Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
by Michael Lewis
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis holds a highly rated rating of 4.24 out of 5, based on 66.4K reader ratings. First published in 2003. The book spans 317 pages.
About Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
Billy Beane, general manager of MLB's Oakland A's and protagonist of Michael Lewis's Moneyball, had a problem: how to win in the Major Leagues with a budget that's smaller than that of nearly every other team. Conventional wisdom long held that big name, highly athletic hitters and young pitchers with rocket arms were the ticket to success. But Beane and his staff, buoyed by massive amounts of carefully interpreted statistical data, believed that wins could be had by more affordable methods such as hitters with high on-base percentage and pitchers who get lots of ground outs. Given this information and a tight budget, Beane defied tradition and his own scouting department to build winning teams of young affordable players and inexpensive castoff veterans. Lewis was in the room with the A's top management as they spent the summer of 2002 adding and subtracting players and he provides outstanding play-by-play. In the June player draft, Beane acquired nearly every prospect he coveted (few of whom were coveted by other teams) and at the July trading deadline he engaged in a tense battle of nerves to acquire a lefty reliever. Besides being one of the most insider accounts ever written about baseball, Moneyball is populated with fascinating characters. We meet Jeremy Brown, an overweight college catcher who most teams project to be a 15th round draft pick (Beane takes him in the first). Sidearm pitcher Chad Bradford is plucked from the White Sox triple-A club to be a key set-up man and catcher Scott Hatteberg is rebuilt as a first baseman. But the most interesting character is Beane himself. A speedy athletic can't-miss prospect who somehow missed, Beane reinvents himself as a front-office guru, relying on players completely unlike, say, Billy Beane. Lewis, one of the top nonfiction writers of his era (Liar's Poker, The New New Thing), offers highly accessible explanations of baseball stats and his roadmap of Beane's economic approach makes Moneyball an appealing reading experience for business people and sports fans alike. --John Moe
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Lewis |
| Published | 2003 |
| Pages | 317 |
| Genres | Non-Fiction, Sports, Business, Biography & Memoir, History |
| Average Rating | 4.24 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 66,406 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game?
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is categorized as Non-Fiction, Sports, Business, Biography & Memoir. Its primary genre classification is Biography & Memoir.
Is Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game worth reading?
Based on 66.4K reader ratings, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game has an average score of 4.24 out of 5.00, which is considered "Highly Rated." Its large number of reviews suggests broad reader appeal.
How many pages is Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game?
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game has 317 pages.
Who wrote Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game?
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game was written by Michael Lewis. It was first published in 2003.
What is the ISBN for Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game?
The ISBN-13 for Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is 9780393324820.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
