Movie Review NR 2 - Moneyball

CPT ALFREDO G BALLERA JR PN(M)
CPT JOJIT R OFIAZA PN(M)

NCSC – CL 90
Movie Review Nr 2
MONEYBALL
INTRODUCTION
In the United States, baseball is one of the most famous sports just like how basketball
is famed here in the Philippines. “Moneyball” an Oscar-nominated movie, based on Michael
Lewis’ book, “Money Ball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game” revolves around the story of how
Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt), who was then the General Manager of the Oakland Athletics
baseball team and his staff, Peter Brand (a fictional character based on Beane’s real assistant
Paul DePodesto), applied the theory of sabermetrics and eventually lead their team to a 20
game winning streak in American Major League. Moneyball is not your typical sports film which
focuses on champions, it talks about valuing the undervalued, how people tend to resist when
change is coming their way, and how necessity creates innovation.
VALUING THE UNDERVALUED

The film basically revolves around sabermetrics. Sabermetrics, is an empirical analysis
of baseball, especially baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term "sabermetrics"
was coined by Bill James, which provides that baseball players are improperly valued and calls
attention to the statistics that matter in order for a player to score runs and, thus, help win
games. 1
Through sabermetrics, Beane hired several players whom other teams had largely
ignored due to age, injuries, attitude, and other biases. Despite objections from his scouts,
Beane supports Brand's theory and hires the players he selected, such as an unorthodox
pitcher, aging former all-star player, and injured catcher. However, Beane grew tensions with Art
Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the team’s coach. Howe disregards Beane and Brand's
strategy and plays the team in a traditional style despite their unsuitability. Beane is eventually
forced to trade away the lone traditional star player, Peña to force Howe to use the new recruits.
1
Lewis, Michael M. (2003). Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. New York: W. W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-
05765-8.
With the new recruits on board the field, their winnings improve, just as what Brand
projected. Their unorthodox ensemble eventually leads the franchise’s longest winning streak of
20 games in the Major Baseball League.
We can say that sabermetrics removes all biases on judging player’s abilities. It helped
Beane and Brand to see the real value of players, whom most were underrated and
underappreciated. All individuals have their own unique capabilities, but most of us only see
their weaknesses first.
NATURAL REACTION TO CHANGE

When Beane and Brand introduced to the scouts their plan of recruiting players, they
were very hesitant at first. Peter Brand's non-traditional ideas for scouting players, turned the
team's scouts dismissive and then hostile towards him. But rather than relying on the scouts'
experience and intuition, Brand selects players based almost exclusively on their on base
percentage (OBP).
The scouts’ reaction is normal. Change is something we experience every day in some
shape or form, and with each experience we have a reaction. That reaction more often than not
includes some resistance. This resistance is a natural human phenomenon; it is nature’s way of
helping us to keep ourselves safe and consider what we need to change and/or retain.
According to studies, resistance to change is a resistance to loss of something that is

valuable or loss of the known by moving to the unknown. Sometimes, people resist the
imposition of change that is accepted as a universal truth. 2
On the other hand, every time Beane dismisses or trades players, most of them accept it
calmly, maybe because they know that it is part of their job as professional baseball players.
Afterall, baseball is a business according to Beane.
NECESSITY CREATES INNOVATION

When Brand pitched in his idea to use sabermetrics in choosing players with Beane,
Beane did not hesitate to listen. Beane sees that Brand has radical ideas about assessing
2
Yılmaz, Derya & Kılıçoğlu, Gökhan. (2013). Resistance to change and ways of reducing resistance in educational
organizations. European Journal of Research on Education. 2013. 14-21.
players' value. Beane tests Brand's theory by asking whether Brand would have drafted him.
Despite the fact that Beane was a Major League player before becoming general manager, and
scouts considered Beane a phenomenal player, Brand says that he would not have drafted
Beane until the ninth round.
It is safe to say that Beane saw the potential in Brand’s idea. But if we would look
closely, Beane has really no other option. The reason that Beane must think in an unorthodox
manner is his team’s limited budget. Their financial resources do not permit competing with
richer teams in a bidding war.
When people get stuck into situations where they do not have other option, they tend to
become more resourceful and innovative. We must realize that people do not create things
because they want to. They build them because they need to.
CONCLUSION
The last part of the movie is prognostic, Peter Brand encouraged Billy Beane to watch a
show of players Billy drafted in a minor league game hitting a home run, but tripping as he runs
the bases and returning to first in fear that he would be thrown out of the game. Peter Brand in
the movie said, “Jeremy hit a home run and didn’t realize it.” Here, the metaphor is clear to
Beane – he can’t see his own success beyond his fear of failure. With this, the writer, concludes
that often in life we let ourselves be devoured by this same mentality. People tend to take risks
only to retreat at the first sign of success. Or there are times when we do succeed, we fail to
hold on to that moment, allowing ourselves to operate in a condition of denial or defeat, only to
lose the chance to both celebrate and seize the next opportunity. This last part of the movie,
tells us that the only thing that is holding us back is ourselves, and it’s time to realize ones’ full
potential. Let’s give an opportunity for people to show their talents—to where they excel. Let
them display their love of their sports even without money involve in order for them to succeed.

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Movie Review NR 2 - Moneyball

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CPT ALFREDO G BALLERA JR PN(M)

CPT JOJIT R OFIAZA PN(M)

VALUING THE UNDERVALUED

NATURAL REACTION TO CHANGE

According to studies, resistance to change is a resistance to loss of something that is

NECESSITY CREATES INNOVATION

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