Billy Beane
Billy Beane
William Lamar "Billy" Beane IIIis an American former professional baseball player and current front office executive. He is the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball. Prior to his front office career, he played in MLB as an outfielder between 1984 and 1989 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics. He joined the Athletics front office as a scout in 1990. He was named general...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth29 March 1962
CityOrlando, FL
CountryUnited States of America
If you bring in a lefty to face Eric (a left-handed hitter), and then he has to face Frank Thomas right behind him. It's certainly going to lend itself to a lot of thinking in the other dugout.
Gosh, he's been a part of every major decision we've made since he came over here (in 2001). The better question is, what hasn't he done?
I don't think there's any question, ... that we need Jermaine to be his old self.
If you would expect that in one year that it's a panacea, ... Well, that's unrealistic.
I know we didn't get to see the real Dan Meyer. He says he feels great now, and he could be a real shot in the arm for us.
The goal, ... is competitive balance. If there is more competitive balance over the course of this year, I think that will signal that it's a step in the right direction. I'm confident that it will be.
This is a guy whose skill level and his presence in a lineup is undeniable. Even last year, if you look at the impact he had in the brief time he played, his skills are still there. Frank Thomas is a presence.
The details really weren't that big of a deal from a contractual standpoint. Just a couple of minor details. ... This is ultimately what we wanted to accomplish at the end of the season.
You could probably get carried away with superlatives when it comes to Frank Thomas. He's arguably one of the greatest offensive players of his generation.
You could get carried away with the superlatives. Not just his power, but his selectivity at the plate. That type of approach can carry over to the other guys in the lineup.
I'm sure we'll have some sort of conversation. That's going to be a challenge, even if we start negotiations. He's a talented guy who is going to command a lot.