Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game

Chapter 9 details how Billy Beane went about seeking and negotiating trades. Lewis explains that the first thing to know about the Oakland A’s approach to trading was that they often cleaned house midway through the season. He writes, “Ever since 1999 the Oakland A’s have played like a different team after the All-Star break than before it” (192). The trading deadline each season is the end of July, and this is when teams that are doing poorly have a desire to cut costs. More players become available, and with the increased supply prices fall, so Beane goes hunting for bargains.

Most of the chapter shows Beane at his desk the day before the 2002 trading deadline of July 31, working the phones. The Cleveland Indians are in town, scheduled to play the A’s that very evening, and Beane is trying to trade for one of their pitchers, Ricardo Rincon. One challenge is that Rincon will be owed over half a million dollars for the rest of the season and Beane doesn’t have that kind of money. Another challenge is that the San Francisco Giants also want Rincon.

Beane’s opening gambit is to call Giants’ GM Brian Sabean. Beane knows the Giants don’t have a lot of money either, and attempts to dangle a cheaper substitute in front of them.