A Friday Night Suggestion

BASEBALL is a mysterious game, over and done by the time cricketers are only just thinking of oranges. If you want to understand the sport, skip the new film Moneyball, based on the book by Michael Lewis. You will be little wiser about the on-field action when the lights come up, certainly no better versed in "bunting" or why first base is, apparently, the hardest position to play.

But none of that really matters, because this flick is actually about productivity, specialisation, how markets work, misconceptions that distort them and how a smart operator can ... well, just go see the flick.

Brad Pitt is terrific as the tormented manager of the Oakland Athletics and Philip Seymour Hoffman is as far removed from Capote as you can imagine.

Terrific!

NOTE: According to the young fellow who arrived at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville from training with the Newport Rams baseball team, "bunting" is a way of striking the ball and not making it go very far, thus confusing the fielding team and allowing the batsman to dash for first base. It has nothing to do with grandstand draperies. His attempts to explain why you must never slide into first base, or why the fieldsman in that position need not have a strong throwing arm, were less successful. If you happen to read this post, many thanks for your efforts to banish ignorance and good luck on the weekend..