Stan has asked why I haven’t written about Moneyball the movie or addressed Art Howe’s complaint that he was misrepresented in the movie.

I have not seen the movie and do not intend to — although I read the book. I don’t think I can comment on a movie I haven’t watched. I don’t want to see the film because, from what I’ve read, it partly fictionalizes the events of that season and the people involved — a season and people I covered. When it comes to my job I am interested in reality and not fiction.

I can say this. I really like Art Howe. He is an exemplary human being and whenever I see him it brings gladness to my heart.

When he managed the A’s — he was a hell of a manager — he sometimes felt angry with Beane. So did Ken Macha. All this is known. Beane admits he was hard on Howe. He told me he was a young man when Howe was his manager and he (Beane) needed to learn how to behave better. Beane also told me he later on offered Howe a job as his advisor — wanted him to return to the A’s. Howe went to Texas instead to be Ron Washington’s bench coach.

So they had gone some distance in working out their differences.

Howe feels he was portrayed negatively and incorrectly in the movie. I can’t comment on that. He also maintains Beane had a hand in the misrepresentation if there was one.

I am closer with Howe than Beane, although I like Beane. But I do not think Beane went behind Howe’s back in the movie or book. Beane did not write the book or direct the movie. Other people did. I just don’t think Beane would have had that much power in the movie to create Howe’s characterization and I don’t think Beane would have wanted to do that.

He still should phone Art Howe and reassure him and make sure things are OK between them.

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