Moneyballed

Well, I just got back from a "tryout" for the upcoming baseball movie, Moneyball, based on the book of the same name. It was a tryout rather than an audition, because I wasn't up for a specific part -- or an 'acting' part at all, but as a member of the baseball ensemble (they want to use real baseball players to double the baseball players of the era - 2002 Oakland A's.)

I am grateful to be invited to try-out, but damn, there were some good ballplayers there! From the discussions I heard and uniforms I saw, I'd say at least 90% of the guys A) played pro ball for several years RECENTLY, B) played for a top-tier D1 baseball program or c) BOTH A & B. It wasn't that I played bad -- heck we didn't even really do much; after warming up and playing catch, we each got to hit some batting practice. Having not faced live pitching in oh, a LONG time, I didn't do so hot. I only got 4 swings -- 2 weak grounders, a swing and a miss/foul tip and one decent liner towards short. And that was that.

The rest of the time was spent shagging flies during other people's BP (which was great. Man, I could do that all day...) and watching the pitchers pitch. Each pitcher (and I'd say 70% of the guys there pitched) threw three or four pitches. The baseball coordinator just wanted to make sure they could throw strikes with people watching. One of the pitchers was friggin' Bud Smith who threw a no-hitter in the major leagues! And, by the way, he's all of 5' 8'' and maybe 160 lbs. which is just another reminder that size doesn't matter in baseball. But what does matter is a God-given arm and repititions -- pitching, fielding, hitting. And that lack of playing consistently (at all?!) over 8 or so years really catches up.

So, I don't expect to be hearing from them for work on this one -- they have plenty of just-retired pros to choose from. But you never know... Anyway, like I said, a great experience; a cool, crisp morning; a beautiful diamond; the sounds and smells of wood and leather. And I would still maintain that among the actors in town, I would qualify as an upper-tier baseball player. But when that circle is widened to include all former pros/college studs in town, my abilities aren't so unique...