1. Ball one to Johnny Damon
and we are under way.
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2. Damon has eight hits
in 18 at bats,
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3. a double, a triple,
a couple of stolen bases.
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4. He had four hits
in the series opener.
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5. Strike.
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6. Down the right-field line,
fair off the bat of Damon.
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7. It rolls by Spencer.
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8. And Damon will coast into
second base with a leadoff double.
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9. Into right-center field, broken bat,
it'll fall, a base hit.
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10. They wave around Damon.
He will score.
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11. And Jason Giambi delivers
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12. with a run-scoring single
here in the opening inning.
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13. And the Athletics
have taken that 1 -nothing lead.
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14. Go, come on, now. We gotta spin it.
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15. Let's go, Yankees!
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16. Let's go, Yankees!
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17. Bases loaded.
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18. The Yankees have the tying run
at second, down 2-nothing.
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19. The A's are kicking it and throwing it
all over the field.
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20. And it might lead to their elimination
if they don't get it right in a hurry.
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21. Hammered down the right-field line.
Justice!
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22. The Yankees have taken the lead.
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23. They're standing,
anticipating another trip
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24. to the League
Championship Series.
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25. The Yankees one out away.
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26. Eric Byrnes, never with an
at bat in Yankee Stadium,
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27. and they don't get
much bigger than this one.
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28. Or more hectic when you're
up there trying to get a job done.
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29. And they're a strike away.
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30. And they're roaring in the Bronx.
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31. Losing the first two games at home
in the best-of-five series
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32. and roar back to—
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33. The Yankees will defend their title.
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34. It's okay, Joe, you can leave it on.
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35. I don't need to watch.
Joe, leave it on.
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36. Okay.
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37. Imagine how bad it'd be
if you were a Yankee player
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38. and didn't like the taste
of champagne.
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39. Better ask to get traded.
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40. You gotta give the Yankees—
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41. —win the big game.
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42. What a series that is
gonna be in the next...
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43. You know how many kids
are wearing Giambi's—?
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44. You know, Oakland Giambi's jerseys
and hats and pictures and posters?
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45. Those same kids
will be booing in July when
the Yankees come here.
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46. Is it Giambi that's stabbing the back
or the Pinstripes on the East Coast?
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47. You can't blame them
for pilfering the henhouse.
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48. - The henhouse is there.
- I can't blame them?
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49. They're offering $120 million
oνer six years.
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50. The Yankees have
deeper pockets and they're
willing to give him money.
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51. They're pilfering our players.
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52. It's like we're a farm system
for the New York Yankees.
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53. - How are the guys doing?
- That was a killer.
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54. That was a killer.
It's a tough one to swallow. It's...
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55. They played great.
They played their hearts out.
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56. They did. They played fantastic.
It just didn't fall our way.
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57. You'll do better next year.
But we were close, though.
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58. We were so close.
Right there.
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59. Almost had it. You gotta
feel good about that.
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60. I feel great about it.
I feel great about it.
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61. Um...
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62. We're not gonna do better
next year.
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63. Why not?
Well, you know we're being gutted.
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64. We're losing Giambi,
Damon, Isringhausen.
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65. Done deal.
We're in trouble.
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66. You'll find new guys.
You found Jason, you found Damon.
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67. I need more money, Steve.
Billy.
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68. I need more money.
We don't have any.
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69. I can't compete against $120 million
with $38 million.
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70. We're not gonna compete with
these teams that have big budgets.
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71. We're gonna work
within the constraints we have,
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72. and you're gonna do the best job
that you can recruiting new players.
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73. We're not gonna pay $17 million
to players.
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74. I'm not asking you
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75. for 10 or 20, 30 million dollars.
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76. I'm just asking for a bit of help.
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77. Get me a little closer
and I will get you that
championship team.
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78. I mean, this is why I'm here.
This is why you hired me.
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79. And I gotta ask you,
what are we doing here
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80. Billy, I—
if it's not to win a championship?
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81. I wanna win just as much—
That's my bar. My bar is here.
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82. My bar is to take this team
to the championship.
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83. Billy, we're a small-market team,
and you're a small-market GM.
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84. I'm asking you to be okay
not spending money
that I don't have.
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85. And I'm asking you
to take a deep breath,
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86. shake off the loss, get back
in a room with your guys,
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87. and figure out how to find
replacements for the guys we lost
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88. with the money that we do have.
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89. I'm not leaving here. I'm not—
I can't leave here with that.
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90. What else can I help you with?
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91. It's a good offer,
and you gotta match it. I—
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92. I need another day.
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93. His mind's pretty made up.
I just think you should know that.
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94. I got a call. I'll get you back.
I'll let him know.
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95. Bye.
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96. - Yeah?
- Billy, Scott.
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97. Just got off the phone with Dan.
You didn't.
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98. I was surprised he called me.
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99. Stop. I got Johnny for 7.5
or he doesn't play anywhere else.
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100. That's the deal you made.
Boston just upped it to 7.75.
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101. You there?
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102. We had a deal, Scott.
We have a deal, if it's 8 million.
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103. Oh, man, you played me.
I'm just doing my job for my client.
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104. No, you're playing me,
and you're still playing me.
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105. Congratulations, asshole.
You win.
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106. I like guys that got
a little hair on their ass.
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107. He looks like a Mantle
or a Mays, quite frankly.
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108. He's got a baseball body.
Matty, who do you got?
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109. I like Geronimo.
Yes.
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110. The guy's an athlete.
Big, fast, talented.
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111. - Top of my list.
- Clean-cut, good face.
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112. Yeah, good jaw.
Five-tools guy.
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113. - Good-looking ballplayer.
- Can he hit?
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114. He's got a beautiful swing.
The ball explodes off his bat.
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115. He throws the club head at the ball,
and when he connects,
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116. he drives it,
it pops off the bat.
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117. - You can hear it all over the ballpark.
- A lot of pop.
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118. If he's good,
why doesn't he hit good?
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119. - He is a good hitter.
- He'll be ready.
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120. He's gonna be a good hitter
against big-league arms?
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121. Could be great.
I don't think so.
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122. Kid needs at bats.
Give him 400 at bats,
he's gonna get better.
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123. He can play.
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124. He's hit everywhere
along the line.
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125. He's one of our guys.
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126. Okay, let's move on.
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127. Artie, who do you like?
I like Perez. He's got a classic swing.
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128. It's a real clean stroke.
I don't know. Can't hit the curveball.
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129. There's some work to be done,
I'll admit that, but he's noticeable.
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130. - Got an ugly girlfriend.
- What's that mean?
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131. Ugly girlfriend
means no confidence.
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132. You are full of it. Artie is right.
This guy's got an attitude.
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133. An attitude is good.
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134. He walks in a room,
his dick's already been
there for two minutes.
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135. He passes the eye-candy test.
Got the looks.
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136. He's ready to play the part.
He just needs playing time.
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137. I'm just saying,
his girlfriend is a six at best.
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138. Look, if we're trying to replace
Giambi, this guy could be it.
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139. I agree with you.
La-la-la-la-la.
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140. Damn, Billy,
was that a suggestion?
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141. Guys, you're just talking.
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142. Talking, "la-la-la-la-la,"
like this is business
as usual.
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143. It's not.
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144. We're trying to solve
the problem.
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145. Not like this.
You're not looking at the problem.
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146. We're very aware
of the problem. I mean—
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147. Okay, good. What's the problem?
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148. Look, Billy, we all understand
what the problem is. We have to—
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149. Okay, good.
What's the problem?
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150. We have to replace three
key players in our lineup.
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151. Nope. What's the problem?
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152. We gotta replace these guys
with what we have—
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153. No. What's the problem, Barry?
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154. We need 38 home runs, 120 RBIs
and 47 doubles to replace.
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155. The problem we're trying to solve
is that there are rich teams
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156. and there are poor teams,
then there's 50 feet of crap,
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157. and then there's us.
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158. It's an unfair game.
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159. And now we've been gutted.
We're like organ donors for the rich.
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160. Boston's taken our kidneys,
Yankees have taken our heart.
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161. And you guys sit around
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162. talking the same old "good body"
nonsense like we're selling jeans.
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163. Like we're looking for Fabio.
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164. We got to think differently.
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165. We are the last dog
at the bowl.
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166. You see what happens to
the runt of the litter? He dies.
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167. Billy, that's a very touching story
and everything,
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168. but I think we're all very much
aware of what we're facing.
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169. You have a lot of experience
and wisdom in this room.
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170. You need to have
a little faith and let us do
the job of replacing Giambi.
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171. Is there another first
baseman like Giambi?
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172. - No, not really.
- No.
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173. - If there was, could we afford him?
- Nope.
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174. Then what the fuck
are you talking about, man?
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175. If we try to play like the Yankees
in here,
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176. we will lose to the Yankees
out there.
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177. Boy, that sounds like
fortune-cookie wisdom to me, Billy.
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178. No, that's just logic.
Who's Fabio?
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179. He's a shortstop.
He's a shortstop from Seattle.
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180. Now, this is no time
to push the panic button.
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181. Our scouts will find players,
Player Development
will develop them.
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182. We'll teach them to play
Oakland A baseball.
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183. With all due respect,
we've been doing this
a long time.
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184. Why don't you just
let us be responsible
for replacing Giambi
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185. with who we know
that can play?
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186. - Easy power.
- And loose.
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187. Good face.
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188. This son of a bitch
is going in the first round.
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189. You're a premium player, Billy.
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190. You can run, you can field,
you can throw, you can hit,
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191. you can hit with power.
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192. That doesn't come along very often.
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193. This is Tom Martinez,
national cross-checker.
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194. - How you doing?
- Billy Beane.
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195. Nice to meet you.
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196. It's been a while since
I've seen a five-tool guy
that can do everything.
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197. I'm hopeful your interest
in professional baseball
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198. is as strong as ours is gonna be
in getting you in this upcoming draft.
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199. Mr. Beane?
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200. Mark is ready
to see you now.
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201. - How you doing?
- I'm fine.
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202. - How are you?
- Good.
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203. Hey, Billy.
Hey, Mark.
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204. Good to see you. Please sit down.
You too.
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205. These are the guys. Guys, Billy.
Boys.
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206. How's it going?
All right. How you been?
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207. You're filling out that chair nicely.
I got three weeks in it right now.
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208. Good, good, man.
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209. Yeah, man. How you doing?
Fantastic.
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210. Awesome.
Couldn't be better.
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211. That's good to hear.
I'm not gonna waste your time.
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212. You just tell me
what you're looking for.
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213. Fifty million dollars
in additional payroll.
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214. You should try Giambi.
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215. Ouch.
I'm sorry. Too soon, right?
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216. I want this to be
a friendly meeting.
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217. It's not all
on your shoulders.
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218. - Where's Steve in this?
- Steve's great.
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219. He's supportive
in rebuilding this team.
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220. That's what we're gonna do.
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221. So, what are you looking for?
A left-handed reliever.
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222. I'm thinking Ricardo Rincon.
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223. That's not gonna happen.
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224. Not even a discussion?
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225. Billy, even if you could afford him,
respectfully, we love him.
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226. We're not about to let him go.
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227. You got this Venezuelan kid
coming up.
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228. We had him.
We moved him to Detroit.
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229. Huh.
What else you thinking?
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230. Outfielders.
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231. To replace Damon?
Yeah.
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232. In your price range? No disrespect.
Enough, Mark.
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233. Uh... Hollins?
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234. Uh-uh.
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235. Garcia?
No.
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236. Maybe Coste.
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237. Uh-uh.
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238. That's it.
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239. All right, tell me about Garcia.
To replace Johnny Damon?
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240. Mark, is he healthy?
Yeah, he's healthy-ish.
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241. He had that back thing.
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242. - He'll be ready for spring ball.
- I'll tell you what.
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243. I can give you Guthrie
if you kick in some cash.
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244. Mark Guthrie?
Yeah.
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245. How much cash?
Two hundred K.
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246. Okay.
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247. So Garcia's gonna be a no.
You're kidding me, right?
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248. You're kidding me.
I'm not.
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249. Okay. Straight up,
Garcia for Guthrie, no kicker.
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250. - No kicker?
- Straight up.
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251. I think it's gonna be
a hard no on Garcia,
but let's just keep going.
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252. What else you thinking?
What are we doing? Is this business?
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253. This is the way we do
business in Cleveland.
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254. Hey.
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255. Hello.
Who are you?
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256. I'm Peter Brand.
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257. What do you do?
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258. I'm special assistant
to Mark Shapiro.
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259. So, what do you do?
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260. Mostly player analysis
right now.
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261. Been on the job long?
First job in baseball?
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262. It's my first job anywhere.
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263. Wow, congrats.
Thank you.
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264. First job.
Whose nephew are you?
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265. Why does Mark listen to you?
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266. I don't think, uh...
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267. I don't think he does very often.
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268. He just did.
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269. Well, in that circumstance,
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270. I think he was more listening
to Bruce than myself.
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271. Mm-hm. Who are you?
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272. I'm Peter Brand.
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273. I don't give a rat's ass
what your name is.
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274. What happened
in there?
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275. What happened
in that room?
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276. I'm not quite sure what
you're asking me, Mr. Beane.
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277. What did you
tell Bruce?
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278. I just told Bruce I like Garcia.
You like Garcia. Why?
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279. Why?
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280. I don't know. Ahem.
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281. There is an epidemic failure
within the game
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282. to understand
what is really happening.
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283. And this leads people who run
Major League Baseball teams
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284. to misjudge their players
and mismanage their teams.
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285. I apologize.
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286. Go on.
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287. Okay. People who run ball clubs,
they think in terms of buying players.
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288. Your goal shouldn't be
to buy players. Your goal
should be to buy wins.
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289. And in order to buy wins,
you need to buy runs.
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290. You're trying
to replace Johnny Damon.
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291. The Red Sox see Johnny Damon
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292. and they see a star
who's worth $7.5 million a year.
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293. When I see Johnny Damon,
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294. what I see is...
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295. an imperfect understanding
of where runs come from.
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296. The guy's got a great glove.
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297. He's a decent leadoff hitter.
He can steal bases.
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298. But is he worth
the $7.5 million a year
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299. that the Boston Red Sox
are paying him?
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300. No. No.
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301. Baseball thinking is medieval.
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302. They are asking
all the wrong questions.
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303. And if I say it to anybody,
I'm ostracized. I'm a leper.
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304. So that's why I'm cagey
about this with you.
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305. That's why—
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306. I respect you, Mr. Beane,
and if you want full disclosure,
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307. I think it's a good thing
that you got Damon off
your payroll.
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308. I think it opens up all kinds
of interesting possibilities.
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309. Where you from, Pete?
Maryland.
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310. Where'd you go to school?
Yale. I went to Yale.
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311. What'd you study?
Economics.
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312. I studied economics.
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313. Yale, economics and baseball.
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314. You're funny, Pete.
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315. Tell me, why Billy?
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316. What is it that makes him special?
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317. Very rare do you come upon
a young man like Billy
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318. who can run, who can field,
who can throw, who can hit,
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319. and who can hit with power.
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320. Those five tools,
you don't see that very often.
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321. Most of the youngsters
that we have an interest in
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322. have one or two tools,
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323. and we're hoping
to develop an extra one.
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324. Your son has five.
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325. We're looking at a guy
that's a potential superstar
for us in New York.
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326. The time is now
to get him started.
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327. We're prepared to make
a sizable financial commitment.
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328. The Mets are gonna
stand behind Billy
Copy !req
329. because we expect him
to be our big-league center fielder.
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330. This check here
represents the offer
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331. that the New York Mets
would be making to Billy.
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332. You do know that he's been accepted
to Stanford on a full scholarship?
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333. I do.
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334. So he can do both?
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335. Unfortunately, he can't do Stanford
and professional baseball.
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336. He would have to pick one
or the other.
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337. If he wants to be center fielder
for the Mets,
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338. wants to be a baseball player,
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339. he really needs to accept this
as life's first occupation, first career.
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340. We're all told at some point we can
no longer play the children's game.
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341. We just don't know
when that's gonna be.
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342. Some of us are told at 18,
some of us are told at 40,
but we're all told.
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343. But this is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.
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344. We want you badly,
and we think that this amount
of money expresses that desire.
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345. Billy, this is your decision,
and whatever that decision is,
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346. you know it's fine
with your mother and I.
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347. Hello?
Hey, it's Billy Beane.
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348. Hey, what time is it?
I don't know.
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349. Listen, would you have
drafted me in the first round?
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350. What?
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351. After I left, you looked me up
on your computer.
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352. Would you have drafted me
in the first round?
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353. I did, yeah.
You were a good player.
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354. Cut the crap, man.
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355. Would you have drafted me
in the first round?
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356. I'd have taken you
in the ninth round.
No signing bonus.
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357. I imagine you would've passed
and taken that scholarship.
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358. Yeah.
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359. Pack your bags, Pete.
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360. I just bought you
from the Cleveland Indians.
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361. - Is it attached to that clamp?
- Yeah, let me unhook it.
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362. Slide it up right there.
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363. - To the left.
- I did.
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364. - Yeah, yeah.
- Hang on, it's wet.
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365. Come on.
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366. Morning, Suzanne. Coffee on?
Yes.
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367. Great.
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368. - Billy Beane's office.
- Hey.
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369. Peter Brand.
Billy.
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370. How are—? Hi, how you doing?
Nice to see you.
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371. Good to have you here.
Boy, you move in fast.
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372. Yeah, yeah.
I got here early this morning.
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373. Wow. Huh.
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374. All moved in.
Yeah.
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375. Yeah.
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376. Hey, Billy,
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377. I wanted you to see
these player evaluations
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378. that you asked me to do.
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379. I asked you to do three.
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380. Yeah.
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381. To evaluate three players.
Yeah.
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382. How many did you do?
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383. Forty-seven.
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384. Okay.
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385. Actually, 51.
I don't know why I lied just then.
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386. Why don't you walk me
through the board?
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387. Thank you.
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388. Using this equation
in the upper left,
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389. I'm projecting that we need
to win at least 99 games
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390. in order to make it
to the postseason.
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391. We need to score at least 814 runs
in order to win those games
Copy !req
392. and allow no more
than 645 runs.
Copy !req
393. What's this?
Copy !req
394. This is a code that I've written
for our year-to-year projections.
Copy !req
395. This is building in the intelligence
that we have to project players.
Copy !req
396. Okay.
Copy !req
397. It's about getting things down
to one number.
Copy !req
398. Using the stats
the way we read them,
Copy !req
399. we'll find value in players
that nobody else can see.
Copy !req
400. People are overlooked
Copy !req
401. for a variety of biased reasons
and perceived flaws.
Copy !req
402. Age, appearance, personality.
Copy !req
403. Bill James and mathematics
cut straight through that.
Copy !req
404. Billy, of the 20,000 notable players
for us to consider,
Copy !req
405. I believe that there is
a championship team
Copy !req
406. of 25 people that we can afford,
Copy !req
407. because everyone else
in baseball undervalues them.
Copy !req
408. Like an island of misfit toys.
Copy !req
409. Billy, this is Chad Bradford.
He's a relief pitcher.
Copy !req
410. He is one of the most undervalued
players in baseball.
Copy !req
411. His defect is that he throws funny.
Copy !req
412. Nobody in the big leagues cares
about him because he looks funny.
Copy !req
413. This guy could be not just
the best pitcher in our pen,
Copy !req
414. but one of the most effective
relief pitchers in all baseball.
Copy !req
415. This guy should cost
$3 million a year.
Copy !req
416. We can get him for 237,000.
Copy !req
417. Billy.
Copy !req
418. That it?
Yeah.
Copy !req
419. Hey, Art.
Copy !req
420. Can I talk to you
before you get started?
Copy !req
421. I'm a bit busy right now.
I know.
Copy !req
422. - I know.
- Okay.
Copy !req
423. Morning, everyone.
Art.
Copy !req
424. Peter Brand. Nice to meet you.
Where the hell's Pete?
Copy !req
425. That's Pete.
Copy !req
426. Grab a seat.
I'll be right back.
Copy !req
427. All right,
where did you say he's at?
Copy !req
428. Okay. He's on—
Copy !req
429. Who's the kid?
A friend of mine.
Copy !req
430. I can't manage this team
under a one-year contract.
Copy !req
431. Well, sure you can.
Copy !req
432. No, I can't.
Copy !req
433. Okay. I gotta put a team
on the field.
Copy !req
434. After that, I'll take a good
long look at your contract.
Copy !req
435. Deal with the manager's contract,
then put a team on the field.
Copy !req
436. At this moment, if a grounder's hit
to first, nobody's there to stop it.
Copy !req
437. It's not easy doing what
I do under the cloud of
a one-year contract.
Copy !req
438. Okay, I understand that.
Copy !req
439. I've been there.
I know you have.
Copy !req
440. A one-year contract means
the same thing to a manager
as to a player.
Copy !req
441. There's not a lot of faith there.
Copy !req
442. Which is strange
after a 102-win season.
Copy !req
443. I see.
Copy !req
444. If you lose the last game
of the season, nobody gives a shit.
Copy !req
445. So it's on me now?
No, Art, it's on me.
Copy !req
446. And the kid
is the new assistant GM.
Copy !req
447. - Okay.
- Okay, fellas.
Copy !req
448. Hey, Billy.
Copy !req
449. You can't deny his
offensive output. He can play.
Copy !req
450. And we need people
that can play.
Copy !req
451. Who do you wanna
talk about first?
Copy !req
452. None of them.
Copy !req
453. Billy, we got 38 home runs,
120 RBIs to make up for.
Copy !req
454. Guys, you're still trying
to replace Giambi.
Copy !req
455. I told you we can't do it,
and we can't do it.
Copy !req
456. Now, what we might be able
to do is re-create him.
Copy !req
457. - Re-create him in the aggregate.
- The what?
Copy !req
458. Giambi's on-base percentage
was.477.
Copy !req
459. Damon's on-base,324.
And Olmedo's was.291.
Copy !req
460. Add that up and you get...
Copy !req
461. Do you want me to speak?
Copy !req
462. When I point at you, yeah.
Copy !req
463. - 1.092.
- Divided by three.
Copy !req
464. .364.
That's what we're looking for.
Copy !req
465. Three ballplayers—
Three ballplayers
whose average OBP is...
Copy !req
466. .364.
Copy !req
467. - Wait, that doesn't come out right.
- It's right, Artie.
Copy !req
468. Billy.
You gotta carry the one.
Copy !req
469. Billy.
Scratch this out.
Copy !req
470. Yeah?
Copy !req
471. Who's that?
Copy !req
472. That's Pete.
Copy !req
473. Does Pete really need to be here?
Copy !req
474. Yes, he does.
Copy !req
475. Okay, here's who we want.
Copy !req
476. Jason's little brother, Jeremy.
Copy !req
477. Oh, God.
Billy, that's trouble.
Copy !req
478. Billy, look, if I— Yeah.
Billy, if I may, he's had
his problems off the field,
Copy !req
479. and we know what he can't do
on the field.
Copy !req
480. He's getting thick around the waist.
Copy !req
481. There's reports about him
on weed, in strip clubs.
Copy !req
482. His on-base percentage
is all we're looking at now.
Copy !req
483. And Jeremy gets on base
an awful lot for a guy
who only costs 285,000.
Copy !req
484. - Jeez, Billy—
- Number two:
Copy !req
485. David Justice.
Oh, no.
Copy !req
486. His legs are gone.
Not a good idea.
Copy !req
487. - Old Man Justice?
- Why is that?
Copy !req
488. Steinbrenner's so pissed at
his decline, he's willing to eat
his contract to get rid of him.
Copy !req
489. Exactly.
Ten years ago, Justice, big name.
Copy !req
490. Been in big games.
Copy !req
491. He's gonna really help
our season tickets
early in the year,
Copy !req
492. but in the dog days in July,
August, we're lucky if he's
gonna hit his weight.
Copy !req
493. Billy, his legs are gone,
and he's a defensive liability.
Copy !req
494. I question whether
the bat speed's there.
Copy !req
495. - His legs are gone.
- Grady.
Copy !req
496. We'll be lucky to get 60 games
out of him. Why do you like him?
Copy !req
497. Because he gets on base.
Copy !req
498. - What is this?
- What are we doing?
Copy !req
499. Okay, number three:
Copy !req
500. - Scott Hatteberg.
- Who?
Copy !req
501. Hatteberg?
Exactly.
Copy !req
502. He sounds like an Oakland A
already.
Copy !req
503. Yes, he's had a little problem with—
Little problem? He can't throw.
Copy !req
504. He's a career.260 hitter.
The best part of his career is over.
Copy !req
505. It's just getting started.
Boston wants to cut him.
Copy !req
506. No one wants to pick him up.
Good. He's cheap.
Copy !req
507. Let me get this straight.
You're gonna get a guy
Copy !req
508. that's been released by
half the organizations
in baseball
Copy !req
509. because he's got
nonrepairable nerve damage
in his elbow and can't throw.
Copy !req
510. He can't throw
and he can't field.
But what can he do?
Copy !req
511. Oh, boy.
Copy !req
512. Check your reports
or I'm gonna point at Pete.
Copy !req
513. He gets on base.
He can get on base.
Copy !req
514. So he walks a lot.
He gets on base a lot, Rocco.
Copy !req
515. Do I care
if it's a walk or a hit?
Copy !req
516. Pete?
Copy !req
517. - You do not.
- I do not.
Copy !req
518. I got 37 free agents
that are better than those three guys.
Copy !req
519. Wait a minute,
let me get this straight.
Copy !req
520. So you're not gonna bring in one
Copy !req
521. but three defective players
to replace Giambi?
Copy !req
522. You're not buying into
this Bill James bullshit?
Copy !req
523. This is the new
direction of the A's.
Copy !req
524. We are card counters
at the blackjack table
Copy !req
525. and we're gonna turn the odds
on the casino.
Copy !req
526. - I don't see it.
- Seriously, guys.
Copy !req
527. I think we have to remember
this is the man.
Copy !req
528. He answers to no one
except ownership and God.
Copy !req
529. And he doesn't
have to answer to us.
Copy !req
530. We make suggestions,
he makes decisions.
Copy !req
531. That's all fine and well,
but we've been working
our asses off
Copy !req
532. for weeks to make this club better,
and you're shitting all over it.
Copy !req
533. This is not a discussion.
Copy !req
534. What are we discussing?
Copy !req
535. Barry, not a discussion.
Copy !req
536. Billy, man, um,
Copy !req
537. there's one thing
you're forgetting.
Copy !req
538. None of those three guys
knows how to play first base.
Copy !req
539. Well, you're gonna have
to teach one of them.
Copy !req
540. Teach?
Copy !req
541. Which one?
Copy !req
542. This is really
the kickoff to the holiday season
here in downtown Seattle.
Copy !req
543. It took weeks of planning
to lead up to the big event,
but it was well worth it.
Copy !req
544. The weather was ideal.
People are still having a great time.
Copy !req
545. Thousands of people
were out earlier.
Copy !req
546. We have a nice recap for you
Copy !req
547. of all the great events taking place
downtown in Seattle—
Copy !req
548. - Hello?
- Scott?
Copy !req
549. Yes.
Copy !req
550. It's Billy Beane of the Oakland A's.
Yes.
Copy !req
551. Can we talk?
Uh, yeah.
Copy !req
552. Do you wanna let us in?
Copy !req
553. Pardon me?
We're out front.
Copy !req
554. What?
On the curb.
Copy !req
555. Uh, yeah, yeah.
Copy !req
556. Honey?
Copy !req
557. Oh, thank you.
Thank you, ma'am.
Copy !req
558. Very kind.
Copy !req
559. How's the elbow, Scott?
Copy !req
560. You know, it's good.
It's really good. It's great. Uh...
Copy !req
561. - I can't throw the ball at all.
- Yeah.
Copy !req
562. You've thrown your last ball
from behind home plate.
Copy !req
563. That's what I'd say.
Well...
Copy !req
564. Good news is,
we want you at first.
Copy !req
565. We want you to play
first base for the Oakland A's.
Copy !req
566. Okay, well,
Copy !req
567. I've only ever played catcher.
Copy !req
568. Scott, you're not
a catcher anymore.
Copy !req
569. If you were, our call wouldn't
have been the only one you got.
Copy !req
570. Yeah. Hey, listen, no, I appreciate it.
You're welcome.
Copy !req
571. But the thing is, is...
You don't know how to play first base.
Copy !req
572. Scott.
That's right.
Copy !req
573. It's not that hard, Scott.
Copy !req
574. Tell him, Wash.
It's incredibly hard.
Copy !req
575. Hey, anything worth doing is.
And we're gonna teach you.
Copy !req
576. Wait a minute here.
I mean, but what about—?
Copy !req
577. Jason's gone, Scott.
Copy !req
578. You want me to take
Giambi's spot at first base?
Copy !req
579. Yeah.
What about the fans?
Copy !req
580. Maybe I can teach one of them.
The fans don't— Good one.
Copy !req
581. Fans don't run
my ball club.
Copy !req
582. Honey, what are you doing awake?
Copy !req
583. Sweetheart, can you...?
Copy !req
584. That's my daughter.
Copy !req
585. You got kids?
Copy !req
586. Uh, yeah, a daughter.
Copy !req
587. Scott, this is a contract to play ball
for the Oakland A's.
Copy !req
588. A copy's been sent over
to your agent.
Copy !req
589. Discuss with your wife,
let us know.
Copy !req
590. Thank you.
Copy !req
591. Bye-bye.
Bye.
Copy !req
592. - Oh, and, Scott.
- Yeah?
Copy !req
593. Don't tell anyone
about the first-base thing.
Copy !req
594. Yes, sir.
Okay.
Copy !req
595. Happy holidays.
All right.
Copy !req
596. Hey, Sharon.
Hi, Billy.
Copy !req
597. Is she ready?
She's out with friends.
Copy !req
598. But she'll be back. Come in.
Copy !req
599. - Okay.
- Yeah, she's right here. Hold on.
Copy !req
600. Here you go.
Copy !req
601. Here, wanna have a seat?
Yeah.
Copy !req
602. You good, Billy?
Yeah. How are you, Alan?
Copy !req
603. Good. Really good.
Things are peaceful
around here.
Copy !req
604. It's good to see you.
Copy !req
605. Thanks, Alan.
Copy !req
606. I haven't got to see you
since play-offs.
Copy !req
607. I wanted to say that New York
was heartbreaking.
Copy !req
608. I'm sure for you too.
Copy !req
609. Not many teams make it that far,
and to watch you go that far was—
Copy !req
610. It was really an accomplishment.
Well, that's nice.
Copy !req
611. How is the team shaping up?
Copy !req
612. - Team's good. Rebuilding.
- Good.
Copy !req
613. I read you lost
Giambonni and Damon.
Copy !req
614. Giambi.
Giambi.
Copy !req
615. Yeah.
Damon, Isringhausen.
Copy !req
616. They're really—? They're gone?
Gone. Yesterday's news.
Copy !req
617. That's terrible.
No, but that is a tough situation.
Copy !req
618. That's...
Copy !req
619. You're gonna be fine, though.
You always figure something out.
Copy !req
620. Where is she?
Where was she?
Down the street or...?
Copy !req
621. Oh, sorry, yeah. I just
talked to her on her cell.
She's coming up the hill.
Copy !req
622. Okay.
Copy !req
623. She's got a cell phone?
Copy !req
624. Yeah.
A 12-year-old?
Copy !req
625. Yeah.
Copy !req
626. Huh.
Copy !req
627. For emergencies.
Copy !req
628. Big parenting decision.
Copy !req
629. But it's something that,
you know, we, you know,
all should discuss,
Copy !req
630. because if you have
any objections, of course...
Copy !req
631. Her mother and I
will discuss it.
Copy !req
632. But thank you.
Copy !req
633. Any of these?
Um...
Copy !req
634. I don't know.
Copy !req
635. Do you—?
This one's cool.
Copy !req
636. Is that good or bad?
Copy !req
637. - Butterflies.
- They're okay.
Copy !req
638. Look, that one's pretty.
I like the red.
Copy !req
639. Should we try?
Copy !req
640. No?
Copy !req
641. Oh, I like this one.
Yeah?
Copy !req
642. Dad, look at this one.
Copy !req
643. Look how it's red.
It's beautiful.
Copy !req
644. This one's pretty.
Let's try it out.
Copy !req
645. Just right here?
Why don't we go over there?
Copy !req
646. Can we go over there?
Copy !req
647. Oh, honey, you need to sing.
That's so good.
Copy !req
648. That's beautiful.
Copy !req
649. Sometimes I sing.
Copy !req
650. It's fun to sing with
your song, but I don't
want people to listen to me.
Copy !req
651. Well, honey, I think people
would love to listen to you.
That's beautiful.
Copy !req
652. Would you sing a little
for your dad?
Copy !req
653. Right here
in the middle of the store?
Copy !req
654. Little bit.
Little bit.
Copy !req
655. You ready?
I'm ready.
Copy !req
656. Okay.
Copy !req
657. Billy Beane was taken in the
first round of the amateur draft.
Copy !req
658. I think this is a steal,
to get Billy Beane.
Copy !req
659. He's young, he's talented.
Copy !req
660. A true five-tool player with speed.
This guy is a can't-miss prospect.
Copy !req
661. This is a great sign
for the New York Mets.
Copy !req
662. And it could be the turnaround
that they've been looking for.
Copy !req
663. Ball one.
Copy !req
664. I'll take Billy Beane
over Strawberry.
Copy !req
665. Billy Beane, an interesting pick,
turned down a scholarship.
Copy !req
666. He could've gone to Stanford.
Copy !req
667. Sometimes you don't find out
till you get to the big leagues...
Copy !req
668. Strike!
Copy !req
669. This guy has never failed
at anything. He's coming
out of high school.
Copy !req
670. Billy was gonna go to college.
He could've been a great
quarterback.
Copy !req
671. Strike three.
Copy !req
672. There's not an organization
in baseball
Copy !req
673. who would not have taken
a chance on this young guy.
Copy !req
674. He didn't pan out.
That happens every year.
Copy !req
675. Some do, some don't.
Copy !req
676. I mean, if you're having
any doubt at all about this...
Copy !req
677. Having the scholarship...
Copy !req
678. Your son was born
with a God-given ability.
Copy !req
679. Few scouts can go into
the mind of a young man
Copy !req
680. and determine whether
he's really confident
about what he can do.
Copy !req
681. A very special player.
Copy !req
682. So you can sign him
based on his ability,
Copy !req
683. but then he's gotta be successful
to be confident.
Copy !req
684. And once he becomes confident,
that's when you've got something.
Copy !req
685. You make a decision
on what you see.
Copy !req
686. And if things don't pan out,
you move on.
Copy !req
687. That's baseball.
Copy !req
688. Many are called, few are chosen.
Copy !req
689. Billy, that is Kevin Youkilis.
That is the Greek God of Walks.
Copy !req
690. That's my hero.
Copy !req
691. That man gets walked
more than anybody in baseball
Copy !req
692. except for Barry Bonds.
Copy !req
693. I tried to convince Shapiro
to pick him up last June,
Copy !req
694. but he said he waddled
like a duck.
Copy !req
695. Yeah, Boston snagged him.
Copy !req
696. I think they wanna wait and see.
Copy !req
697. - Are you okay, Billy?
- Billy?
Copy !req
698. Can we talk?
Copy !req
699. Yeah. Yeah.
Copy !req
700. You're unhappy, Grady. Why?
Copy !req
701. Wow.
Copy !req
702. May I speak candidly?
Sure, go ahead.
Copy !req
703. Major League Baseball and its fans,
they're gonna be more than happy
Copy !req
704. to throw you and Google Boy
under the bus
Copy !req
705. if you keep doing
what you're doing.
Copy !req
706. You don't put a team together
with a computer.
Copy !req
707. No?
No.
Copy !req
708. Baseball isn't just numbers.
It's not science.
Copy !req
709. If it was, anybody could do
what we're doing, but they can't.
Copy !req
710. They don't know what we know.
Copy !req
711. They don't have our experience
and our intuition.
Copy !req
712. Okay.
Copy !req
713. You got a kid in there that's got
a degree in economics from Yale.
Copy !req
714. You got a scout here with
29 years of baseball experience.
Copy !req
715. You're listening to the wrong one.
Copy !req
716. Now, there are intangibles that
only baseball people understand.
Copy !req
717. You're discounting what scouts
have done for 150 years?
Copy !req
718. Even yourself?
Copy !req
719. Adapt or die.
Copy !req
720. This is about you
and your shit, isn't it?
Copy !req
721. Twenty years ago,
some scout got it wrong.
Copy !req
722. Whoa. Okay. Okay.
Now you declare war on the system.
Copy !req
723. Okay, okay, my turn.
You don't have a crystal ball.
Copy !req
724. You can't look at a kid and predict
his future any more than I can.
Copy !req
725. I've sat at those kitchen tables
with you
Copy !req
726. and listened to you tell parents,
"When I know, I know.
Copy !req
727. And when it comes
to your son, I know."
Copy !req
728. And you don't.
Copy !req
729. You don't.
Copy !req
730. Okay. I don't give a shit
about friendship,
Copy !req
731. this situation, or the past.
Copy !req
732. Major League Baseball
thinks the way I think.
You're not gonna win.
Copy !req
733. And I'll give you a nickel's worth
of free advice.
Copy !req
734. You're never gonna
get another job
Copy !req
735. after this catastrophic season
you're about to set us all up for.
Copy !req
736. You'll have to explain
to your kid
Copy !req
737. why you're working
at Dick's Sporting Goods.
Copy !req
738. I'm not gonna fire you, Grady.
Copy !req
739. Fuck you, Billy.
Now I will.
Copy !req
740. Good luck, Art.
Copy !req
741. Kubota.
You never played ball, right?
Copy !req
742. I played a little T-ball.
You're the new head scout.
Copy !req
743. Congratulations.
Copy !req
744. So Boston's gonna
wait and see?
Copy !req
745. Yeah.
Copy !req
746. Yeah.
It's just you and me, Pete.
Copy !req
747. And we're all in.
Copy !req
748. It sounds like you're apologizing
for what they're doing.
Copy !req
749. I'm not. I just don't know
what you're gonna do
Copy !req
750. with the budget that the A's have.
Who are you gonna get?
Copy !req
751. I'm looking
at the spring-training roster.
Copy !req
752. - You gotta be kidding me.
- How so?
Copy !req
753. He looked like a clown out there.
Copy !req
754. - Who?
- Chad Bradford.
Copy !req
755. Tell me about Bradford.
Copy !req
756. I like him a little bit,
but he's a specialist.
Copy !req
757. He's not a guy that you say,
"The eighth inning is yours,
Copy !req
758. lefties vs. Righties."
Copy !req
759. In my opinion.
Copy !req
760. I don't know what
Billy Beane and management
understands about him.
Copy !req
761. He only throws the ball
about 82, 83 miles an hour.
There must be something—
Copy !req
762. He is a freak, and not in a good way.
Copy !req
763. Let me ask you this.
Copy !req
764. Talking about
trying to win a division.
Copy !req
765. We're counting on David
to be the guy he was.
Copy !req
766. I have my doubts. He's gotten old.
Copy !req
767. That's why he's not in New York
anymore, not in Cleveland anymore.
Copy !req
768. We paid him
the money we should've
been giving to Johnny Damon.
Copy !req
769. - Hey.
- Jeremy Giambi.
Copy !req
770. That's the one to worry about.
Copy !req
771. He gets comps up and down Vegas
more than in Oakland.
Copy !req
772. That should tell you something
right there.
Copy !req
773. Isn't that the deal with these guys?
Copy !req
774. He has one good year.
Copy !req
775. And he gets a huge offer
and then he gets traded.
Copy !req
776. - Bob. Harder.
- Hatteberg.
Copy !req
777. Good. Good.
Copy !req
778. Billy, we have to talk
about Hatteberg.
Copy !req
779. - Go.
- There's just no feel for the spot.
Copy !req
780. I think it's a long shot that he can be
a big-league first baseman.
Copy !req
781. It's day one of the first week.
You can't judge this yet.
Copy !req
782. No, I think
we can judge it.
Copy !req
783. I mean, I like him, you know,
but I can judge him.
Copy !req
784. First base is
the moon to him.
Copy !req
785. It wasn't to Giambi.
Giambi's the worst
first baseman in baseball.
Copy !req
786. Gonna compare him to Giambi?
What are we talking about?
Copy !req
787. All right.
Copy !req
788. What do you think, Wash?
Copy !req
789. The nice way to say it
is he lacks confidence.
Copy !req
790. Well, give him some.
Copy !req
791. I'll do that, but we got Pena,
who can play first.
Copy !req
792. And he's looking
mighty good out there.
Copy !req
793. We wanna go with Hattie.
Copy !req
794. We got six weeks.
Copy !req
795. Get down in it.
Copy !req
796. There you go.
Scotty H.
Copy !req
797. That's what I'm talking about.
Picking machine.
Copy !req
798. It's only baseball.
Copy !req
799. This better work.
Copy !req
800. I'm just kidding you.
Copy !req
801. Let's go, Oakland!
Copy !req
802. Let's go, Oakland!
Copy !req
803. What is wrong with this thing?
It's a dollar, man.
Copy !req
804. What?
Welcome to Oakland, D.J.
Copy !req
805. Oh, you gotta be shitting me.
Copy !req
806. I think this year,
we're gonna show that
it takes a team to win,
Copy !req
807. not any individual guy,
just a team.
Copy !req
808. And I think we got
a hell of a ball club here.
Copy !req
809. Chad, are you intimidated
at all today?
Copy !req
810. I wouldn't say I'm intimidated, really.
I'm just really excited, like you said.
Copy !req
811. Jeremy, how's the team gonna fare
without your brother, Jason?
Copy !req
812. Well, you know,
the organization did a great job
Copy !req
813. of bringing in good young guys
to fill that role.
Copy !req
814. Let's face it,
they're getting a deal with you.
Copy !req
815. The Yankees are paying
Jason a lot of money.
Copy !req
816. You are coming here on a dime.
How does that make you feel?
Copy !req
817. I feel good. Um...
Copy !req
818. How are the nerves in your fingers?
You know.
Copy !req
819. Gotta start with the age,
36 years old.
Copy !req
820. How do you think
your body's gonna hold up?
Copy !req
821. You spend a lot of time
at strip clubs, partying.
Copy !req
822. Do you resent the attention
you get off the field?
Copy !req
823. I love it.
Copy !req
824. You spend a lot of time in Vegas.
I do.
Copy !req
825. I feel great. I did a lot of work to get—
Excuse me. Get out of my shot.
Copy !req
826. Sorry, go ahead.
Copy !req
827. There have been questions
about my age
Copy !req
828. and my declining skills, some say,
but I'm here to prove that wrong.
Copy !req
829. I asked if you were
100 percent.
Copy !req
830. Excuse me, Mr. Beane?
Hey, Chad.
Copy !req
831. Hey, I'm not disturbing you, am I?
Not at all. What's up?
Copy !req
832. I wanted to say thank you
for this opportunity.
Copy !req
833. Well, we enjoy having you.
It's gonna work out well
for all of us.
Copy !req
834. I appreciate it, sir.
Nobody's ever given me
a chance like this before.
Copy !req
835. Nobody?
Copy !req
836. Well, just you, sir.
Copy !req
837. Well, it's a big day,
one you won't forget.
Copy !req
838. Appreciate it.
And I wanna let you know
Copy !req
839. I'm gonna be praying for you
and your family.
Copy !req
840. No problem.
Copy !req
841. Well, here we are just minutes away
from the season opener of 2002
Copy !req
842. for the Oakland A's.
Copy !req
843. The first pitch is moments away.
Copy !req
844. We'll come back
with the national anthem.
Copy !req
845. Opening day is upon us.
Copy !req
846. All right, fellas, smile.
Here we go.
Copy !req
847. I'm going in.
Text me the play-by-play.
Copy !req
848. What? Why?
Copy !req
849. I don't watch the games.
Copy !req
850. Detail, halt!
Copy !req
851. And forward face!
Copy !req
852. That's the third Ranger batter
to be hit today.
Copy !req
853. Twice Alex Rodriguez was nicked.
The ninth—
Copy !req
854. I should've made you a bigger part
of the conversation from day one.
Copy !req
855. It'd be clear what
we're trying to do.
Copy !req
856. That was my mistake, Art.
I take responsibility for that.
Copy !req
857. What are you trying to say?
Copy !req
858. Doesn't matter what moves
I make if you don't play the team
the way they're designed to be.
Copy !req
859. Billy, you're out of your depth.
Copy !req
860. Why not Hatteberg at first?
Because he can't play first.
Copy !req
861. How do you know?
Not my first baseball game.
Copy !req
862. Scott Hatteberg can't hit.
He gets on base.
Copy !req
863. Still keeps us in the plus column.
We need to be seven over.500.
Copy !req
864. What?
Copy !req
865. Anything else?
Copy !req
866. Yeah. I would've rather seen
Bradford in the end than Magnante.
Copy !req
867. Bradford's a righty.
Copy !req
868. I don't care about righty-lefty.
I do.
Copy !req
869. Could this be about your contract?
No.
Copy !req
870. This is about you doing your job
and me doing mine.
Copy !req
871. Mine's me being left alone
Copy !req
872. to manage this team
you assembled for me.
Copy !req
873. I didn't assemble them for you, Art.
No shit.
Copy !req
874. Good meeting.
Copy !req
875. Every time we talk,
Copy !req
876. I'm reinvigorated
by my love of the game.
Copy !req
877. We got Grady Fuson, former head
of scouting with the Athletics.
Copy !req
878. And, Grady, can you interpret for us
what's going on?
Copy !req
879. - They call it Moneyball.
- Moneyball?
Copy !req
880. Yes, and it was a nice theory,
and now it's just not working out.
Copy !req
881. Billy Beane has built this team
on the ideas of a guy, Bill James,
Copy !req
882. who wrote an interesting book
on baseball statistics.
Copy !req
883. The problem is that Bill James
never played, never managed.
Copy !req
884. He was in fact a security guard
at a pork-and-beans company.
Copy !req
885. Do you see this as a decimation
of the organization?
Copy !req
886. He bought a ticket on the Titanic.
Copy !req
887. Oh, boy.
Copy !req
888. He's tried to come up
with a new approach.
Copy !req
889. My hat's off to him. It won't work.
Copy !req
890. One-two pitch. Tejada strikes out.
Copy !req
891. And that is the game.
Copy !req
892. The Seattle Mariners
win both games on this series, Ray.
Copy !req
893. They've won 10 in a row.
Seattle is 13 and 3.
Copy !req
894. I can't watch this shit.
Copy !req
895. Go on the road with the team.
Copy !req
896. You don't go on the road
with the team.
Copy !req
897. That's why I want you to do it.
Why don't you?
Copy !req
898. I can't develop personal
relationships with these guys.
Copy !req
899. I gotta be able to trade them,
send them down,
Copy !req
900. sometimes cut them.
Copy !req
901. Which is something
you should learn to do,
by the way.
Copy !req
902. I would never have to
cut a player, unless you...
Copy !req
903. Oh, come on.
"Come on" what?
Copy !req
904. Let's practice.
No.
Copy !req
905. Yeah. I'm a player.
You gotta cut me from the roster.
Copy !req
906. No.
Go.
Copy !req
907. What do you mean, no?
No.
Copy !req
908. Do it.
This is stupid.
Copy !req
909. Part of the job, man.
Copy !req
910. Fine.
Copy !req
911. Billy, please have a seat.
I need to talk to you for a minute.
Copy !req
912. Go on.
Copy !req
913. You've been a huge part
of this team.
Copy !req
914. But sometimes you have to
make decisions for the team.
Copy !req
915. I'm sure you can understand.
Copy !req
916. You're cutting me?
I'm really sorry.
Copy !req
917. I just bought a house here.
Copy !req
918. Well...
In Oakland.
Copy !req
919. Well, uh... Well...
Copy !req
920. "Well... Well..."?
That's all you got to say?
Copy !req
921. My kid just started
a new school.
Copy !req
922. They made friends.
That's, uh...
Copy !req
923. You shouldn't pull them out
in the middle of the year.
Copy !req
924. You should wait.
What the hell are you talking about?
Copy !req
925. I don't know. I shouldn't have—
Copy !req
926. I'm not gonna do this.
I think this is stupid.
Copy !req
927. I'm not gonna fire anybody,
and this is dumb.
Copy !req
928. They're professional ballplayers.
Just be straight with them.
Copy !req
929. No fluff, just facts.
Copy !req
930. Pete, I gotta let you go.
Jack's office will handle the details.
Copy !req
931. That's it?
Pfft.
Copy !req
932. Really?
Copy !req
933. You rather get a bullet
to the head or five to the
chest and bleed to death?
Copy !req
934. Are those
my only two options?
Copy !req
935. Go on the road with the team.
Copy !req
936. Okay.
Copy !req
937. Say, bro.
Copy !req
938. Let me ask you a question.
Yeah.
Copy !req
939. How come your boss
doesn't travel with the team?
Copy !req
940. He doesn't like to mingle
with the players.
Copy !req
941. Is that supposed to
make us easier to cut?
Copy !req
942. I don't know. I don't know.
Copy !req
943. And how come soda
is a dollar in the clubhouse?
Copy !req
944. I never seen
nothing like that.
Copy !req
945. Billy likes to keep
the money on the field.
Copy !req
946. Soda money?
Copy !req
947. Really?
Copy !req
948. Where on the field is the
dollar I'm paying for soda?
Copy !req
949. It's hard to see exactly,
Copy !req
950. but it's there, yeah.
Yeah, it is hard to see.
Copy !req
951. I'm done.
Copy !req
952. Hey, Dad.
Hi, honey.
Copy !req
953. How are you?
I'm good.
Copy !req
954. Was it bumpy?
It was okay.
Copy !req
955. So with this loss tonight,
the Oakland Athletics
Copy !req
956. incredibly, have lost 14
of their last 17 games.
Copy !req
957. They are 10 games back
in the American League West.
Copy !req
958. Is it fair to say
the experiment has failed?
Copy !req
959. Well, absolutely. It was predictable.
Copy !req
960. You don't wish anybody
a lack of success, but the
facts are in front of you.
Copy !req
961. You can't blame Art Howe.
Copy !req
962. No.
Copy !req
963. The fact
of the matter is, this is not about
statistics, this is about people.
Copy !req
964. Art Howe is not the problem.
Copy !req
965. The problem is in the
general manager's office
with Billy Beane.
Copy !req
966. The root of the problem for me
is philosophical.
Copy !req
967. I said it before.
This is fantasy baseball.
Copy !req
968. Billy is just not thinking.
Copy !req
969. Start thinking about a new GM,
making changes.
Copy !req
970. He never goes to the games.
Copy !req
971. This was very predictable.
Copy !req
972. He needs to look at what's going on.
Copy !req
973. - The man needs to get real.
- I want Billy Beane gone.
Copy !req
974. Calling for Beane's head.
I want your thoughts.
Copy !req
975. The past 18 games, they've been
shut out or scored one run four times.
Copy !req
976. They're just not scoring enough.
Copy !req
977. It's not just the offense,
not Thad Bosley and the hitters.
Copy !req
978. It's everything. If there was one thing
you could pick out, you'd try to fix it,
Copy !req
979. but just everything is in a funk
right now.
Copy !req
980. What the hell am I doing?
Copy !req
981. Oh, man.
Copy !req
982. Look, Steve.
Copy !req
983. I believe in what
we're doing.
Copy !req
984. The record doesn't reflect
the strength of this team
Copy !req
985. or where we're gonna be
at the end of the season.
Copy !req
986. Now, Pete and I here feel
very strongly that we stay
on the track we've chosen.
Copy !req
987. Our sample size has
been too small. It's too—
Copy !req
988. Early. It's still early.
Copy !req
989. Where do we expect to be
by the All-Star break?
Copy !req
990. Our goal
and our expectation
Copy !req
991. is by mid-July to be within
seven games of first.
Copy !req
992. That would be
this working.
Copy !req
993. That keeps us in the hunt.
Exceptionally well.
Copy !req
994. - By July.
- July.
Copy !req
995. And what's gonna prevent you
from accomplishing that?
Copy !req
996. What are you afraid of?
Copy !req
997. Nothing. That's why
we're here, Steve.
Copy !req
998. That's why we get up
in the morning.
That's all we do.
Copy !req
999. More?
Yeah, a little more.
Copy !req
1000. Don't tell your mother.
I won't.
Copy !req
1001. Chocolate sauce?
Yes.
Copy !req
1002. Stop.
Copy !req
1003. Big spoon or little spoon?
Little spoon.
Copy !req
1004. Thank you.
Copy !req
1005. Dad, there's no way you're
gonna lose your job, right?
Copy !req
1006. What?
Copy !req
1007. Well, I don't know.
Copy !req
1008. I'm just wondering.
Where'd you hear that?
Copy !req
1009. Well, I go on the Internet
sometimes.
Copy !req
1010. Well, don't do that.
Don't go on the Internet.
Copy !req
1011. Or watch TV
or read newspapers
Copy !req
1012. or talk to people.
Copy !req
1013. I don't talk to people.
I just read stuff.
Copy !req
1014. Honey, everything's fine.
Everything's fine.
Copy !req
1015. Really, you don't have to worry.
Copy !req
1016. But if you lose your job,
will you have to move away?
Copy !req
1017. Honey, I'm not gonna
lose my job.
Copy !req
1018. You don't have to worry.
Copy !req
1019. Okay.
Hey.
Copy !req
1020. There's no problem.
Okay.
Copy !req
1021. All right? I got uptown problems,
which are not problems at all.
Copy !req
1022. You're not worried, right?
Copy !req
1023. No, I'm not worried.
Okay.
Copy !req
1024. Pena.
Copy !req
1025. Okay.
Copy !req
1026. I want Dye in right,
Copy !req
1027. Justice DH'ing,
Pena on the bench,
Copy !req
1028. Hatteberg at first,
Copy !req
1029. and anyone but Mags
first out of the pen.
Copy !req
1030. You want Pena on the bench?
Copy !req
1031. That's right.
So you can play Hattie.
Copy !req
1032. Pena is not only
the best first baseman,
Copy !req
1033. he's the only first baseman.
Copy !req
1034. Hattie gets on base
more than Pena.
Copy !req
1035. In fact, 20 percent more.
And his fielding?
Copy !req
1036. His fielding does not matter.
Copy !req
1037. I've heard enough of this.
Have you?
Copy !req
1038. And I, uh...
Copy !req
1039. I disagree with you,
plain and simple.
Copy !req
1040. And moreover,
I'm playing my team
Copy !req
1041. in a way that I can explain
in job interviews next winter.
Copy !req
1042. Okay? Ahem.
Copy !req
1043. Hattie. Not Pena.
Copy !req
1044. What's up, skip?
Copy !req
1045. How you doing?
Good, how you doing, man?
Copy !req
1046. Get some sleep
last night?
Copy !req
1047. As the A's hit the field,
we are ready for baseball.
Copy !req
1048. First one out of the dugout
is rookie sensation Carlos Pena,
Copy !req
1049. one of the few bright lights in this
lineup, taking his spot at first base.
Copy !req
1050. Billy, quick question.
Do you expect these guys
to produce more or—?
Copy !req
1051. Not now.
What's the reason for the slump?
Copy !req
1052. Get down.
Copy !req
1053. Is losing fun?
Copy !req
1054. Is losing fun?
No.
Copy !req
1055. What are you having fun for?
Copy !req
1056. That's what losing
sounds like.
Copy !req
1057. Are you okay, Dad?
Copy !req
1058. You're doing it again.
What?
Copy !req
1059. You're worrying about me.
Copy !req
1060. You're in last place, Dad.
Copy !req
1061. Do I look worried?
Yeah.
Copy !req
1062. Because you're getting
on an airplane, and those
things crash all the time.
Copy !req
1063. Please stop worrying
about your dad.
Copy !req
1064. We're all set.
Okay.
Copy !req
1065. I love you.
Love you too.
Copy !req
1066. All right. Your dad's not in trouble.
Copy !req
1067. Okay.
Copy !req
1068. Yeah.
Copy !req
1069. - Suzanne, get me Ed Wade.
- Okay.
Copy !req
1070. Coffee on?
Yes.
Copy !req
1071. Good morning.
Good morning, Billy.
Copy !req
1072. Oh, hi, Louisa.
Copy !req
1073. - I need Ed Wade for Billy Beane.
- Hi.
Copy !req
1074. Please hold.
Copy !req
1075. - What's up?
- Wade's on 2.
Copy !req
1076. - Ed?
- Hello?
Copy !req
1077. Ed, it's Billy.
Billy, what's up?
Copy !req
1078. Look, I need a little help on defense.
Okay.
Copy !req
1079. I'm willing to trade
Jeremy Giambi for it.
Copy !req
1080. Really?
What?
Copy !req
1081. Mm-hm. Who you got?
What?
Copy !req
1082. Well, let me think.
What are you doing?
Copy !req
1083. Cleaning house.
Copy !req
1084. Mabry?
Maybe what?
Copy !req
1085. No, Mabry.
Hold on.
Copy !req
1086. No.
Why not?
Copy !req
1087. Because you can't trade
Jeremy Giambi.
Copy !req
1088. He'll be fine, Ed.
Copy !req
1089. Why do I get the feeling
you're picking my pocket?
Copy !req
1090. I'm not. You're picking mine.
Giambi's name alone is worth more.
Copy !req
1091. What's wrong with him?
Nothing.
Copy !req
1092. Can we say it's done in theory
and start drawing up the paperwork?
Copy !req
1093. Okay, but you're gonna have—
Great.
Copy !req
1094. He was gonna
say something else.
Copy !req
1095. When you get the answer
you're looking for, hang up.
Copy !req
1096. - Suzanne.
- Yes?
Copy !req
1097. - David Dombrowski.
- Okay.
Copy !req
1098. And Pena's going too.
I don't think you should do that.
Copy !req
1099. I really don't think
you should do that.
Copy !req
1100. I want Hatteberg
in the lineup tonight.
Copy !req
1101. You need to take a minute.
Copy !req
1102. I think you seriously need
to think about what you're doing.
Copy !req
1103. Because you're upset.
Okay.
Copy !req
1104. What am I missing?
Copy !req
1105. These are hard moves
to explain to people.
Copy !req
1106. Why is that a problem, Pete?
Copy !req
1107. Don't make
an emotional decision, Billy.
Copy !req
1108. David Dombrowski's on 3.
Copy !req
1109. Look, we're gonna
shake things up.
Copy !req
1110. Dave. Pena's going on the block.
You're my first call.
Copy !req
1111. Because he's making the rest
of the team look bad.
Copy !req
1112. He's gonna be
a Rookie of the Year.
Copy !req
1113. Probably an All-Star.
He's an All-Star, Dave.
Copy !req
1114. No. I want a reliever and cash.
Copy !req
1115. Okay. You got five minutes, Dave.
I'm not waiting.
Copy !req
1116. Billy, Pena is an All-Star, okay?
Copy !req
1117. And if you dump him and this
Hatteberg thing doesn't work out,
you know this is—
Copy !req
1118. This is the kind of decision
that gets you fired.
Copy !req
1119. It is.
Copy !req
1120. Yes, you're right.
Copy !req
1121. I may lose my job.
Copy !req
1122. In which case I'm a 44-year-old guy
with a high school diploma
Copy !req
1123. and a daughter
I'd like to be able to send to college.
Copy !req
1124. You're 25 years old,
with a degree from Yale
Copy !req
1125. and a pretty impressive
apprenticeship.
Copy !req
1126. I don't think
we're asking the right question.
Copy !req
1127. I think the question
we should be asking is,
Copy !req
1128. do you believe in this thing
or not?
Copy !req
1129. I do.
Copy !req
1130. It's a problem you think
we need to explain ourselves.
Copy !req
1131. Don't. To anyone.
Copy !req
1132. Okay.
Copy !req
1133. Now, I'm gonna see this thing
through, for better or worse.
Copy !req
1134. Just tell me, do you project we'll win
more with Hatteberg or Pena at first?
Copy !req
1135. It's close...
Copy !req
1136. but theoretically, Hatteberg.
Copy !req
1137. What are we talking about, then?
Copy !req
1138. Dombrowski's on again, on 3.
Copy !req
1139. Yeah?
Copy !req
1140. Okay, that'll work.
Copy !req
1141. Great. I need one more thing.
Copy !req
1142. Soda. Yeah, I don't want
my guys paying for soda.
Copy !req
1143. I want you to stock
my machine for three years.
Copy !req
1144. I'm serious.
Copy !req
1145. Great. It's a deal.
Copy !req
1146. Go tell Pena he's gotta pack.
Copy !req
1147. You want me to tell Pena?
Part of the job.
Copy !req
1148. What about Giambi?
You want me to tell him too?
Copy !req
1149. I'll tell him.
Copy !req
1150. Excuse me, Carlos?
Yeah?
Copy !req
1151. Can I speak with you a minute?
Yeah.
Copy !req
1152. Carlos, you've been
traded to the Tigers.
Copy !req
1153. This is Jay Palmer's number.
Copy !req
1154. He's the traveling secretary
for the team.
Copy !req
1155. He's expecting your call.
He'll take care of everything.
Copy !req
1156. Is that it?
Yes.
Copy !req
1157. Okay.
Copy !req
1158. Okay.
Copy !req
1159. Art, you got a minute?
Copy !req
1160. Yeah. Take a seat.
Copy !req
1161. You can't start Pena at first tonight.
You'll have to start Hatteberg.
Copy !req
1162. I don't wanna go
15 rounds, Billy.
Copy !req
1163. The lineup card is mine,
and that's all.
Copy !req
1164. That lineup card is definitely yours.
Copy !req
1165. I'm just saying
you can't start Pena at first.
Copy !req
1166. Well...
Copy !req
1167. I am starting him at first.
Copy !req
1168. I don't think so.
He plays for Detroit now.
Copy !req
1169. You traded Pena?
Copy !req
1170. Yeah.
Copy !req
1171. And Menechino, Hiljus, Tam
are all being sent down.
Copy !req
1172. - You are outside your mind.
- Yeah. Cuckoo.
Copy !req
1173. You wanted to see me?
Yeah, Jeremy, grab a seat.
Copy !req
1174. Jeremy, you've been
traded to the Phillies.
Copy !req
1175. This is Ed Wade's number.
He's a good guy, the GM.
Copy !req
1176. He's expecting your call.
Copy !req
1177. Buddy will help you
with the plane flight.
Copy !req
1178. You're a good ballplayer,
Jeremy,
Copy !req
1179. and we wish you the best.
Copy !req
1180. Jeremy's gone too.
Copy !req
1181. You're killing this team.
Copy !req
1182. Art, I can do this all day long.
Copy !req
1183. Hey.
Copy !req
1184. You agree with this?
Copy !req
1185. Hundred percent.
Copy !req
1186. You want this door closed?
Copy !req
1187. Scotty H.
Sir?
Copy !req
1188. Go field some grounders.
Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1189. Everybody, listen up.
Copy !req
1190. You may not look
like a winning team...
Copy !req
1191. but you are one.
Copy !req
1192. So...
Copy !req
1193. play like one tonight.
Copy !req
1194. Oh, shit.
Copy !req
1195. When you're getting your pitch,
you're hitting.625, massive.
Copy !req
1196. You're crushing the ball.
Copy !req
1197. But when you swing at things—
Your pitch is middle-in.
Copy !req
1198. When you're
swinging low and away,
you're batting.158.
Copy !req
1199. Every at bat's
like a hand of blackjack.
Copy !req
1200. Every card that's dealt,
your odds change.
Copy !req
1201. So every first-pitch strike,
your batting average goes
down about 75 points.
Copy !req
1202. Seventy-five points.
Copy !req
1203. He should throw 100
pitches before the fifth.
Copy !req
1204. You wanna knock
that starter out.
Copy !req
1205. I want you taking at bats off the 10th
and 11th pitcher by the end.
Copy !req
1206. This is your basic breakdown
of the pitches,
Copy !req
1207. where you should
be hitting them, why.
Copy !req
1208. So you want us to walk more?
Good question. Yes.
Copy !req
1209. Mr. Justice.
Copy !req
1210. Had a few thoughts.
Yeah?
Copy !req
1211. Yeah.
Gonna teach me some things?
Copy !req
1212. Excuse me?
Copy !req
1213. Never seen a GM
talk to players like that.
Copy !req
1214. You never seen a GM
who was a player.
Copy !req
1215. Huh.
Copy !req
1216. We got a problem, David?
No, it's okay.
Copy !req
1217. I know your routine.
Copy !req
1218. It's patter. It's for effect.
Copy !req
1219. But it's for them, all right?
That shit ain't for me.
Copy !req
1220. Oh, you're special?
Copy !req
1221. You're paying me 7 million bucks
a year, man, so, yeah,
Copy !req
1222. maybe I am, a little bit.
Copy !req
1223. No, man,
I ain't paying you 7.
Copy !req
1224. Yankees are paying
half your salary.
Copy !req
1225. That's what the New York Yankees
think of you.
Copy !req
1226. They're paying you $3.5 million
to play against them.
Copy !req
1227. Where you going with this, Billy?
Copy !req
1228. David, you're 37.
Copy !req
1229. How about you and I be honest about
what each of us want out of this?
Copy !req
1230. I wanna milk the last ounce
of baseball you got in you.
Copy !req
1231. And you wanna stay in the show.
Copy !req
1232. Let's do that.
Copy !req
1233. I'm not paying you
for the player you used to be.
Copy !req
1234. I'm paying you for the player
you are right now.
Copy !req
1235. You're smart. You get what
we're trying to do here.
Copy !req
1236. Make an example
for the younger guys.
Copy !req
1237. Be a leader.
Copy !req
1238. Can you do that?
Copy !req
1239. All right. I got you.
Copy !req
1240. We're cool?
Copy !req
1241. We're cool.
Copy !req
1242. Scotty H.
Copy !req
1243. Yo, what's up, D.J.?
Picking machine.
Copy !req
1244. How you liking
first base, man?
Copy !req
1245. It's coming along.
Picking it up.
Copy !req
1246. You know, tough transition,
but I'm starting to feel better with it.
Copy !req
1247. Yeah?
Yeah.
Copy !req
1248. What's your biggest fear?
Copy !req
1249. A baseball being hit
in my general direction.
Copy !req
1250. That's funny.
Seriously, what is it?
Copy !req
1251. No, seriously, that is.
Copy !req
1252. Well, hey, good luck with that.
Copy !req
1253. Be social out there.
Copy !req
1254. Social.
Social. Like a greeter at the Gap.
Copy !req
1255. Guy steps into your office,
chat him up.
Copy !req
1256. You're well-read.
You went to school.
Copy !req
1257. Yeah.
Have some fun. Relax.
Copy !req
1258. Everyone wants to attack.
Quit trying to attack.
Copy !req
1259. Let the game come to you, man.
There's no clock on this thing.
Copy !req
1260. This is a war of attrition.
Copy !req
1261. If I take more, I could
even take a few strikes,
but I'll get walked more.
Copy !req
1262. You get on base, we win.
You don't, we lose.
Copy !req
1263. And I hate losing,
Chavvie. I hate it.
Copy !req
1264. I hate losing more
than I even wanna win.
Copy !req
1265. And there's
a difference.
Copy !req
1266. No bunts.
Bunts is an out.
Copy !req
1267. Even if the third baseman is back?
No bunting whatsoever.
Copy !req
1268. If someone bunts on us,
throw it to first.
Copy !req
1269. Don't be a hero
and go to second.
Copy !req
1270. Let them make the mistakes.
Copy !req
1271. When your enemy's
making mistakes,
don't interrupt them.
Copy !req
1272. They're giving you an out.
Just giving it to you.
Copy !req
1273. Take it.
Say thank you.
Copy !req
1274. Another thing.
No more stealing.
Copy !req
1275. That's what I do,
what you pay me to do.
Copy !req
1276. I pay you to get on first,
not get thrown out at second.
Copy !req
1277. This is a process.
It's a process,
it's a process. Okay?
Copy !req
1278. Jason takes it, goes to second for
the only out, and the A's get a run.
Copy !req
1279. Jermaine Dye homers again,
his second in two games.
Copy !req
1280. And the A's are still hanging in.
We'll get you scores here.
Copy !req
1281. The A's pull within two of the
Angels for the wild-card chase.
Copy !req
1282. The Reds have now dropped
five in a row
Copy !req
1283. as Oakland beats them
in the beginning of this series 5 to 3.
Copy !req
1284. Tejada walks.
Copy !req
1285. Ball four.
Copy !req
1286. Ball four and Hatteberg walks.
Copy !req
1287. What is happening in Oakland?
The A's have won seven in a row.
Copy !req
1288. A lot of excitement.
What a winning streak.
Copy !req
1289. But how about the calming
influence of Art Howe?
Copy !req
1290. When you say "your source,"
if it's not me or Peter,
they don't know.
Copy !req
1291. He's managing
an unorthodox team.
Copy !req
1292. Right.
It's not a perfect roster.
Copy !req
1293. But right now, Art Howe is
the reason this team is winning.
Copy !req
1294. He deserves the credit.
Great, thanks. Bye.
Copy !req
1295. Did you hear that?
Copy !req
1296. I heard "seven in a row."
You get the Cleveland matchups?
Copy !req
1297. Yeah, right here.
Copy !req
1298. Voos.
Billy.
Copy !req
1299. That smell is getting worse.
I'm on it.
Copy !req
1300. What are we doing?
Splitting it in half?
Copy !req
1301. Both sides of the plate.
Got it.
Copy !req
1302. Huddy. Mix it up.
Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1303. Trust your slider, yeah?
Yes, sir.
Copy !req
1304. You guys quit distracting him.
Copy !req
1305. You couldn't hit that shit
last night with a paddle.
Copy !req
1306. You gotta see more pitches.
Copy !req
1307. All right, Billy.
Patience.
Copy !req
1308. Hey, David.
Hey, Billy.
Copy !req
1309. Great at bats.
Thank you.
Copy !req
1310. Really quality.
Thank you.
Copy !req
1311. Base hit to right field.
Tejada scores.
Copy !req
1312. Chavez coming in.
The ball gets past Guiel.
Copy !req
1313. The A's, from 5-nothing down,
now lead 6 to 5.
Copy !req
1314. The Oakland A's are completely
out of hand at the moment.
Copy !req
1315. They are an AL-best 17 and 4
this month.
Copy !req
1316. They also took back-to-back series
at Boston and at New York.
Copy !req
1317. Remember when they traded
Jeremy Giambi in June
Copy !req
1318. and everyone thought
they'd just given up?
Copy !req
1319. Actually, not so much.
Copy !req
1320. Suzanne, get Shapiro on the phone.
Copy !req
1321. You thinking Rincon?
His season's done. He's lost faith.
Copy !req
1322. I think he's gonna dump him.
Hard-core.
Copy !req
1323. Shapiro on 2.
Copy !req
1324. Mark, Billy. Let's be honest.
Copy !req
1325. A premier setup man
isn't gonna get you closer
to the play-offs.
Copy !req
1326. Are you referring to Rincon?
Copy !req
1327. He's a luxury
you can't afford, man.
Copy !req
1328. And you can?
There's half a million
on his contract.
Copy !req
1329. And we've got
at least one other suitor.
Copy !req
1330. By "at least one," you mean one.
Copy !req
1331. Who is it?
I'd rather not say.
Copy !req
1332. San Francisco.
San Francisco.
Copy !req
1333. I'll call you back.
Copy !req
1334. What do you think
we can get for Magnante?
Copy !req
1335. Nothing.
Copy !req
1336. What's left on Venafro's contract?
Two seventy-five.
Copy !req
1337. Suzanne,
get me Sabean on the line.
Copy !req
1338. Get the Giants interested
in Venafro, Mark's only got
one buyer for Rincon.
Copy !req
1339. - Us.
- On 3.
Copy !req
1340. Saby-Sabster, it's Billy.
What do you think of Venafro?
Copy !req
1341. I can let you have him
for almost nothing.
Copy !req
1342. Why would you do that?
Because I'm amazing.
Copy !req
1343. I want a couple bucks
and a sweetener.
Copy !req
1344. Throw in, say...
Copy !req
1345. Anderson.
Anderson.
Copy !req
1346. I like Anderson.
No, you don't. Nobody likes him.
Copy !req
1347. I don't know why I'm doing this.
But let's do it.
Copy !req
1348. Venafro for Michaelson. Anderson.
I don't know his name.
Copy !req
1349. I'll think about it.
Think about it and call me back.
Copy !req
1350. Get Shapiro on.
Copy !req
1351. Shapiro's on 2.
Copy !req
1352. Mark.
You can't afford him, Billy.
Copy !req
1353. You sure about that?
Copy !req
1354. I get the impression
the market for Rincon is softening.
Copy !req
1355. Huh?
I could be wrong,
Copy !req
1356. but I'd call whoever's
interested
Copy !req
1357. and see if they're still interested.
Call me back.
Copy !req
1358. What about the Mets for Venafro?
You offered him to the Giants.
Copy !req
1359. Suzanne, Steve Phillips.
Copy !req
1360. Between Bonds, Kent, Nen, Snow,
San Francisco's never gonna do it.
Copy !req
1361. Totally agree.
We just need them to cool on Rincon.
Copy !req
1362. Phillips on 2.
Steve-o, it's Billy.
Copy !req
1363. I hear you're looking for a reliever.
I can give you Venafro.
Copy !req
1364. - I can make it quick and easy.
- What's the angle?
Copy !req
1365. No angle.
Who am I getting fleeced for?
Copy !req
1366. Hang on a sec.
Uh, Bennett, maybe?
Copy !req
1367. How old?
Twenty-six.
Copy !req
1368. Twenty-six, Double-A? Forget it.
Copy !req
1369. Duncan, no.
Copy !req
1370. No. Furbush, no.
Copy !req
1371. Eckerton? Eckerton? Eckerton.
Copy !req
1372. Eckerton.
Copy !req
1373. I like Eckerton.
You don't even know who Eckerton is.
Copy !req
1374. Is Venafro hurt?
No, he's fine, he's fine.
Copy !req
1375. It's just an issue for us.
Copy !req
1376. Last couple times, he got hammered.
Not his fault.
Copy !req
1377. That was us. We misused him.
It's Steve.
Copy !req
1378. I'm almost done.
Steve Schott.
Copy !req
1379. Look, Steve-o,
let me be straight with you.
Copy !req
1380. Here's the deal.
I'm getting Rincon.
It's a done deal.
Copy !req
1381. I heard the Giants—
Giants want Venafro for Michaelson.
Copy !req
1382. Anderson.
I'd rather deal with you.
Copy !req
1383. You can give me Eckerton
and $225,000 in cash,
Copy !req
1384. and the Giants can't.
Copy !req
1385. I'll think about it.
Think about it.
Copy !req
1386. But whoever calls me back first
gets Venafro.
Copy !req
1387. Schott hung up.
Copy !req
1388. Oh, I want this one.
Copy !req
1389. Why isn't anybody calling?
Copy !req
1390. Shapiro's on 2.
Copy !req
1391. Yeah?
Copy !req
1392. Okay, let me talk to my owner.
I'll call you back.
Copy !req
1393. Get Steve on the phone.
Schott or Phillips?
Copy !req
1394. Why would we call Phillips?
Phillips has gotta call us.
Copy !req
1395. Tell him I'm on the other line.
Copy !req
1396. Hi, Mr. Schott, it's Peter Brand.
I apologize for putting you on hold.
Copy !req
1397. Billy asked me to call you back.
Tell him we want 225,000 for Rincon.
Copy !req
1398. Billy says he needs $225,000
for Ricardo Rincon.
Copy !req
1399. Please.
Copy !req
1400. Yes, I added the "please"
at the end.
Copy !req
1401. Okay. Let me—
Hold on one second, please.
Copy !req
1402. Tell him I'll pay for him.
Copy !req
1403. But when I sell him back for
twice the amount next year,
I keep the money.
Copy !req
1404. Okay, so Billy says
he'll pay for Rincon himself.
Copy !req
1405. But when he sells him
for more money next year,
he's keeping the profit.
Copy !req
1406. Thank you very much.
We'll call you back. Thank you.
Copy !req
1407. Come on. Come on.
Copy !req
1408. Suzanne, call Shapiro ba—
Never mind, I got him right here.
Copy !req
1409. Mark. Yeah.
Copy !req
1410. Listen, I don't want Rincon
pitching against me tonight.
Copy !req
1411. Tell him to change clothes
and send him over.
I got you the money.
Copy !req
1412. Yup.
Copy !req
1413. Great.
Copy !req
1414. I don't wanna dampen
the mood at all, but since
we picked up Rincon...
Copy !req
1415. We gotta send someone down.
Copy !req
1416. Mags.
Hey, Billy.
Copy !req
1417. I know I've been struggling lately.
Copy !req
1418. But second half of the season,
definitely turn it around. Ricky and I—
Copy !req
1419. Mike, I need you
to stop getting dressed.
Copy !req
1420. Traded?
Copy !req
1421. I'm sorry for the crap news.
Copy !req
1422. I know it hurts.
Copy !req
1423. Mike, I can't have 26 guys
in the clubhouse.
Copy !req
1424. I get it. I get it.
Copy !req
1425. Okay. Thanks.
Copy !req
1426. Hey, Ricardo.
Copy !req
1427. This must be a bit
of a shock, I guess.
Copy !req
1428. Mabry hits one
deep to right-center field.
Copy !req
1429. Racing back, Fick can't get it.
Copy !req
1430. It bounces to the wall.
One run is in. Two runs are in.
Copy !req
1431. Mabry, on one pitch,
has shot the A's in front.
Copy !req
1432. Strike three called.
Twelve straight wins
for the Athletics.
Copy !req
1433. Man alive, was it hairy.
Copy !req
1434. Something strange is now
happening in Oakland.
Copy !req
1435. - You cannot argue that point.
- Twelve straight.
Copy !req
1436. They're making a joke
out of the American League.
Copy !req
1437. They were in Detroit today—
- He throws to first.
Copy !req
1438. And that's the sound
of 14 straight victories.
Copy !req
1439. Fourteen, the longest run
this year.
Copy !req
1440. It has slingshot the A's into first
in the AL West. A nice streak.
Copy !req
1441. This team was written off.
Copy !req
1442. How do you explain, otherwise,
the victories they've come up with?
Copy !req
1443. The Oakland A's are gonna win
16 consecutive games.
Copy !req
1444. This is the longest win streak
in baseball, folks, in 25 years.
Copy !req
1445. The A's have won 16 in a row.
Copy !req
1446. We're going to 20!
We're going to 20!
Copy !req
1447. To have a winning streak of
this duration, you have to be good,
Copy !req
1448. but there's an element
of randomness to it.
Copy !req
1449. The 1927 Yankees, Ruth, Gehrig,
Copy !req
1450. Murderers' Row, some people
still say the best team ever.
Copy !req
1451. Longest winning streak
for them that year? Nine.
Copy !req
1452. You guys try to analyze it
from a numbers standpoint.
Copy !req
1453. I'm telling you, there is
no explanation for what's
occurring right now.
Copy !req
1454. Do you have superstitions going on?
Copy !req
1455. Do you do things
so you keep the streak alive?
Copy !req
1456. The all-time record of 20
does not seem impossible anymore.
Copy !req
1457. The A's were on page one
of the New York Times.
Copy !req
1458. They are the story in sports
in this entire country.
Copy !req
1459. Two-two pitch, here it is.
Copy !req
1460. Swing and a miss! Struck him out!
Number 17!
Copy !req
1461. It's taken 71 years.
Copy !req
1462. The Oakland A's
have tied the Philadelphia A's.
Copy !req
1463. The all-time franchise record
17 straight
Copy !req
1464. and baseball's longest
winning streak since 1953.
Copy !req
1465. The A's are two wins away from
tying the American League record.
Copy !req
1466. It's gone! It's gone! Tejada wins it!
Do you believe it?
Copy !req
1467. Eighteen wins in a row!
Copy !req
1468. You could replay these 18 games
a hundred times over.
Copy !req
1469. And nobody wins
18 straight again.
Copy !req
1470. It defies everything we know
about baseball.
Copy !req
1471. The most amazing thing
you could imagine
Copy !req
1472. happened over the last four days
at the Coliseum.
Copy !req
1473. Tejada, up the middle.
The A's have won 19 in a row!
Copy !req
1474. The 1906 White Sox,
Copy !req
1475. the 1947 New York Yankees
have company.
Copy !req
1476. Nineteen in a row.
Copy !req
1477. The A's have a date with destiny.
Copy !req
1478. They're going for the all-time
American League record,
Copy !req
1479. 20 games in a row.
Copy !req
1480. We're going to 20!
We're gonna take the AL record
to 20, baby!
Copy !req
1481. Don't tell me the score, Pete.
Copy !req
1482. No, Billy, it's me.
Copy !req
1483. Sharon?
Yeah.
Copy !req
1484. You have a second?
Yeah, what's up?
Copy !req
1485. Well, I didn't actually
expect you to pick up.
Copy !req
1486. I was gonna leave a message.
Copy !req
1487. Um, Casey and I, we're here
and watching the game at home.
Copy !req
1488. And I just wanted to say...
Copy !req
1489. you did good, Billy.
Copy !req
1490. We're really proud of you.
Copy !req
1491. I appreciate it, Sharon.
Copy !req
1492. Thank you.
Good luck.
Copy !req
1493. Okay.
Copy !req
1494. Oh, Casey wants to talk to you.
Hang on.
Copy !req
1495. Are you on your way
to the stadium?
Copy !req
1496. No, I'm on my way to Visalia
to see our minor-league team.
Copy !req
1497. Turn around, please, Dad.
No way, Jose.
Copy !req
1498. Turn around. Come on, Dad.
Nope. Not gonna happen.
Copy !req
1499. You're not gonna jinx it.
Copy !req
1500. I'll talk to you later, sweetheart.
I love you.
Copy !req
1501. Shit.
Copy !req
1502. One out here in the fourth,
and if you're just joining us,
Copy !req
1503. you missed a lot.
Copy !req
1504. And the pitch to Raul Ibanez.
Strike one.
Copy !req
1505. I think my recap will be simple.
Copy !req
1506. The A's scored six in the first,
one in the second, four in the third.
Copy !req
1507. And people would be shocked
if you just did that. Heh-heh-heh.
Copy !req
1508. Eleven to nothing, the A's do lead.
Copy !req
1509. Shit.
Foul off the foot of Ibanez...
Copy !req
1510. Let's go, Oakland!
Copy !req
1511. Let's go, Oakland!
Copy !req
1512. Now batting, number 2,
catcher, Brent Mayne.
Copy !req
1513. - Oakland!
- Here we go, Oakland!
Copy !req
1514. Two.
Copy !req
1515. Safe.
Copy !req
1516. Now batting,
Copy !req
1517. number 18,
left fielder Raul Ibanez.
Copy !req
1518. Safe.
Copy !req
1519. And the A's now lead
by a score of 11 to 3.
Copy !req
1520. A nice cushion,
but you don't wanna give teams life
Copy !req
1521. and let them wedge their way
back in, even when you're—
Copy !req
1522. Nobody out, the bases loaded.
Copy !req
1523. And Art Howe on the way to the
mound to make a pitching change.
Copy !req
1524. And this game is still in a state
Copy !req
1525. where it could get out of control
for the Athletics.
Copy !req
1526. We're all told at some point we can
no longer play the children's game.
Copy !req
1527. We just don't know
when that's gonna be.
Copy !req
1528. Some of us are told at 18,
some of us are told at 40,
but we're all told.
Copy !req
1529. Mike Sweeney with runners
at first and third.
Copy !req
1530. It's an 11-to-7 game,
the A's in front.
Copy !req
1531. Tam peering in for the sign.
Copy !req
1532. Two out. Runners at first and third.
Copy !req
1533. And the 3-2 delivery.
Copy !req
1534. It's weird, Billy.
Copy !req
1535. You wanna give up baseball
to become a scout?
Copy !req
1536. I'm not a baseball player.
Copy !req
1537. Are you sure this is what you want?
Copy !req
1538. The crowd is roaring.
Koch is ready. One-two pitch.
Copy !req
1539. Alicea puts it in play,
a looper to left field for a base hit.
Copy !req
1540. Around third, tearing for the plate,
here comes the tying run.
Copy !req
1541. Sliding safe.
And the ball game is tied at 11-all.
Copy !req
1542. Holy Toledo.
Copy !req
1543. The A's have blown
an 11 -to-nothing lead.
Copy !req
1544. This is the specter of a development
that has been lurking now
Copy !req
1545. ever since the five-run fourth inning
by the Royals.
Copy !req
1546. And the A's date with destiny
is on hold right now.
Copy !req
1547. Hatteberg. Hattie.
Copy !req
1548. Grab a bat.
You're hitting for Byrnesy.
Copy !req
1549. Come on, let's go.
Get yourself loose.
Copy !req
1550. Hitting for Eric Byrnes,
Copy !req
1551. number 10, Scott Hatteberg.
Copy !req
1552. In your typical A's fashion.
They want a base runner here.
Copy !req
1553. Scott Hatteberg is so adept
at drawing walks.
Copy !req
1554. He's looking for Hatteberg
to get on base,
Copy !req
1555. maybe bring in a pinch runner.
Copy !req
1556. Let's go, Oakland!
Copy !req
1557. Let's go, Oakland!
Copy !req
1558. That one is gone!
Copy !req
1559. And it's 20 consecutive victories
for the Oakland Athletics
Copy !req
1560. on an unbelievable night
Copy !req
1561. when they lost
an 11 -to-nothing lead
Copy !req
1562. and now they win it.
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1563. The crowd comes back
to insane life.
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1564. How do you explain it?
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1565. Crazy. Just plain crazy.
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1566. Hatteberg is mobbed
at home plate.
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1567. In 103 years
of American League baseball,
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1568. the Athletics have accomplished
what no one has before.
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1569. They have won
20 consecutive games.
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1570. It's hard not to be romantic
about baseball.
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1571. This kind of thing,
it's fun for the fans.
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1572. It sells tickets and hot dogs.
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1573. Doesn't mean anything.
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1574. Billy, we just won
20 games in a row.
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1575. And what's the point?
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1576. We just got the record.
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1577. Man, I've been doing this for...
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1578. Listen, man.
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1579. I've been in this game
a long time.
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1580. I'm not in it for a record,
I'll tell you that.
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1581. I'm not in it for a ring.
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1582. That's when
people get hurt.
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1583. If we don't win the last game
of the Series,
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1584. they'll dismiss us.
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1585. Billy—
I know these guys.
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1586. I know the way they think,
and they will erase us.
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1587. And everything
we've done here,
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1588. none of it'll matter.
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1589. Any other team wins
the World Series, good for them.
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1590. They're drinking champagne,
they get a ring.
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1591. But if we win,
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1592. on our budget, with this team...
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1593. we'll have changed the game.
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1594. And that's what I want.
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1595. I want it to mean something.
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1596. The A's going to the play-offs
with the West Division title.
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1597. Forgive the A's
if they're not celebrating.
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1598. They have been here before,
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1599. when Oakland went up two games
to none on the Yanks in the ALDS,
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1600. and went nowhere
after losing three straight.
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1601. With a win today over the Twins,
Oakland moves into the ALCS
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1602. for the first time since 1992.
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1603. But remember one thing.
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1604. Percentages hold up over a season,
but for one game, one at bat,
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1605. throw the percentages
out the window.
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1606. What the Minnesota Twins exposed
is the fact that the Oakland A's
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1607. were fundamentally
not a sound baseball team.
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1608. They had a flawed concept that
started with the general manager
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1609. and the brain trust thinking
they could reinvent baseball.
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1610. You can't approach baseball
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1611. from a statistical,
bean-counting point of view.
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1612. It's won on the field
with fundamental play.
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1613. You have to steal, you have to bunt,
you have to sacrifice.
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1614. You gotta get men
in scoring position,
and you gotta bring them in.
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1615. And you don't do that
with a bunch of statistical gimmicks.
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1616. Nobody reinvents this game.
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1617. Yeah.
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1618. Due respect to the Coliseum,
but this is a ballpark.
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1619. Yes, it is.
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1620. We're gonna have
some lunch in a little bit.
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1621. Why don't I have
some coffee sent up?
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1622. Denise?
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1623. Thank you, Denise.
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1624. Thanks.
You're welcome.
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1625. You know, it's her birthday
and I need to get her a present,
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1626. but she's usually the one
that does that for me.
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1627. So do you
have any ideas?
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1628. Scarf.
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1629. You mean like wool?
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1630. No, I meant what women wear with...
You know, decorative.
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1631. Ah. And where would
I get something like that?
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1632. No disrespect, I just lost in five
for the second year in a row.
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1633. Get her a bowling ball
for all I care.
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1634. Right.
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1635. Well, Steve told me
he's offering you a new contract.
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1636. Yes.
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1637. So why did you return my call?
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1638. Because it's the Red Sox.
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1639. Because I believe science
might offer an answer to
the Curse of the Bambino.
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1640. Because I hear you hired Bill James.
Yup.
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1641. You know, why someone took so long
to hire that guy is beyond me.
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1642. Well, baseball hates him.
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1643. Well, baseball can hate him,
you know.
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1644. One of the great things about money
is that it buys a lot of things,
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1645. one of which is the luxury
to disregard what baseball likes,
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1646. doesn't like, what baseball thinks,
doesn't think.
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1647. Ah. Sounds nice.
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1648. Well...
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1649. I was grateful for the call.
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1650. You were grateful?
Yeah.
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1651. For 41 million,
you built a play-off team.
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1652. You lost Damon, Giambi,
Isringhausen, Pena,
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1653. and you won more games
without them than you did
with them.
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1654. You won the exact same number
of games that the Yankees won,
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1655. but the Yankees spent
1.4 million per win,
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1656. and you paid 260,000.
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1657. I know you're taking it in the teeth,
but the first guy through the wall,
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1658. he always gets bloody.
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1659. Always. This is threatening
not just a way of doing business,
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1660. but in their minds,
it's threatening the game.
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1661. Really, what it's threatening
is their livelihood, their jobs.
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1662. It's threatening the way
that they do things.
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1663. Every time that happens,
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1664. whether it's a government,
a way of doing business, whatever,
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1665. the people
who are holding the reins,
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1666. they have their hands
on the switch,
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1667. they go batshit crazy.
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1668. I mean, anybody who's not
tearing their team down right now
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1669. and rebuilding it
using your model,
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1670. they're dinosaurs.
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1671. They'll be sitting on their ass
on the sofa in October
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1672. watching the Boston Red Sox
win the World Series.
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1673. What's this?
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1674. I want you to be
my general manager.
That's my offer.
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1675. Heads up.
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1676. What was that?
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1677. Sorry. I don't know.
What the hell was that?
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1678. You knucklehead.
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1679. How was Boston?
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1680. Impressive.
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1681. Did Henry make you
a good offer, at least?
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1682. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter.
What was it? What was it?
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1683. Doesn't matter.
What was it?
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1684. That makes you
the highest-paid GM
in the history of sports.
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1685. So?
Copy !req
1686. So what?
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1687. I made one decision in my life
based on money.
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1688. And I swore
I would never do it again.
Copy !req
1689. You're not doing it
for the money.
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1690. No?
No.
Copy !req
1691. You're doing it
for what the money says.
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1692. And it says what it says to any
player that makes big money.
Copy !req
1693. That they're worth it.
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1694. What a dump.
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1695. I really wanted to win here.
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1696. I really did.
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1697. I think you won pretty big, Billy.
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1698. Pete, we lost.
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1699. We lost.
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1700. It's only been a few days.
Give yourself some time
to get over it.
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1701. Man, I don't
get over these things.
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1702. Ever.
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1703. Come with me to the video room.
I wanna show you something.
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1704. No, man,
I'm not up for film right now.
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1705. Come on. Seriously.
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1706. Come on, Billy.
Come on.
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1707. The Visalia Oaks
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1708. and our 240-pound catcher,
Jeremy Brown,
Copy !req
1709. who, as you know,
is scared to run to second base.
Copy !req
1710. This was in a game six weeks ago.
Copy !req
1711. This guy's gonna start
with a fastball.
Copy !req
1712. Jeremy's gonna take him
to deep center.
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1713. Here's what's interesting,
Copy !req
1714. because Jeremy's gonna do
what he never does.
Copy !req
1715. He's gonna go for it.
Copy !req
1716. He's gonna round first
and he's gonna go for it.
Copy !req
1717. Okay?
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1718. This is all of Jeremy's
nightmares coming to life.
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1719. Aw, they're laughing at him.
And Jeremy's about to find out why.
Copy !req
1720. Jeremy's about to realize
Copy !req
1721. that the ball went 60 feet
over the fence.
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1722. He hit a home run
and didn't even realize it.
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1723. How can you not be romantic
about baseball?
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1724. It's a metaphor.
I know it's a metaphor.
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1725. Okay.
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1726. Pete, you're a good egg.
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1727. I'll call you.
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1728. Hey, Dad, this is the song
I told you I'd record.
Copy !req
1729. Please don't show it
to anyone else.
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1730. Let me know if you change
your mind and stay in California.
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1731. If not, you're a really great dad.
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