For nearly six years, MoneyLaw has asked us to pause in law's pleasures and count its many fears. The All-Star Break is the annual eye of the storm in the ecclesiastical calendar of the Church of Baseball. These moments provide the perfect occasion for reflection and introspection.
From the beginning, MoneyLaw has drawn its literary inspiration from Moneyball. In 2011, after at least one major false start, the big screen finally provided a home for Michael Lewis's bestselling profile of Billy Beane and his pursuit of the art of winning an unfair game.
The movie version of Moneyball is a distinct and worthy work in its own right. Among its subplots, the movie highlights the quiet heroism of Scott Hatteberg, the washed-up catcher that Billy Beane rescued, reclaimed, and repackaged as a first baseman who could run up pitch counts, draw walks, and bash long balls. Hatteberg ultimately brought more honor to the Oakland uniform than the likes of Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, and Jose Canseco.
Perhaps the movie's most pleasant surprise was its musical Leitmotif, a catchy tune by Lenka. Those of us who admire Billy Beane know, in some cases far too personally and far too painfully, how hard it can be to win the last game of the season. For that group — for all of us who are just a little bit caught in the middle, for whom life is a maze and love is a riddle — a break in the action represents our best chance to let it go and just enjoy the show: