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Moneyball

  • #1
  • First Post: Sep 16, 2005 12:45pm Sep 16, 2005 12:45pm
I just finished reading the book "Moneyball", which was recommended by Merlin a few weeks ago.

I have no interest in sports, so I was reluctant to read a book on baseball. However, Merlin is absolutely correct! When this book is read from a trader's perspective, it contains some remarkable bits of trading wisdom.

Serendipitously, I finished the book, and found I had a desire to go see a Major League baseball game. Surprised me to no end!

Get the book. It's a great read!

Dial
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  • #2
  • Sep 16, 2005 2:26pm Sep 16, 2005 2:26pm
OK I have to admit I haven't read this one but its one of those that has a story that is analogous to trading (or is that allegorical?).

Anyway its called "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" and it was recommended by somebody else who said the stories relate to the discipline of trading or something like that.

Anybody read it and can confirm?
  • #3
  • Sep 16, 2005 3:20pm Sep 16, 2005 3:20pm
haha!! yes! dial, i told you that was a good one! ive read it two times already! its funny that it seems to be written for traders, even though it is about baseball.

ok dial, if you liked that reco, you are gunna LOVE this one. the book is called "Blink", written by Malcom Gladwell. its just as easy to read as Moneyball. it may possibly be better too (from a trading perspective). the book explores the idea of "thin slicing", the art of determining the most important pieces of data from an overwhelming data set. its SOOO good for traders, because we are perpetually in a situation of data overload. this book made me a MUCH better trader.
Relax and be happy.
  • #4
  • Sep 16, 2005 3:22pm Sep 16, 2005 3:22pm
Quoting diallist
Serendipitously, I finished the book, and found I had a desire to go see a Major League baseball game. Surprised me to no end!
ya know whats funny? i never watched baseball before either, but now i find myself pausing on the baseball games when chanell surfing. after reading Moneyball, watching baseball its like watching science in action.
Relax and be happy.
  • #5
  • Sep 16, 2005 3:36pm Sep 16, 2005 3:36pm
dial, how heartbreaking was it to see billy beane turn down the job with the red sox, knowing that the sox won the world series two years after the book was written?
Relax and be happy.
  • #6
  • Sep 16, 2005 3:40pm Sep 16, 2005 3:40pm
Quoting Isotonic
Anyway its called "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"
ive read this book . its is a great one, but didnt relate to trading for me. trading dicipline has never been an issue for me (one of the few areas i dont have issues), but if it is for you then i could see this book being applicable to trading.
Relax and be happy.
  • #7
  • Sep 16, 2005 7:20pm Sep 16, 2005 7:20pm
Quoting merlin
dial, how heartbreaking was it to see billy beane turn down the job with the red sox, knowing that the sox won the world series two years after the book was written?
i definately know more about baseball than i do trading, unfortunately. anyway it isn't heartbraking that billy beane turned down the red sox, because the sox have lots of the money and oakland has none. that's what makes beane so amazing is that he consistantly puts together great teams with half the payroll other teams have. that's his legacy. he traded away two of the best pitchers on his team this year and they are still in contention to win their division. he's a genius. if he went to the red sox, it wouldn't be a challenge for him because he could buy the best players. with oakland he truly has to use "moneyball" because he can't spend alot of money. sorry for the tangent, but i love baseball and billy beane

tek
  • #8
  • Sep 16, 2005 7:28pm Sep 16, 2005 7:28pm
Quoting diallist
I just finished reading the book "Moneyball", which was recommended by Merlin a few weeks ago.

I have no interest in sports, so I was reluctant to read a book on baseball. However, Merlin is absolutely correct! When this book is read from a trader's perspective, it contains some remarkable bits of trading wisdom.

Serendipitously, I finished the book, and found I had a desire to go see a Major League baseball game. Surprised me to no end!

Get the book. It's a great read!

Dial
Charles, thanks for the advice. I will add this book to my list. I have about 4 books to read before this one. Thanks again.
Steven
  • #9
  • Edited 8:26pm Sep 16, 2005 8:15pm | Edited 8:26pm
Quoting merlin
dial, how heartbreaking was it to see billy beane turn down the job with the red sox, knowing that the sox won the world series two years after the book was written?
Not heartbreaking at all. I think it would have been heartbreaking if he had gone to the sox. I'm glad he stuck by the decision from his early years to never base a decision on job/career because of the money. And even though I don't recall the book explicitely mentioning it, how could he, as mother hen, not want to stay with his child, the Oakland A's?

Many parts of the book captured my attention, but none so well as the part describing the interaction between pitcher and batter. You could almost substitute the word "trade" for "pitch", and the section would still make sense. I love the batter (can't remember name) who was extremely selective about what he would swing at. Kinda like takin' only the A trades!

My wife would pass out if she saw me sitting here discussing baseball. She'd think the alien body snatchers had gotten hold of me.
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  • #10
  • Sep 16, 2005 10:36pm Sep 16, 2005 10:36pm
Damn diallist, you beat me to posting this. I'm 50ish pages away from finishing it. Really is a great book with so many links to trading. I find it interesting that the links to trading in this book had a greater effect on me then the same principles taught in trading books.
  • #11
  • Sep 16, 2005 11:04pm Sep 16, 2005 11:04pm
Quoting Hidshadows
Damn diallist, you beat me to posting this. I'm 50ish pages away from finishing it. Really is a great book with so many links to trading. I find it interesting that the links to trading in this book had a greater effect on me then the same principles taught in trading books.
Hi Hidshadows, your last sentence expresses it perfectly. I got exactly the same feeling from the book as you describe. Well put.

Dial
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  • #12
  • Sep 17, 2005 5:35am Sep 17, 2005 5:35am
Quoting diallist
Not heartbreaking at all. I think it would have been heartbreaking if he had gone to the sox. I'm glad he stuck by the decision from his early years to never base a decision on job/career because of the money.
yeah the fact that he didnt go for the money sort of softened the blow. the reason it was so heartbreaking for me, though, is because as it was leading up to that part, i thought he actually did go to the sox and thats WHY they won (like i said, i know nothing about baseball so i didnt even know who the sox GM was, i just knew that John Henry was the owner). btw, how cool is it that a nerdy trader (John Henry) walked into the game of baseball, applied his trading skills, and won the world series? thats so fuckin cool.

Quoting diallist
Many parts of the book captured my attention, but none so well as the part describing the interaction between pitcher and batter. You could almost substitute the word "trade" for "pitch", and the section would still make sense.
WHOA! didnt even catch that one! you are so right, amazing shit man.

dial i NEED you to read Blink now, im dying to hear your thoughts on it...
Relax and be happy.
  • #13
  • Sep 17, 2005 12:47pm Sep 17, 2005 12:47pm
Quoting merlin
yeah the fact that he didnt go for the money sort of softened the blow. the reason it was so heartbreaking for me, though, is because as it was leading up to that part, i thought he actually did go to the sox and thats WHY they won (like i said, i know nothing about baseball so i didnt even know who the sox GM was, i just knew that John Henry was the owner). btw, how cool is it that a nerdy trader (John Henry) walked into the game of baseball, applied his trading skills, and won the world series? thats so fuckin cool.


WHOA! didnt even catch that one! you are so right, amazing shit man.

dial i NEED you to read Blink now, im dying to hear your thoughts on it...
I ordered it from Amazon last night. You were so right on about Moneyball, that you've got me really looking forward to Blink.

Thanks Merlin

Dial
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  • #14
  • Nov 22, 2005 12:57am Nov 22, 2005 12:57am
dial did you read blink yet???

btw, we just launched the new book review forum. you wanna do the review for moneyball?
Relax and be happy.
  • #15
  • Nov 22, 2005 1:23am Nov 22, 2005 1:23am
Quoting merlin
dial did you read blink yet???

btw, we just launched the new book review forum. you wanna do the review for moneyball?
I ordered it, but never got it. I need to order it again. Sorry, I forgot about it.

Man, I could have written a good review right after I finished reading it! But I've sent the book to Alex in Serbia so I can't even do a refresher. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to do it justice now, but let me percolate on it a bit and I might come up with something. What was the name of the book again that I read? :

Dial
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  • #16
  • Last Post: Nov 22, 2005 3:55am Nov 22, 2005 3:55am
Quoting merlin
dial did you read blink yet???

btw, we just launched the new book review forum. you wanna do the review for moneyball?
Blink is absolutely great, downloaded an audio book of it. Got any other interesting literature like this merlin?
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