This isn't really on topic with Fantasy Baseball, so I apologize if it's in the wrong forum, but I just had a huge argument with a friend about General Managers. Anywho, I say that John Schuerholz is the best GM in Major League Baseball right now given his track record with not only the Atlanta Braves, but the Royals and Orioles as well. He is holding firm in his belief that Billy Beane is superior, so Moneyball bias aside, who is the better GM? I'm interested to see what you believe since there are some good baseball minds here.
I just want to state that I believe that Billy Beane is the second best GM in the game behind Schuerholz and just ahead of Terry Ryan.
Man, that's a good question. I don't know who's better - it's been apples and oranges for so long that I don't think that it's really fair to compare. Yeah, Schuerholz has that long string of winning, but his payroll with the Braves has always been much higher than that of Beane's A's. In 2003 (the first year I could find #s for), the Braves had the 6th highest payroll while the A's had the 26th highest.
I don't know. I think all things being equal, I'd take Beane. Although until we see how he does on a bigger stage with more resources, it will be pretty impossible to conclusively say.
Also, did you know that Schuerholz used to be a middle school teacher?
Schuerholz by a mile. I (and many other Royals fans) miss him immensely. I will take a proven commodity over the latest thing any day of the week. A professional sports record of 13 consecutive division crowns with the Braves, that after helping to build the Royals into one of the most dominate teams of the 70s and leading them to the Championship in 85.
Beane has done well, no doubt. But it isnt even close.
Well Theo got Schill, Roberts, and Foulke. All key to Boston winning a World Series, and combined probably cheaper than Derek Jeter, LOL
But between these two, Shuerholz for sure. Beane didn't do anything great, but he brought to light the value of OBA as opposed to BA, and is sort of doing the same with defense now, making people realize that value. Theo's doing that too, but Beane was the innovator. I can't give it to Beane for coming up with ideas though, since he also signed Redman and Rhodes. Honestly, what is that? Now they're stuck with Kendall because of it...
Shuerholz it is.
"Jack, will you call me, if you're able?"
"I've got your phone number written, in the back of my Bible."
Good points, but the long and short of it is that people know more about Beane and his methodology thanks to Moneyball. Because they kinda-sorta have an idea what he is doing when makes a move, they feel comfortable crediting him if it works out. On the flipside of that, because Schuerholz is a closed book, people just chalk it up to dumb luck when he makes a move that works out because they don't know what exactly his motivation was for making the deal.
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by FatGuyWithAMullet » Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:23 pm 
