In the baseball movie Moneyball, Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, manager of the Oakland Athletics, a losing team whose players are being sold off for parts. With little money and a lot to prove, he enlists help from baseball analyst Peter Brand (played by Jonah Hill) and bets on a new strategy to get ahead. In a pivotal scene, Brand explains that Beane does not need to sign big-name players to win games. What he needs is a clearer picture of what drives results. “You’re trying to replace Johnny Damon.