That gave them a staggering seven first-round picks: four in the proper first round, plus three more in the draft's supplemental portion. For Oakland, a team that routinely had its players poached by bigger-market clubs, the draft was the only sphere where they had a bevy of resources to work with.Īfter the 2001 season, the A's lost first baseman Jason Giambi (to the Yankees), center fielder Johnny Damon (Red Sox), and closer Jason Isringhausen (Cardinals) in free agency. At the time, teams were awarded two early draft picks for every major free agent lost.

It was kind of our way to be relevant or to stay alive in the game.īeane and his staff came to believe that the amateur draft could be that advantage. We started to think a little bit differently, outside the box, in terms of a non-traditional type of scouting. We just tried to find an area that we felt like was not so much our niche, but here's where we can maybe get a leg up on somebody else. How? What are the answers? I don't think we really had any answers.

When Paul came in, I started to see things move in a different direction in terms of we needed to find a way to compete. for whatever reason-money, prestige, whatever you want to call it.… Pittaro: We had to find an area where we could compete and it obviously was not the free-agent market, where we weren't as attractive a destination as New York or L.A. Money was not going to solve the problem, so they had to find another way to do it. Stephen Obenchain, Starting Pitcher, University of Evansville, Pick 1s.37: Their payroll was miniscule compared to most teams and compared to the top teams it was definitely miniscule, and they're trying to make the playoffs and win a World Series. He said, If we hadn't already been doing it this way, would we be? I knew what missing piece we needed in the front office and Paul was the perfect guy for that.Ĭhris Pittaro, National Field Coordinator, Oakland Athletics: Paul DePodesta said it best. I played with Billy, I'd been with Billy a long time. … In Paul's case, I knew his dynamic would fit what Billy and I were all about. Sandy put the foundation down and Billy worked with him, J.P. I don't think it was a haphazard thing thrown together. You're looking at the draft, checking the results of the draft.

Sometimes a thought process goes on for several years. Jim Pransky, Area Scout, Oakland Athletics: Things don't happen overnight.

Moneyball author