Click here for the review of Moneyball

SPOILERS must be tagged with the "SPOILER" tag!

Which is more engaging: "Moneyball" or Ken Loach's PBS series "Baseball," which is currently on netflix watch instantly?

Long time lurker here. I'm also a San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's fan as well. I remember that 2002 season very well (the A's made it to the playoffs and the Giants made it to the World Series). I've also read Moneyball - but it's been a while. I plan to see the movie this weekend - which I'm sure will be good (hopefully).

However, having not seen the movie (yet), I can sense some problems that are going to happen. I guess the movie has to stick with the "underdog story" element because the actual baseball merits of Moneyball are debatable, for a variety of reasons:

First, I hate to say this, but the A's just have not been doing too well recently. They have not made the playoffs since 2006, and they will not finish this season over .500. It also looks like they are going to move 40 miles south to San Jose. This may or may not be a good thing (for a variety of reasons).

Second, the primary reason that the A's were really good in the early 2000's can be summed up in three words: Hudson, Mulder, and Zito. They were the fantastic starting pitchers during those years. I don't think that any of them were actually signed by Billy Beane, and because they were drafted by the A's, the A's could keep them cheaply for what they were actually worth. Hudson, Mulder, and Zito are hardly even mentioned in the book, so I am pretty sure that they don't appear in the movie. None of them are even with the A's anymore.

Finally, regarding the 2002 draft which was a centerpiece of the book, only one of the players selected by the A's, Nick Swisher, actually turned out to be a decent major leaguer (sp). And Nick Swisher was the player that was rated highly by both the traditionalists and by Beane and DePodesta. Of course, not only is Nick Swisher not with the A's, but he's with the Yankees (ugh).

One more thing, James, I know you live in the South New Jersey/Philadelphia region. I know you are a big Phillies fan. I am just wondering if way back in the day (like pre-1954), members of your family were Philadelphia A's fans?

I'm definitely seeing this movie tomorrow, although I too have wondered from the beginning how they could make this story cinematic. One other thing I'm wondering, how much screen time do they give Miguel Tejada? He won MVP of that season after all.

IT IS?!??!?!?!?!

See you guys in twelve hours or however long it is.

EDIT: Turns out twelve hours was a generous figure.

My family hails from New York, where they settled after coming in through Ellis Island around the turn of the century. In the 40s and 50s, most of my family were Yankees fans. In fact, my paternal grandfather was at the WS game where Don Larsen pitched his no-hitter.

Very little time, although they did get an actor to play him.

A great day for all things baseball. I saw Moneyball this morning and I thought it was terrific, one of my favorites of the year. I'm thinking about writing a full review. Then, I went down to the ballpark and watched my Arizona Diamondbacks become the 2011 NL West Champions! How sweet it is.

(1) You may want to check on those pitchers. Beane became assistant GM in 1994 and GM in 1998. Zito was selected by the Athletics in 1999. He'd been drafted by a couple of teams before that, but didn't sign, but he signed in 1999,when Beane was GM. Mulder was signed in 1998, so he may or may not have been signed by Beane. Hudson was signed before Beane was GM. All three were promoted to the majors by Beane. He also signed Jason Isringhausen, whose departure is a plot point in the film. Beane very likely has a better record with pitchers than hitters.

(2) The movie concentrates on the 2002 baseball season, which showed Beane at his best. The 2002 draft doesn't figure in the movie at all.

(3) I really liked the scenes with Beane and his daughter, who James kind of dismisses here. A scene which I really like is the one where Beane signs Scott Hatteberg, not because anything Brad Pitt does, but because I really like the family dynamics in the Hatteberg family.

It looks James's review is actually one of the weaker ones. This has been getting a LOT of really glowing reviews. Can't wait to see it myself. Probably tomorrow or Tuesday.

Hey Pedro,

How are you liking that "Baseball?"

The Ken Burns effect is in full display and I'm a-okay with that. I liked what I saw of it, which is about one-fourth of the first inning. As usual, my enthusiasm cannot overcome my laziness/tiredness. I'll probably do a two-day run of the entire thing in November, though I'll probably finish the first inning at some point over the next few weeks.

Will probably see Moneyball next weekend on Sunday. Obviously don't hold me to that.

Hudson is in the film twice. One just in the locker room, and another he is pitching during the most pivotal game in the film. I follow his career because he played college ball at my alma mater (Auburn University...his main house is also located here at Auburn) and he currently pitches for my Bravos. The Braves, however, are about to pull an A's and go from one of the best records this year to pissing it all away in september...geez