Beane, Billy (William Lamar Beane 3d), 1962–, American baseball player and general manager, b. Orlando, Fla. An outfielder with a lifetime average of .219, he had a short, unimpressive career with the New York Mets (1984–85), Minnesota Twins (1986–87), Detroit Tigers (1988), and Oakland Athletics (1989). He joined Oakland's management as a scout in 1990 and became general manager in 1997. Faced with a below average payroll, Beane used statistical analysis to sign players with high figures in undervalued aspects of the game, such as drawing walks, in his effort to rebuild the lackluster A's, and Oakland made the playoffs in five out of the next eight seasons. Beane's techniques were subsequently adopted by other teams.
See M. Lewis, Moneyball (2003).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Sports: Biographies
