This Year's Moneyball

We all know that Billy Beane and the A's are constantly seeking new ways to exploit inefficiencies in the market for baseball players.  In the beginning it was OBP, Slugging %, pitches per plate appearance, etc.  Then Moneyball was written and they had to mix it up a little.  Not only that but they had to CONSTANLY be mixing it up.  In other words, they had to have a new inefficiency to exploit every year.  We've seen them go strong on defensive players, beef up the bullpen, and even sign players who are injury prone.  This year they are exploiting over-aged Minor Leaguers.

No I don't mean players who can out drink the competition at Dos Gringos every March.   I'm talking about Minor Leaguers who have only been in the minors for a couple years, but are old enough to be fully developed prospects.  They've brought Travis Buck and Danny Putam directly from AA, skipping AAA entirely.  And now they've acquired Jerry Blevins, a 23 year old minor leaguer who is just now coming into his own.  

The A's have decided that minor league experience is slightly over-valued provided if a player is old enough to have developed enough physically to be major league player.  A lot of teams are afraid to put a guy in the big leagues who have less than 2 years of pro experience.  The A's are betting that its not experience, but age and physical maturity coupled with good stats in a decent sample size that show when a player is ready for....er umm...the show.

So if you're a player who has only a year or two of minor league experience (or minor league success for that matter) but you are at the ripe age of 23 or 24, then beware because the A's have their eye on you.