In 2002, Billy Beane — the general manager of the Oakland Athletics — attempted to change the game of baseball.
Whether baseball and its constituents believed it or not, Beane showed players could be valued in a way no professional scout could evaluate.
After a heartbreaking come-from-behind loss to the New York Yankees in the 2001 American League Division Series, Beane had to decide how to replace three of his best players — Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen.
Using his assistant Paul DePodesta and his economics degree from Harvard, Beane created a team using sabermetrics — a mathematical analysis of baseball records created by Bill James — that focused on players on base percentage.
A familiar team this year in baseball resembles those 2002 A’s.
Ten years later, it is Beane’s Athletics again, showing that superstars aren’t worth the money to gain wins.
Despite having a low payroll and no big-shot names in the clubhouse, Oakland is still finding ways to win with their pitching and stylish game play.
Not many baseball teams have had years quite like the 2001 and 2002 Athletics, as they set the record for most consecutive wins with 20 in 2002.
However, the 2012 A’s show signs and glimpses of that record-breaking team in more ways than one.
This season, the A’s have had 13 walk-off wins and also have put together 35 come-from-behind wins. Almost half of their wins have occurred in the last few innings showing a team that doesn’t give up.
Compared to their hundred-win season in 2002, the A’s also have much younger talent that should help them moving forward.
The 2002 A’s were built for success for no more than a season or two. The salary of the 2002 Oakland A’s was just over $39.5 million and second to last.
This year’s team payroll — while increasing with fluctuation — is again second to last at $55.3 million.
The A’s payroll is nearly one-fourth of the Yankees’ this year, while still winning one more game thus far.
Still, Oakland is on track to make the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
The scrappy, late-scoring show they are presenting on the diamond is what makes baseball and October so much fun to watch.
The postseason becomes so interesting for Americans to witness signs of struggle and triumphant victories by underdogs come playoff time.
While the A’s look to gain one of the two wild-card playoff spots, they hope to reenact the St. Louis Cardinals team of last year.
The Cardinals entered the postseason as a wild card team on a hot streak and also ended up being World Series champions.
To see Billy Beane lead another scrub, no-name player team to the playoffs — and possibly a division series — would make this postseason that much more appealing.
If Oakland faces the Yankees at some point in the playoffs would be even better.
Stunning the Yankees in October would be a moment of redemption for Billy Beane and the A’s organization.
While there is still a few weeks left of the regular season, Oakland needs to continue its success against quality teams and playing through the ninth inning.
This could be the year that Billy Beane proves his mathematical theory of evaluating players is more than just a fluke once and for all.
“We are card counters at the black jack table, and we’re going to turn the odds on the casino,” Beane once said.
Time will tell if Beane hits blackjack, but if he falls under, his ace is just another low card.
Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu
