky Cherry for a two-run home run in the eighth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. The home run was the second on the game for Bay. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)

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They then did what they've really become known for since the turn of the millennium: they cashed in their future

They let ace Barry Zito go after that postseason breakthrough. They traded the pitcher who emerged in 2007 as Zito's heir apparent, Dan Haren, at the start of this season. And in just the past two weeks, they swapped half of their rotation -- Joe Blanton and Rich Harden -- for more of what Harden, Blanton, Haren and Zito once were: prospects.

Grow. Trim. Start all over again. It is Oakland's GM Billy Beane's mad method to putting together a successful baseball team with lesser resources than big-city teams. It was celebrated in Michael Lewis' best-selling book "Moneyball."

That was then. This is now.

Moneyball is bankrupt.

To be sure, the A's on Monday night not only lost their sixth consecutive game but dropped it to a team, Tampa, that is even more miserly than it is. With the second-cheapest payroll in baseball, Tampa is scrapping with the Red Sox for American League East supremacy. It may even be looking to make a deal for a player that can help it over the hump now.

Tampa can afford to now. So can the A's. So can any team.

The economics of baseball aren't what they were for so long. They have been evolving, almost radically, since about the time Beane took over the A's. Revenues by franchises started being shared about 10 years ago. And revenues have been going up and up.

Smaller city teams like the A's no longer have to rob Peter to pay Paul. They can pay Paul and deliver Peter to their fans too. To do anything less no longer holds water. Even Lewis, as assistant professor of marketing at Washington University in St. Louis, alluded to as much a year ago in a release from the school about baseball's revenue sharing plan upon its 10th anniversary.

Latest Trade Buzz

Raul Ibanez, Mariners
Buzz: Many teams that are unwilling to spring for one of the star bats on the block see Ibanez as the bargain option on the corner bat market. The Mets are one of the leading contenders for his services.

Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images

Damaso Marte, Pirates
Buzz: Colorado's Brian Fuentes might be the top arm on the market, but just behind him is Pittsburgh closer Damaso Marte. The Red Sox and Yankees are among the teams believed to be interested in the left-hander.

Brian Bahr, Getty Images

A.J. Burnett, Blue Jays
Buzz: With Philadelphia adding Joe Blanton, St. Louis might have risen to the top of the Burnett sweepstakes. The Yankees and Cubs have also reportedly scouted him. Still, the tantalizing right-hander has said he does not want or expect to be dealt this month.

Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Ivan Rodriguez, Tigers
Buzz: The Tigers have told teams they won't move catcher Ivan Rodriguez, but there's a good chance that if they can't gain ground in the AL Central over the next month, they'll try to sneak him through waivers in August.

Jamie Squire, Getty Images

Huston Street, Athletics
Buzz: The Oakland closer has underperformed this year, but the Brewers are reportedly interested in adding him to their weak bullpen. Some teams are worried about the recent drop in his arm angle and velocity.

Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images

Matt Holliday, Rockies
Buzz: The Angels inquired about Holliday's availability and were blown away by the Rockies' asking price -- rumored to be top pitching prospect Nick Adenhart, second baseman Howie Kendrick and one of Ervin Santana or Joe Saunders.

Doug Pensinger, Getty Images

Mark Teixeira, Braves
Buzz: Teixeira, who was acquired by Atlanta at the deadline last year and will be a free agent this winter, has been told by the Braves that he will not be moved at the deadline.

Jeff Zelevansky, Getty Images

Jason Bay, Pirates
Buzz: The outfielder has not been approached about a contract extension, increasing the likelihood he'll be dealt. Arizona, now without Justin Upton, is a leading contender for his services, but the Mets, Braves and Rays are also reportedly interested.

Nick Laham, Getty Images

Brian Fuentes, Rockies
Buzz: Philadelphia's acquisition of Joe Blanton likely takes it out of the Fuentes sweepstakes, but the Yankees, Mets, Rays and Red Sox are still believed to be after the Colorado closer.

Doug Pensinger, Getty Images

Barry Bonds, Giants
Buzz: The Yankees are the latest team to say they won't rule out pursuing the all-time home run king now that Hideki Matsui could miss the rest of the season. It remains a longshot that Bonds will play in the majors again.

Lisa Blumenfeld, Getty Images

In pointing out flaws in the system, Lewis noted, somewhat ironically given this week's series between the A's and Rays: "The ... Rays have been notorious for under-investing in their team. In 2006, they collected $33 million in revenue-share payments and they only filled about 37 percent of the seats in ballpark. Clearly this is a team that has decided to grow the bottom line through revenue-sharing payments rather than grow the fan base."

That would be better applied to the A's this season. Going into the All-Star break, the surprising Rays had drawn 930,000 fans to their home field, coolly nicknamed The Trop. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported merchandise sales were up 70 percent. Fox Sports Network said Rays' broadcasts were breaking ratings' records.

It shouldn't be amazing what winning can do for a sports franchise. That's what playing games is supposed to be all about. It's not supposed to be merely about economics. Indeed, Lewis argued further last year that baseball's revenue-sharing plan should do more to reward success on the field rather than frugality in the front office.

"Under our plan, with 37 percent of the stadium filled, Tampa Bay's revenue sharing payment would have decreased to $13.5 million," Lewis said. "But if they had filled 70 percent of the stadiums, the revenue sharing payment would have been $25.1 million. If they had increased attendance to 80 percent, the payment would have been just short of $31 million."

This year, Tampa's attendance is up; the A's is down.

Moneyball is now a vicious cycle for A's fans. Hope springs eternal and so, too, unfortunately does the slash-and-burn method of farming to fertilize the field for the future. Then it is slashed and burned again.

If there is one reason the Braves were so consistently good during the '90s it was because management was so consistently patient. It found young pitchers and young players, allowed them to maturate and reaped the benefits along the way. So many young pitchers - remember Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder? - and players the A's developed are found scattered across fields all over baseball. I suspect that will happen to the latest prospects the A's picked up for their players who were prospects just a few seasons ago.

Maybe that's why the A's now look something like the Rays long did - a team with few fans for a future with only a wishful forecast.

Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, a host on XM Satellite Radio, a frequent sports opinionist on other outlets and the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. A former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News, he currently lives in Hyattsville, Md.

2008-07-22 15:17:05