Moneyball Movie

[RightFieldCoder]

patrickgpe wrote:

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since they left, the athletics haven't done much.

Maybe he shouldn't have detailed in book form how he operates and composes his team?

[PKBadger]

patrickgpe wrote:

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since they left, the athletics haven't done much.

Maybe he shouldn't have detailed in book form how he operates and composes his team?

 

Joe...is that you?

 

http://apps.startribune.com/blogs/user_images/randmid_1285867435_joemorgan.jpg

[Vgmastr]

Bump as the movie opens today. Anyone seen it or planning on seeing it? I never go to the movies, but this one looks so good I'm going with a friend on Thursday. Right now it has a 94% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes which is pretty amazing number. Looks like this could be the next great baseball movie.

[dadofandrew]

Aaron Gleeman's mom loved it. I think folks who thin k it's a baseball movie are not seeing how it was presented/promoted. It's a comedy, fish out of water tale.

[ewizabeff]

It's a decent baseball movie. Definitely doesn't touch on the statistics, just that they're doing things "differently." I think it's a good bridge between a hardcore baseball flick and a drama - makes it accessible to everyone.

[wisconsinfan47]

I really really liked it. Pitt and Hill are great, but I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed a quite subdued PSH as Art Howe.

 

One quibble: this movie will only further the misconception that "Moneyball" means finding fat, ugly, players who walk a lot as opposed to finding players whose skill sets are undervalued in general. Oh well.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I really really liked it. Pitt and Hill are great, but I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed a quite subdued PSH as Art Howe.

 

One quibble: this movie will only further the misconception that "Moneyball" means finding fat, ugly, players who walk a lot as opposed to finding players whose skill sets are undervalued in general. Oh well.

What's interesting to me is that the commercials REALLY make a big deal out of Scott Hatteberg, and for the 4 years he was an Athletic, he was maybe cumulatively a league average player at best, while playing first base. He really shouldn't be the feature of the commercials.

[dadofandrew]

The A's did pretty much find players with low BA and above average OBP, because that's what was undervalued then. As Doug said, they pretty much changed the game, and those players simply are unavailable now...Doug would know, he's brought in plenty during his tenure.

[And That]

I did not know that Chris Pratt was cast as Hatteberg. I don't think I could take that character seriously, I'd keep having flashbacks to Parks and Rec.

[kramnoj]

What's interesting to me is that the commercials REALLY make a big deal out of Scott Hatteberg, and for the 4 years he was an Athletic, he was maybe cumulatively a league average player at best, while playing first base.

 

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I did read one version of the screenplay that had been released when it looked like the project had died. Hatteberg pretty much personifies the story being told. The A's were a 102 Win team that was losing Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Isringhausen, their closer. In Hatteberg, they find a catcher who had never played 1B as a professional who has a nice OBP. There is a scene where is wife plays catch/hits ground balls in the offseason because he has to learn to play the position (in the script). And it's with projects like Hatteberg (as well as the amazing pitching staff) that the A's actually win 103 games the next season.

[cwolf2012]

Saw the movie today, very entertaining. I definitely recommend watching it.

[Raw Biz]

Saw it Friday. A lot more "talkie" than I expected, even for a Sorkin script. That being said, it was still pretty good. I liked that they showed a lot of actual in-game film, as opposed to reenactments. But when they did do a reenactment, it was shot really dark. It looked like they were playing a game with no lights on. I'm not really sure what the point of shooting it like that was.

(SPOILERish If you don't know baseball history)

There's also a few factual things that kinda bother me. DePodesta's name is changed (as well as physique/age) but they also show that this character came to the team after they lost to Yankees in 2001 when he actually came to the team in 99 (after which they took the ALDS to game 5 four years in a row). Also, almost no mention is made of Hudson, Mulder, and Zito (other than a few in-game shots) and they were more crucial to the team's success than their offense. Those teams of the early 00s showed just how important pitching is. And it's not like that 02 offense was filled with Yuni-esque players. They just had to deal with replacing a couple of all-stars. I'd actually argue that the 02 team had a better offense than last year's Giants since they still had Tejada and Chavez.

[PKBadger]

But when they did do a reenactment, it was shot really dark. It looked like they were playing a game with no lights on. I'm not really sure what the point of shooting it like that was.

I hate it when directors do this in sports movies. The absolute worst example was "The Fan" with Wesley Snipes and Robert DeNiro - the final game scene seems to take place in a pitch black stadium during a typhoon, yet the umpires have no problem with it.

The game scenes in "Major League", by contrast, actually resemble what a baseball field looks like at night.

[AZBrewCrew]

Saw it late Friday night,thought it was a great movie!!! Im not a Bradley Pitt fan at all, but I thought he did a good job of portraying Billy Beane. I think this may also be the break that Jonah Hill needs to land some roles in more dramatic films other than comedies like Superbad.

[Patrick425]

AirShuttle6104[/b]]Saw it late Friday night,thought it was a great movie!!! Im not a Bradley Pitt fan at all, but I thought he did a good job of portraying Billy Beane. I think this may also be the break that Jonah Hill needs to land some roles in more dramatic films other than comedies like Superbad.

It will be interesting to see what kind of roles Johah Hill lands going forward. Not just because of this movie, but because of all the weight he lost. He's almost unrecognizable now. I tend to think that some of his extra weight helped him land some of his previous roles. Kind of that "lovable loser" character.

 

[Baldkin]

Amazing how much weight he lost.

http://www.terezowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/jonah-hill.jpg

[Team Canada]

Wow. Like Seth Rogan all over again.

[Point Beer Is Best]

Amazing how much weight he lost.

http://www.terezowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/jonah-hill.jpg

Black really is a slimming color.

[ilovebeer]

I went and saw it and it was good.

[dadofandrew]

I have appts for Friday AM, but not Friday afternoon. 1PM matinee for me.

[tigerbrew]

It is unfortunate that the Moneyball movie will not be shown here, and I doubt the DVD will be sold here too. I would have love to watch the movie.

[bigredrobbo]

I enjoyed it - and crappy-Brewers flashbacks with Tejada played by Royce Clayton!

[nate82]

I enjoyed it - and crappy-Brewers flashbacks with Tejada played by Royce Clayton!

I don't know what you are talking about Royce Clayton was awesome and so was Junior Spivey!

[chadomac]

I enjoyed it but I think it would be kinda dry or dull to someone that isn't a baseball nerd. My girlfriend concurred. She likes baseball but isn't a stat geek. B-

Saw 50/50 that same day and thought it was better.

[Patrick425]

I enjoyed it but I think it would be kinda dry or dull to someone that isn't a baseball nerd. My girlfriend concurred. She likes baseball but isn't a stat geek. B-

Saw it last week with my son, have to agree with this assesment. We both enjoyed it, but I don't think my wife would at all.

 

It is unfortunate that the Moneyball movie will not be shown here, and I doubt the DVD will be sold here too. I would have love to watch the movie.

Where do you live?

 

edit: Clicked on your location in your profile and it brings up a dentists office on 15th and Greenfield. Now I'm really confused by your comment?? Even without that information, it's clear you have access to the internet. Couldn't you order the DVD online when it comes out regardless of where you live?