Payrollmeanslittle; enter Moneyball

JASON RADKA STAFFWRITER JNR722@CABRINI EDU

Payroll means little; athletes are human, enter: moneyball.

Itseems like Boston’s various country clubs are going to be bringing in extra early revenue this fall. For lack of better words, the Boston Red Sox were embarrassed by the Chicago White Sox in a three game sweep for the American League playoffs.

Boston had nothing to show for their monster expensive lineupand dominate pitching staff. A fan can say, “Gee, these guys are making so much damn money. Now how come they can’t win?”

Here’s an easy answer for you; they have five fingers and toes and look just like you; they’re human.

Sure, everybody has heard the phrase “money is power,” right?

Let’s dissect this: The New York Yankees have a payroll of $205,938,439. These guys go out and play everyday and win the American League East. Of course, its expected, and they’ve done it a mere 39 times.

So with that two hundred million dollar payroll and similar payrolls in the past that have corresponded with time and economy, why haven’t the Yankees won every single game ever played and every single World Series? Why did the Yankees lose the latest playoffseries to the Angels, who have a payroll $119 million less than the Yankees!?

If that’shard to swallow, how about this: Why did the Red Sox join the rest of the 22 teams that are sitting at home with a payroll $46 million more than the White Sox?!

It just goes to show that money isn’teverything. A team needs heart, youth and experience to win games, as well as a smart general manager.This is why the Oakland Athletics have become a successful organization; their technique is called the Moneyball.

In the off-season, the Oakland Athletics unloaded their best three pitchers who can be considered aces on any other team, as well as other generously paid ath- letes. In doing so, the Athletics organization had hopes of constructing a low-budget team with young players and to keep a few high paid players with experience.

By instating a low budget, Oakland’s coaches decided they would train and bring up their talent, not buy it. Extremely high doubts and question marks were placed on the organization as a whole, for Oakland started the season horrendously and hopes were dented up until the All-Star break. Thereafter, the Moneyball began to take full effect.

Oakland began to win games. Oakland began to win games, big. Soon enough, Oakland was ontop of the American West, at the same time the Yankees, with their incredible payroll, were in fourth place. See where this is going?

Although Oakland did falter towards the end of the season and ended up missing the wild card by one game, the story of their season can be considered a lesson as well as a warning. Can anyone imagine how Oakland will fair next season? Going into their second season with the moneyball plan, Oakland should be one of the top teams in baseball. Oakland is a small market team that has become a big name town.

Back to the point. Money can buy talent and maybe a win here or there. However, it does not necessarily buy championships.

As Oakland will develop into amore well balanced team on and off the field, more and more attention will be drawn to the team in green and yellow. This Moneyball platform will continue to draw curiosity in various baseball organizations across the league. Sports analysts will not be talking about the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees soon; they will be talking about the Oakland Athletics and the introduction of the Moneyball.

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