“Moneyball” has become a fan-favorite in the MLB community. The Brad Pitt-led movie digs deep into analytics, statistics, and baseball philosophies that the common fan has never given much previous thought too. It provides viewers with the opportunity to see how front offices handle trades, cut players, etc. And the fact that it is based on a true story about the Oakland A's only heightens the appeal. But Houston Astros Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell isn't exactly on board with the Moneyball movie or philosophy.
Bagwell, who hit 449 home runs over his legendary 15 year career in the big leagues, recently discussed Moneyball with the Houston Astros broadcast team during a live game.
“I just think Moneyball’s a farce,” Jeff Bagwell declared. “They had the three best pitchers in baseball. You could have stuck anybody out there. My son’s 15-year-old team, they could have been out there with those three pitchers and they get all this hype. I just – I don’t know – whatever. The Braves won for 15 years, with Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine. Mixed in some other great starters around them, they had to score three runs a game and they won 15 years in a row. Why don’t they call them the Moneyball team?”
Bagwell's first point is valid. The 2002 Oakland A's (which is the year the movie takes place in) featured superstar pitchers in the rotation such as Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito. The Astros' star is saying Oakland's pitching was the culprit behind their success. But the movie's narrative is that the A's were led by finding players who could get on-base.
However, his point in regards to the Braves doesn't hold up quite as well. Sure, the Braves made the postseason in every year from 1991-2005. But guess how many World Series championships the team won during that span?
One.
The Braves, who had arguably the best “Big 3” in a pitching rotation of all-time between Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine, only won a single World Series championship during their 15 consecutive postseason appearances.
The point that Bagwell is making is that the Braves formed a dynasty of sorts with their top-tier starting pitching. But choosing a team that produced just one World Series championship during a 15-year span as a counter-example may not be the best course of action.
Nonetheless, Brad Pitt's “Moneyball” remains a fan favorite amongst MLB fans. And current MLB teams have adopted Billy Beane's Oakland A's Moneyball strategy.
So whether Bagwell likes it or not, Moneyball has made a major impact in the baseball community.
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