MLB 21st century face of the franchise — Oakland Athletics: Billy Beane
One man has shaped Oakland’s fortunes through the 21st century, and that man never put on an A’s uniform.
The man, very obviously, is long-time A’s general manager Billy Beane, who reshaped the very way successful teams are constructed and overseen by his penchant for what came to be known as “Moneyball.” It meant getting the most out of the least, a strategy Beane was intimately familiar with given Oakland’s chronically low payroll situation.
Still, since becoming GM prior to the 1998 season, Beane has taken Oakland to 11 postseasons. With Beane directing moves from the front office, Oakland has compiled a .525 winning percentage in the 21st century including seven divisional titles.
Beane once said he’s always been restless, but building is the part that interests him. With the Athletics, Beane’s gotten plenty of opportunities to exercise that interest. Inheriting a 97-loss team with a low payroll, he built it into a 102-game winner in four seasons, then won 103 a year later. Following a 96-victory season in 2006, the game’s economics forced Beane to restructure once again. He tore Oakland down to sub-.500 level from 2007 through 2011, then rebuilt the Athletics a second time to 94 and 96 wins and division titles in 2012 and 2013.
Elevated to executive vice president of baseball operations following the 2015 season, Beane tore the A’s down a third time and emerged in 2018 with a 97-game winner. Since 2018, this version of Beane’s A’s have won 60 percent of their games.
They won the 2020 short-season division title before money forced Beane to tear down the A’s yet a fourth time.
In the wings: There is nobody. The A’s are Billy Beane and Billy Beane is the A’s … period.