The far-reaching influence of ‘Moneyball’

What if there was a systematic method to develop the best baseball team? Eight years ago, Michael Lewis’s book “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game”  exposed how Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland A’s, found a way to turn a team with poor attendance and no money into a rag-tag contender with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball. He did this by using readily available statistics. Since the book was published, the book’s influence has not only extended to other baseball teams, but to other sectors. This weekend, a film adaptation is opening in theaters, with Brad Pitt as Billy Beane. Cory Schwartz, vice president of statistics for Major League Baseball Advanced Media, talks about the enduring influence of “Moneyball.”