'Moneyball' movie quotes include some of the best lines from Brad Pitt, who plays real-life Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane in the film. Beane's unique system of scouting and evaluating players helped to change the game of baseball. If your favorite 'Moneyball' quote isn't on this list, add it!
'Moneyball' is based on the best-selling book 'Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game' by Michael Lewis (who also wrote 'The Blind Side'). Love him or hate him, few can deny that Billy Beane's sabermetric approach to baseball did get everyone's attention. How do you take a team of total underdogs and make them winners? Beane's system.
'Moneyball' features an all-star cast, led by Brad Pitt, but also including Jonah Hill (as the Ivy League wiz who helps Beane come up with a formula to get players), Philip Seymour Hoffman (as A's manager, Art Howe) and Robin Wright. In January of 2012, 'Moneyball' received multiple Academy Awards nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Pitt), Best Supporting Actor (Hill) and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Looking for more movie quotes? Check out these lists for the best quotes from 'Contagion,' 'Straw Dogs,' 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' 'Shark Night 3D' and 'Fright Night.'
Moneyball Movie Quotes,
Who Are You?
Billy Beane: "Who are you?"
Peter Brand: "I'm Peter Brand."
Billy Beane: "I don't give a rats a** what you're name is. What happened in there? What happened in that room?!"
When Billy's negotiations with Mark Shapiro and Cleveland don't go well, realizes that one reason he didn't get a certain player, Garcia, is because of Peter Brand. He seeks him out to find out what's going on - and wonders why on EARTH Peter would like Garcia. Billy's decision to track Brand down will change the course of the A's and the game of baseball.
Change the Game
Billy Beane: "If we pull this off, we change the game. We change the game for good."
They did and...they did. The game is definitely changed, as a direct result of what Billy Beane pulled off in Oakland.
Romantic About Baseball
Billy Beane: "How can you not be romantic about baseball?"
Say what you want about Billy Beane's system and tactics, but there's no denying he loves the game.
It's Incredibly Hard
Scott Hatteberg: "I've only ever played catcher."
Billy Beane: "It's not that hard, Scott. Tell him, Wash."
Ron Washington: "It's incredibly hard.
This is a great, funny moment in 'Moneyball,' when Billy is trying to sign Scott Hatteburg (catcher) to play first base for him with the A's. Coach Ron Washington thinks Billy's out of his mind, but he tries to go along anyway - up to a point.
Money Decision
Billy Beane: "I made one decision in my life based on money. And I swore I would never do it again."
When Billy gets a huge offer from a "big money" MLB team, it's tempting. But he remembers a decision years earlier - when he took the money to play pro baseball and turned down a full ride to Stanford. That decision haunts him.
The Player You Are Now
Billy Beane: "David, you're 37. How about you and I be honest about what each of us want out of this? I want to milk the last ounce of baseball you got in you, and you want to stay in the show. Let's do that. Now, I'm not paying you for the player you used to be - I'm playing you for the player you are right now. You're smart, you get what we're trying to do here. Make an example for the younger guys, be a leader. Can you do that?"
David Justice: "Alright, I got you."
Billy has a heart to heart with David Justice, explaining that he really needs him to step up and be a true team leader. He also diplomatically (ahem) points out that he's not really paying him the true big bucks - and neither are the Yankees. David's time to be "told" he can no longer play the game is coming. For now, though, he's got a chance, as Billy says, to stay "in the show."
Rich Teams, Poor Teams
Billy Beane: "The problem we're trying to solve is that there are rich teams, and there are poor teams. Then there's 50 feet of crap. And then there's us. It's an unfair game."
This quote sums things up nicely. The Oakland A's are a less-than-poor team when Billy Beane becomes the general manager. What can he do to change things? A lot.
Two Options
Billy Beane: "Would you rather get a bullet to the head five to the chest and bleed to death?"
Peter Brand: "Are those my only two options?"
Billy uses this analogy to explain how and why he lets players go the way he does - quickly. Tell them they're cut, and get them out the door to minimize the pain. They're professionals, they'll understand. "No fluff, just facts."
Ugly Girlfriend: No Confidence
A's Scout: "I like Perez."
A's Scout: "He's got an ugly girlfriend. Ugly girlfriend means no confidence."
Old school thinking re: scouting in baseball in this quote. Understandably, Billy bristles at these ideas.
We're All Told
Scout: "We're all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children's game, we just don't...we don't know when that's gonna be. Some of us are told at eighteen, some of us are told at forty, but we're all told."
The scout's comment comes as he's meeting with a young Billy Beane's parents about an opportunity to play pro ball for the New York Mets. Billy has a full ride to Stanford, but the Mets are making him a huge offer. The scout is explaining that time is wasting - that if he wants to play professional ball, every year counts.