Follows the back-office management of the Oakland As’ 2002 season to uncover how the small-market team defies baseball’s conventional wisdom. For GM Billy Beane, on-base percentage (i.e., not making outs) is superior to any other statistical measurement, and players (especially minor leaguers) can be acquired at a significant discount (or sold at a premium) to the market’s valuation. Joe Morgan emerges as the arch defender of the status quo. One corollary that’s not addressed: if you don’t allow runs you can’t lose — defense wins championships after all.