Blog Archives
Casey Bond: Toronto Premiere of Moneyball – Guest MLB Blog
Saturday October 22, 2011
MLB reports: Fans cannot get enough of Moneyball!!! The hit Hollywood blockbuster has become a darling of the critics and becoming one of the most popular baseball movies of all time. If you haven’t seen it already- what are you waiting for? Get to a movie theatre quickly! You will not be disappointed. One of the stars of Moneyball, actor Casey Bond has returned for a repeat Guest MLB Blog on the Reports. Busy promoting the movie and travelling the globe, we are very fortunate that Casey was able to take the time out of his busy schedule to prepare today’s piece. Looking back at the world premiere of the movie at the Toronto International Film Festival, Casey takes you today behind the scenes in today’s blog. For an inside look into Moneyball, MLB reports is proud to present former professional baseball player turned actor, Casey Bond:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Casey Bond (Guest MLB Blogger): Well, where do I start? Right now I am fortunate enough to be in one of the top box office hits in theaters with Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Philip Seymour Hoffman among others, and I get to portray a baseball player in the film all at the same time. I couldn’t have written a better story for myself.
Moneyball world premiered in Toronto at the TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in early September. I traveled up to Toronto with my girlfriend Sarah, in order to be a part of the World Premiere with a few of my castmates. There were people from all over just to come to the festival, and especially to see the turnout for Moneyball. Of course, we had two of the most well-known people on the planet in Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie show up with us to the big event. It’s amazing how much people will let their voices sail across the open airwaves without a shred of holding back in the middle of a crowded public area. They received quite some noise when their black SUV pulled up behind us to arrive at the carpet.
As I was walking down the carpet myself, it was such a feeling of amazement and accomplishment, to be in that position where all eyes are fixated on you in wonder. It’s very similar to being a professional baseball player. All of the attention is on you for that moment. However, it’s also completely different, because the work you have done was a long time ago, and it’s just time to celebrate, answer questions, take pictures, sign autographs, and watch your finished work about a year after it was done. Honestly, just to say that, we were watching ourselves on the silver screen like it was today that it happened, but it’s actually watching yourself as you were in this character an entire year ago. Mind boggling if you really think about it. How much I personally have changed just in that year’s time. But now, everyone gets to see my character from a year ago, and we couldn’t have been more pleased with the standing ovation we received from everyone in attendance.
As the movie ended and the credits rolled, a spotlight shone upon our balcony, as all of us cast members sat together and watching it as a group for the first
time. To have all of those people roaring in approval was worth everyone minute of hard work we put into that film. And, the beautiful thing, is that the work lasts forever…
That was only the beginning of the night. We proceeded to leave the theater, and gather as a group just outside of the balcony doors to congratulate one another on what seemed to be a successful film, and a success to come as it approached its release date. From the theater, we all climbed into our cars waiting out back, and headed toward an intimate dinner with all of the amazing people who were highly involved in the film.
As my girlfriend and I walked up the steps to the rooftop lounge area to talk to cast members, I was headed off by Brad Pitt who smacked me on the shoulder and said “you killed it man!” He then turned to my girlfriend and said “how about your boy? He killed it!” That statement has pretty much summed up the experience of being in Toronto for the World Premiere. It was an unreal experience, but completely attributed to all of the hard work I have put into my passions in life. Who wouldn’t be feeling good to get a comment like that from Mr. Pitt?
The excitement, dedication, and hard work every day has laid out a path that has some very interesting times ahead. I’m now excited for the U.S. Premiere in Oakland, and the U.S. release of the film. Needless to say, the film is off to a wonderful start!
Thank you Casey for preparing today’s MLB Guest Blog. Please feel free to contact Casey Bond on Twitter (@caseybond) or through his website (http://thecaseybond.com) and Facebook Fan Page for comments and questions.
**Some of the photographs in today’s feature are courtesy of Peter Hurley**
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter (@MLBreports) and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Theo Epstein Heads to the Windy City to Lead the Cubs
Thursday October 13, 2011
Rob Bland (Baseball Writer – MLB reports): On October 12, 2011, Theo Epstein, former GM of the Boston Red Sox agreed to a 5 year deal worth more than $15M. With the Chicago Cubs. This all comes as no real surprise to anyone, as it had been speculated since the Cubs fired GM Jim Hendry in August that Epstein was their top target. The real surprise is that Epstein and the Boston Red Sox’s falling out happened so swiftly. Within two weeks of the Red Sox collapse, which has been widely discussed by everyone in baseball circles, manager Terry Francona and the team parted ways, as well as, now, their general manager Theo Epstein.
It has been well-documented that Epstein was able to overcome the “Curse of the Bambino” by employing a bunch of “idiots” in the locker room that went on to win a World Series in 2004. This mentality has been a similar mantra of the Red Sox throughout his tenure. Because they won in 2004, and also in 2007, it was completely acceptable for players to do what they pleased in the locker room. Now that the epic collapse took place, the organization needed a change, and true accountability never took place for the Red Sox.
Epstein is a GM of great stature. He is trusted and many people believe in his abilities. He employs a “Moneyball” type strategy, which is also aided by having a large payroll, something he will also have the ability to create in Chicago. Ownership of the Cubs have not been afraid to spend money, and most of the time have put themselves in unfortunate situations.
Two contracts come to mind when I think of the Cubs. Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano. Prior to the 2007 season, Soriano inked a contract worth $136M over 8 years. In 2007, Zambrano signed an extension for the 2008-2012 seasons, with a vesting option for 2013 worth $91.5M. Epstein has a lot of work cut out for him with an aging, mediocre core, but finding a suitor for these two players, or finding a way for them to produce and not be distractions in the clubhouse is paramount.
Another major task for him is to figure out what he wants to do with incumbent manager, Mike Quade. Quade was hired as the Cubs’ interim
manager on August 22, 2010, and in October, the interim title was stripped. Quade led the Cubs to a 71-91 record and a 5th place finish in the NL Central, only ahead of the lowly Houston Astros. This record was tied for the 5th worst in all of baseball. When Quade was hired, much to the dismay of Cubs fans, who wanted Ryne Sandberg to take the helm, he was highly regarded as a smart, methodical baseball thinker. Was the year and month enough of a trial, or will Epstein want to bring in his own talent to manage this struggling franchise?
Epstein will also consider bringing in his own front office, using members from his group with the Red Sox. With news breaking that Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Ben Cherington will take over as GM in Boston, Epstein will be fighting to bring his favorite guys over with him.
The last thing holding up this deal is compensation for the Red Sox. Since Epstein had one year remaining on his contract with Boston, the Cubs had to ask permission to even speak with him. Epstein had made it known to the organization that he would be leaving after 2012, so the Red Sox allowed talks to run smoothly, as they would have owed him $3M for the season, and a contract bonus of $4M. Cash and/or prospects will easily get the job done.
The deal has not yet been completed due to some of these complications, but should be done by the beginning of next week. Epstein will have a major challenge in Chicago, as they are not even close to competing. Major decisions need to be made, and even with his high level of competency, it will take up to five years for the Cubs to be a major contender in the NL Central.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan onFacebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Oakland Athletics: What Went Wrong in 2011 and Looking to 2012
Friday September 23, 2011
Sam Evans (Intern – MLB reports): Going into this season, the Oakland Athletics were perceived by some as a dark horse AL West contender. They had one of the best starting pitching rotations in the American League and a lineup filled with role players. At the end of May, the A’s record sat at 27-29 and only 3.5 games out of first place. However, the team proceeded to go 9-17 in June and their season was pretty much over.
Confirmation for A’s fans that their team likely wouldn’t have a shot at the playoffs was when they learned Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden were going to be out for the year. These two lefties were key parts of the A’s rotation. To have them out for the year was a big blow to the team. To add insult to injury (literally), there is a chance that Anderson will not recover from his Tommy John surgery by the end of next year.
The A’s five starters next year most likely will be Gio Gonzalez, the aforementioned Braden, Brandon McCarthy, Trevor Cahill, and Rich Harden or Guillermo Moscoso. This is depending on what happens in free agency during the coming offseason, but I think Billy Beane will be aggressive in trying to keep his pitchers in Oakland. McCarthy and Gonzalez have had breakout years, and Cahill has been mediocre. Even with the injuries, the rotation is definitely far from the team’s biggest worry. Pitching at the Oakland Coliseum for half of the schedule unquestionably makes these pitchers look better than they are, but regardless at the end of the day, the A’s still have one of the best rotations in the American League.
The A’s bullpen is solid and reality is that major league bullpens are often easy built with minor league arms. Fautino De Los Santos has stood out to me as a great future cornerstone for their ‘pen. He is a hard-throwing righty, who missed parts of the 2008 and 2009 seasons due to Tommy John surgery. De Los Santos came from a mediocre Oakland minor league system. The A’s farm system is headed by Grant Green (1st round pick in 2009, shortstop), Chris Carter (huge power bat, first base), and Michael Choice (1st round pick in 2010, athletic outfielder).
The A’s infield situation is very complex. Since being called up, Jemile Weeks has hit .303 with 21 stolen bases to earn their second base job for next year (and likely next decade). Although, his power stroke hasn’t quite developed like his brother Rickie’s, he has been hitting the ball hard to all fields. Cliff Pennington has had the year everyone expected him to have. He is hitting .264 with 8 home runs, however he is .304 since the all-star break. My opinion though is that Pennington is a slightly below-average ML starting shortstop. If the A’s decide to keep Grant Green at shortstop, which they should, Green could be their starter as early as July. Even if they’re not sure if Green can play shortstop, the A’s should at least give him a chance.
Since coming over from the Tigers on May 27th, former top prospect Scott Sizemore has been a pleasant surprise for the A’s. He has hit 10 home runs, which is more than any of his seasons in the minors or majors. Despite a low batting average and a shaky glove, it’s not like the A’s have anywhere else to go for a new third baseman. Holding down first base (or trying to at least), is Brandon Allen. Chris Carter though will be battling Allen in spring training in an attempt to take over the job for next year. Hideki Matsui turned out to be an average signing at best for the A’s. They needed offense and he provided decent numbers at the cost of $4.25 million for the year. My guess is that Godzilla will probably return next year at a fraction of the cost.
In the outfield, the A’s got a career high 27 homers from Josh Willingham. What is even more impressive is that The Hammer did it with such a weak lineup around him, that he likely did not see many strikes during the season as in past years. Willingham will be a free agent this offseason and the A’s will have to decide if they are willing to pay to retain him. Willingham will likely qualify as a type “A” free agent as one of the best outfielders on the market. Coco Crisp as well had a pretty productive year, hitting .270 with 42 stolen bases. He also will be a free agent this offseason, but I believe that he is very likely to stay in Oakland. As for right field, David DeJesus, 32, will be a free agent this offseason as well. He had a pretty rough year, and I’d be surprised if the A’s still wanted him on their roster. Next year, Michael Taylor and Ryan Sweeney will probably come into camp to compete for a spot in the outfield. Overall, the A’s clearly have a lot of decisions to make regarding their outfield this offseason.
I think the A’s are going to make a huge splash this winter. I’d be surprised if they didn’t try to ship out some of their excess arms for bats. If they don’t make significant improves to their offense, the A’s will likely be the worst team in the AL West next year. What do the A’s have looking up for them, you might ask? Well, they have one of the best general managers in baseball and when need to improve a team quickly, that’s not a bad place to start.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Intern, Sam Evans. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Sam on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Casey Bond Interview: Moneyball Movie Star
Friday September 9, 2011
MLB reports: In part two of our series on Casey Bond, we feature today our interview with the “Moneyball” star. Casey portrays former Oakland A’s pitcher Chad Bradford in Moneyball and will be promoting the movie this week in Toronto as part of the Toronto International Film Festival. Tonight is Casey’s big premiere at TIFF. Before the release of the movie, we had a chance to talk with Casey about his baseball and acting careers. From playing minor league baseball with the San Francisco Giants, Casey moved to acting and appeared on the Gene Simmons reality show “Family Jewels”. With the launch of his upcoming movie, MLB reports is proud to present our interview with Casey Bond:
MLB reports: Welcome to MLB reports Casey. It is a pleasure to be speaking with you and thank you for taking the time for us. From baseball player to movie star. You were originally drafted by the Giants in the 25th round of the 2007 draft. You made it all the way to AAA in your 2nd season. Tell us what it was like to be drafted by a major league team and play professional ball. What was the process like for you from the time you were drafted to joining your first team?
Casey Bond: Have the opportunity to play professional baseball for the Giants was a childhood dream come true. All I ever wanted to do as a kid was play professional baseball (like most kids). I worked hard, and took my talents and abilities to the professional level. A life long goal accomplished.
The process for me after I was drafted was just like most other guys that get drafted. The Giants called me and congratulated me, and then eventually gave me dates that I would be reporting to spring training. I continued to practice and prepare myself for spring training until I had to leave. Once I left, I joined everyone else with the organization, and we began to practice and train until we were told which team we would be on after we broke from spring training. It was very exciting getting to display my baseball skills on the highest level.
MLB reports: Your playing career ended in 2008. Why the decision to end your career so soon after getting drafted? Were injuries a factor?
Casey Bond: I was released by the Giants, after coming off a fairly productive season as an everyday starter, and had a decision to make. I had offers from other teams to play, but the acting world was starting to pull me in its direction, so I decided to consider baseball a goal accomplished, and moved on to another goal in my life.
MLB reports: After baseball, you jumped into the acting ring. Were you always planning to be an actor? How did you get started in the business?
Casey Bond: Honestly, I can’t say that I always had plan on being an actor. It was something that I always had an interest in, but I never really pursued it until I started to take classes in Nashville during the off-season.
MLB reports: Before Moneyball, you were in the Gene Simmons’ show “Family Jewels”. Tell us a little more about the show and your role.
Casey Bond: My role on Gene Simmons Family Jewels was as the “Handsome Handyman.” I was hired to come in and help fix things around their beautiful home. It was a reality show, and I was able to put my craftsman skills to work on the show. They were a wonderful family, and I really enjoyed being a part of the show.
MLB reports: Interestingly, you were an outfielder for the Giants back in your playing days. Yet you are playing Chad Bradford in the movie. How did you get picked for the role?
Casey Bond: It is a very strange coincidence that I am portraying an Oakland A’s player for the film. I always tell people I made it to the Big Leagues with the Oakland A’s it seems. I had to audition for the role, reading with the casting director and director first before displaying any of my baseball talents. I really had to bring my “A-game” acting in the room before I was able to show my skills as well. For whatever reason, when the baseball came along, I was able to teach myself to mimic Chad Bradford’s very unique submarine form. It just worked for me, and I almost wish I had pitched like that. Maybe I would have been set apart even more from the rest of the crowd. I was actually very accurate and effective against batters. After I displayed the acting and the baseball skills, I had a personal meeting with Brad Pitt, where we read the script and basically hung out for a while just talking about life, baseball, etc. It was basically a meet and greet. After this, I found out I was offered the role.
MLB reports: Did you get to meet the “real” Chad Bradford in preparing for the role? Tell us about the process you experienced from getting the part to preparing for the role of being Chad Bradford.
Casey Bond: I haven’t met Chad yet, but I talked to him on the phone for quite some time, gathering information that I could use toward playing the character. I asked him everything from his mental approach pitching, to the way he acted on the team and his time with the A’s.
MLB reports: Can you give us some background on your director Bennett Miller? How did you find the experience working with him?
Casey Bond: Steven Soderbergh did not direct the film, even though he was originally slated to direct it a few years ago. Bennett Miller directed the film, and he was a pleasure to work with. His most well-known work before this film was the movie “Capote.” It was very well received, and he was highly acclaimed for the work.
MLB reports: Which cast members did you work the most with during the filming of Moneyball? Who did you become closest with during and after the filming?
Casey Bond: I worked with a very large number of cast members. Brad Pitt, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jonah Hill, and Chris Pratt were among those. All of which were wonderful to work with, and a pleasure to be around. Brad really was a mentor on set, and through advice and sheerly through working with him, I was able to step up my acting game even further. I developed a lot of great relationships on set, as I was on the film for most of the duration of filming. I’m not sure if I could honestly say who I was closest with because it was such a great group of people, of which I was around everyone and interacted with every day.
MLB reports: Can you share one or two good stories from the set of the movie that readers would otherwise not hear about?
Casey Bond: There were some great times had on set. Plenty of practical jokes, especially since there were baseball players involved. Brad and Jonah pulled pranks such as altering each others golf carts on the Sony lot to “embarrass” the other person while they drove their cart to the set. Things such as putting the picture of their faces on the other persons cart, or altering the cart to make it stand out in the crowd.
Brad being a mentor to myself is another great story. A person in his position doesn’t necessarily have to reach out and help the other person with their advice or opinions as that can be left to the director, but he very openly did. He is obviously a legend, and any and all advice from him was wonderful, and I was so thankful for his kindness and thoughtfulness. Truly a very down to earth person who is there to work hard every day and put his best foot forward, which is how I feel a handle my business as well.
MLB reports: Mr. Brad Pitt. One of the last people I imagined becoming Billy Beane. Fans are interested as to how he did in the role. Tell us about Brad the baseball general manager? Is there an Oscar in his future?
Casey Bond: This role played by Brad could be one for the ages in my opinion. He made some fantastic choices, and I think they will come across very well on the big screen. He truly has so many talents and abilities. If you just look at all of the different roles he has played, and played so well, those alone are a true testament to his versatility. All of the components are there for this film to be a huge success, and the way he plays Billy Beane shows his ability to be funny, serious, heart-felt, and compassionate. I’m excited to see the response to his performance, along with all of the other cast members on this film.
MLB reports: I am a huge fan of baseball movies. The fine line is maintaining an authentic feel. Having real players in the roles helps a great deal, including yourself and Royce Clayton. What did movie producers do to keep the feel and flow of the movie from a baseball perspective as being “real” rather than looking like a movie?
Casey Bond: I don’t say this lightly…this film has the potential to be the most authentic baseball movie of all time. The individuals involved with this film were top-notch baseball players. I was fortunate to be an actor who had the professional baseball ability in my back pocket. The guys brought on this film even as extras all had experience from college to professional, and it will show on the big screen. Obviously, Royce had the most experience with around 10 years in the big leagues. I’ll put it this way…if we were to field a team from the people on set, we could most definitely compete with a lot of people. Truly some great talents in this film, which was so important. We have all seen the baseball movies which just don’t cut it as far as believability goes. This will be the one to outshine them all in the authentic department.
What was great was the fact that Bennett Miller, Brad, and everyone else wanted to make sure they got the baseball part right. They wanted to hear our opinions, and stuck with them. I was more than happy to add any and all of my baseball knowledge to this film, especially due to the fact that they listened intently and respected all of the intricacies of the game.
MLB reports: Was the real Billy Beane a part of this movie? Did he visit the set and have input into the movie? What about author Michael Lewis, was he a part of the movie as well?
Casey Bond: Billy Beane was on set multiple times. I’m sure he had plenty of input in the sense that he was the man they could go to if there was a question. After all, his character is what the film is centered around. Michael Lewis was on set too, and I had a wonderful conversation with me. He noticed me right away and knew who I was playing (Bradford).
MLB reports: I don’t recall a baseball movie that was more anticipated than Moneyball (I personally cannot wait to see it). Where will this movie rank about the greatest baseball movies of all time? What is your favorite baseball movie of all time?
Casey Bond: This movie has a lot of hype, and all for good reason. It has an all start cast, and a wonderful story to back it up. Moneyball was a best-selling book, and it brings baseball, business, and life all together into one. Something everyone can relate to.
All baseball movies are different, and this one, for myself, will be the most authentic of all time. My favorite baseball movie of all time (at this point) is Bull Durham. It depicted the minor leagues perfectly, which is obviously something I am very familiar with. The language, interaction, and relationships were done so well. It’s just an amazing movie, especially if you have played baseball at that kind of level. It all makes sense.
MLB reports: You are in Toronto this week for the Toronto International Film Festival promoting Moneyball. How has the promotion circuit treated you thus far? Where are you off to after Toronto and what are the promotional plans for Moneyball?
Casey Bond: The promotional circuit for Moneyball has been wonderful. I have been doing red carpets, radio shows and interviews, interviews with all kinds of media, and am now off to Toronto for the Toronto International Film Festival, where I will be walking the Red Carpet as well.
After Toronto, I head back to L.A. for few days before going to Oakland, CA for the U.S. Premiere to walk the Red Carpet, as well is doing other promotional events in Oakland centered around the film. Its been a very exciting and busy time, and I love every minute of it, and can’t wait to do this with other projects in the future.
MLB reports: What is the future of Casey Bond? Do you have any projects currently in the works? What are your plans following the movie?
Casey Bond: The future for myself is to continue to work hard, and apply myself to the acting world (as I have been) just like I applied myself to being a professional athlete. Passion and hard work will translate into success. That is how it has always worked for me, and that is how life tends to work. If you work hard, and are passionate about what you do, you will be successful. I plan on never doing anything but that.
Lately, I have been doing quite a bit of print work for different companies like A.D.I.D.A.S., Muscletech, and others, along with doing commercials and constantly having other auditions. Lately I have also been working with legendary acting coach Larry Moss. Always have to be working on the craft. I have also started a small production company with a few friends out here, which has been a fun process. I love being a part of all sides of the entertainment industry. It has been busy since finishing up Moneyball, and once the film drops, I hope to gain even more attention and go work hard on other projects.
Thank you to Casey Bond for joining MLB reports today. Please feel free to contact Casey Bond on Twitter (@caseybond) or through his website (http://thecaseybond.com) and Facebook Fan Page for comments and questions. Casey will be CONSTANTLY providing personal behinds the scenes photos, videos, etc. of upcoming events that he will be a part of such as Red Carpets and premieres, as well as Moneyball media when the film comes closer to the release! Stay tuned for part two of our Casey Bond feature, with our interview coming up on MLB reports.
**Some of the photographs in today’s feature are courtesy of Peter Hurley**
Part one of our feature on Casey Bond: https://mlbreports.com/2011/09/07/bond/
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Casey Bond Guest Blog: From Giants Prospect to Moneyball Star
Wednesday September 7, 2011
MLB reports: Baseball movies have been part of the culture of the game for as long as most of us can remember. Classic films include The Natural, Bull Durham and Major League, among countless others. When baseball fans are not watching games at the ballpark or on television, they can often be found at the theatre or popping in a disc at home to watch a baseball movie. Fans also enjoy baseball documentaries, including the Ken Burns series. If not watching baseball in some capacity, a good baseball book is not usually far behind for a diehard baseball fan. Lovers of the game cannot get enough of their favorite sport and enjoy the game in many different capacities.
At MLB reports, we are big supporters of baseball books. We try to read as many new ones as we can to review on our site to encourage readership. Those books that we enjoy can sometimes also end up on the big screen and come to life. One of the most popular and talked about baseball books of all time, Moneyball by Michael Lewis, has in fact been made into a Hollywood movie. Starring Brad Pitt as Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane, Moneyball has all the makings of being the next all-time classic baseball movie. Due out in theatres on September 23, 2011, Moneyball is a movie that everyone must see!
We are very fortunate today to have Casey Bond, one of the stars of Moneyball the movie, on MLB reports today. Casey in part one of a two-part feature, prepared a guest blog sharing his journey from outfielder in the San Francisco Giants organization to starring in Moneyball with Brad Pitt. In part two coming this week, we will be publishing our interview with Casey Bond. We appreciate Casey taking the time out of his schedule in preparing this feature. Casey portrays former Oakland A’s pitcher Chad Bradford in Moneyball and will be promoting the movie this week in Toronto as part of the Toronto International Film Festival, starting September 8th. For the very first Hollywood star on MLB reports, we proudly present actor Casey Bond, with his journey from San Francisco Giants prospect to Moneyball star:
Casey Bond (Guest MLB Blogger): For a little history on myself, I grew up in the south in the town of Peachtree City, GA, which is a golfing community about 30 minutes south of Atlanta. As a kid, all I ever wanted to do was play baseball and other sports, and to someday play professionally. Although I always had an interest in movies, I kind of put that interest to the side to concentrate on my athletic abilities. I was a multi-sport athlete in high school, and went on to play Division 1 baseball for both Birmingham Southern College (Birmingham,AL), and Lipscomb University (Nashville,TN). My first dream eventually came true, and I was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 25th round as an outfielder from Lipscomb University in 2007. I played for the Giants Organization for two seasons.
At the end of my time with the Giants, a very unique opportunity arose for me in the acting world. I began to take acting classes in Nashville, TN, as this was always something that I had an interest in, and felt like I had to at least pursue it to some degree. I told my great-aunt, who lives in Santa Monica, CA, that I had begun to dive into acting a little bit. The reason I told her was purely for conversation because she used to be an actress back in the day. She was in some things here and there, and I thought she would appreciate my effort. Well, she told her friend, who told his agent, about myself. I knew she was going to do this, but thought nothing of it because after all, I was still living in Nashville. For whatever reason, this agent decided he would call me up and tell me that he had an audition he could get me in. Being as fresh and naive about this entire acting and auditioning process, I didn’t realize that there were thousands of auditions happening every day in L.A.
So, I asked him what I needed to do to audition for this role in a national commercial. He told me that I had to be inL.A.tomorrow, and that he would get me into the audition. I took that as a great opportunity, and because I was so naive, I actually flew out toL.A.and went to the audition, and then flew back the same day. A week after this, the agent calls me again and tells me that they want to have me back to a callback, and that I had to be there the next day. So, I hopped on another plane to go to this audition, thinking how lucky I was to have an opportunity to even have an audition inL.A. I met with the casting director and producers, did the audition, and then literally flew home again the same day. Needless to say, my friends thought this was pretty cool stuff, and so did I because I really had no idea that this was happening constantly every single day inL.A. However, thanks to my foolishness, and perhaps drive to succeed when given a chance to do something special, I ended up booking the commercial, and flew out about a week later to film it.
This commercial was a national commercial. It got me into SAG immediately, which is such a hurdle to many actors in itself, and it basically gave me the opportunity to have this agent take me on full-time, move toL.A., and pursue acting with a full passion and pursuit. Long and crazy story, I know, but it is entirely the truth.
The inspiration to act was within me from the time I was little, but it wouldn’t reveal itself to me fully until I was done pursuing my first dream of playing professional baseball. Once I moved to L.A., I very quickly learned about the in’s and out’s of industry, and through my love of meeting new people and building relationships, I have so far been able to surround myself with some wonderful people who I have gotten to work with and learn from.
Now, I am working with the legendary acting coach Larry Moss, which in itself is an inspiring thing to be a part of. I am fully committed and involved in everything I can do to continue to be the best actor I can be, and I know that my past with professional sports and athletics has directly related to the carry over into the entertainment industry. Hard work and passion has paid off, and will continue to.
All of this led to Moneyball. First off, I auditioned at Sony a few times with the director (Bennett Miller) and the casting director. They liked me read both times, so they decided to have me go out to a baseball field to see if I could actually perform there as well. My character, Chad Bradford, was a submarine pitcher for the Oakland Athletics from Jackson, Mississippi who was a big Christian. You may already know, but if not, a submarine pitcher is one who nearly scrapes his knuckles on the ground when he is delivering the ball to home plate from the mound. I played outfield, so this was not something that I regularly did by any means. I had to go out to a field and work on this for hours before perfecting it. Needless to say, I went out and performed for Bennett Miller, and others who were there to help determine if I was the guy.
I passed the “baseball test”, which I was hoping to considering that was such a large part of my past. Bennett then wanted me to come over to Sony for one last meeting. That meeting was a personal meeting with Brad Pitt. When I arrived, Brad immediately came up to me and shook my hand, and we went into conversation that lasted a long while. We didn’t even read through the script but once. We just needed to get together and hang out, make sure we were a good fit, which was no problem at all since he is such a stand up guy. He was truly a wonderful person to be around, and an absolute mentor on set while we filmed our scenes with one another.
Brad gave me advice during our scene, which you wouldn’t necessarily expect from him, given the position he is in. However, he was truly a mentor, and I very much learned from him. He is a master of his craft. To work with guys like Brad, Jonah, Philip, and Chris Pratt was definitely a game changer for myself as far as knowing that I could act on their level, and continue to develop and hone my skills as an actor.
First and foremost, be on the lookout for the film, which is going to be released September 23rd. The world premiere is at the Toronto Film Festival on September 8th. As for myself lately, I have been studying with Larry Moss, and have been doing quite a bit of print work lately for companies like A.D.I.D.A.S. and Muscletech. There are also some other things in the works right now, which I hope I can divulge in the near future.
Thank you Casey for preparing today’s MLB Guest Blog. Please feel free to contact Casey Bond on Twitter (@caseybond) or through his website (http://thecaseybond.com) and Facebook Fan Page for comments and questions. Casey will be CONSTANTLY providing personal behinds the scenes photos, videos, etc. of upcoming events that he will be a part of such as Red Carpets and premieres, as well as Moneyball media when the film comes closer to the release! Stay tuned for part two of our Casey Bond feature, with our interview coming up on MLB reports.
**Some of the photographs in today’s feature are courtesy of Peter Hurley**
Part two of our feature on Casey Bond: https://mlbreports.com/2011/09/09/bond-interview/
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
MLB Draft Signing Deadline: Who Will Sign By August 15th
Friday August 12, 2011
Rob Bland (Intern- MLB Reports): With the August 15 deadline for all 2011 MLB draftees to sign, players and teams are getting down to the wire with negotiations. Only two of the top ten picks have been signed, right-handed pitcher Trevor Bauer, and second baseman Cory Spangenberg by the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres, respectively. Of the 33 first round picks, 9 have signed, as well as 14 of the 27 picks in the supplemental first round. It is expected that most of the picks from the first round will go down to the last hour, if not minute. However, there is a lot of speculation about who will not sign, and the fans of each team are hoping and praying their team will get their guy. Some players come into the draft with lofty expectations and high estimates of signing bonus money. As a result, many of the lower budget franchises stay away from these players, and draft “safe” players, who will sign for a more reasonable price.
The Oakland Athletics’ GM Billy Beane was made famous through the book “Moneyball”, which portrayed the club as a bottom feeder organization financially. They had to pick lesser talents in order to sign all their draft picks. They shied away from the big “sexy” names on draft boards and targeted players with specific skill sets. Other teams who have done this in the past to varying degrees of success are the Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals. In the last couple of years, these organizations have turned their philosophies around, drafting tough to sign players with higher ceilings, and ending up signing most of them. Today will highlight a few of the players drafted who will be tougher than others to sign.
From this year’s draft, one of the players who was known to be extremely
difficult to sign was Josh Bell. On talent alone, he was rated as an early first round pick, yet dropped to the second round to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had sent a letter to Major League Baseball advising teams not to draft him on account that he wanted to attend the University of Texas. Some have said this was just a bargaining tool to simply add more leverage to his situation, while others think he will not sign under any circumstances. It has been predicted that it will take a minimum of $10M and a Major League contract in order to sign him. I feel that the Pirates are an extreme long shot to sign Bell, and he will attend U of T and be a Longhorn for the next three years.
High school right-handed pitcher Tyler Beede could have been a top 10 pick, with his 95 mph fastball and devastating change-up. Beede was widely known to be seeking a bonus upwards of $3-4M. The Toronto Blue Jays and their new management have made it a point to take the best player available when they it is their turn to select a player in the draft. So, when it came to their turn as the 21st selection, the Jays did not hesitate to choose Beede, who has said it will come down to money in the long run. I believe the Jays will sign him in the final minutes for close to $3M.
With the 5th overall pick, the Kansas City Royals had a tough decision to make. Outfielder Bubba Starling, a hometown kid from Kansas, was widely considered the top prep offensive talent in the draft was still on the board. Starling has a scholarship to the University of Nebraska to play both football and baseball. It is very likely that a bonus upwards of $8M will be what it takes for Starling to sign with KC on August 15. Expect this deal to get done.
Gerrit Cole, the flame throwing right-handed pitcher from UCLA was taken by the Pirates first overall in the draft. Cole has reached 102 mph on radar guns and routinely hits triple digits. Cole has yet to sign, but is widely expected to join the Pirates. A Major League deal for 4 years and $8M or so is likely.
Rice University has been known to producing top talent, as witnessed by having eight first round picks in the last 11 years, most notably when Phil Humber and Jeff Niemann went 3rd and 4th overall in the 2004 draft. Another first rounder from Rice was Lance Berkman in 1997. So when one of the top three candidates for the first overall pick came down to an infielder from Rice, who just happened to win the Dick Howser Trophy, (essentially the Heisman Award for college baseball players), nobody was surprised. Anthony Rendon may not have above average speed or the best glove, but he has an above average arm and was considered by most to be the best hitter in the country. Rendon dropped to #6 to the Washington Nationals due to signability concerns but should sign for $4M plus.
Shortstops with ultra talent often get huge signing bonuses and Cleveland Indians’ first pick (8th overall), Francisco Lindor will be no exception. Lindor has the talent to warrant a $3M bonus, but should hold out for more. The Indians tend to shy away from this kind of pick, but the talent speaks for itself and I believe the Indians will go as high as $3.5M to sign the talented shortstop.
There has arguably not been a better high school pitcher in the last decade than
flame throwing Dylan Bundy. The right-hander has reached 100 mph and has 2 plus secondary pitches. His high school pitching numbers are straight out of a video game. 71 innings, 2 earned runs. TWO! He also had 158 strikeouts to 5 walks. FIVE WALKS! Good for a 31.6:1 K:BB ratio. Oh, and the fact that he can also hit, as evidenced by his 11 home runs and 54 RBI in only 105 at-bats doesn’t hurt. The University of Texas commit could command a Major League contract and $6-8M. He should sign; my guess is $6.5M.
Here is the breakdown of the entire 2011 first round of picks, with players in bold having already signed:
1 Gerrit Cole RHP Pittsburgh Pirates
2 Danny Hultzen LHP Seattle Mariners
3 Trevor Bauer RHP Arizona Diamondbacks – ML deal 4/$7M
4 Dylan Bundy RHP Baltimore Orioles
5 Bubba Starling OF Kansas City Royals
6 Anthony Rendon 3B Washington Nationals
7 Archie Bradley RHP Arizona Diamondbacks
8 Francisco Lindor SS Cleveland Indians
9 Javier Baez SS Chicago Cubs
10 Cory Spangenberg 2B San Diego Padres – $1.86M
11 George Springer OF Houston Astros
12 Taylor Jungmann RHP Milwaukee Brewers
13 Brandon Nimmo OF New York Mets
14 Jose Fernandez RHP Florida Marlins
15 Jed Bradley LHP Milwaukee Brewers
16 Chris Reed LHP LA Dodgers
17 C.J. Cron Jr. 1B LA Angels – $1.467M
18 Sonny Gray RHP Oakland Athletics – $1.54M
19 Matt Barnes RHP Boston Red Sox
20 Tyler Anderson LHP Colorado Rockies
21 Tyler Beede RHP Toronto Blue Jays
22 Kolten Wong 2B St. Louis Cardinals – $1.3M
23 Alex Meyer RHP Washington Nationals
24 Taylor Guerrieri RHP Tampa Bay Rays
25 Joe Ross RHP San Diego Padres
26 Blake Swihart C Boston Red Sox
27 Robert Stephenson RHP Cincinnati Reds
28 Sean Gilmartin LHP Atlanta Braves – $1.13M
29 Joe Panik SS San Francisco Giants – $1.116M
30 Levi Michael SS Minnesota Twins
31 Mikie Mahtook OF Tampa Bay Rays
32 Jake Hager SS Tampa Bay Rays – $963K
33 Kevin Matthews LHP Texas Rangers – $936K
I think that although you can’t be sure about these kinds of things, my gut feeling is that every first rounder this year will actually sign by August 15th. I also predict that at least one signing will come minutes after the deadline, probably a Scott Boras client, and the league will allow the deal to pass.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Intern, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Moneyball the Movie: An Inside Look to Beane and Pitt
Friday, June 17, 2011
MLB reports: In 2003, author Michael Lewis released one of the most famous baseball books of all time: “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game.” After years of discussions and rumors, the baseball book of our generation is now coming to the big screen. Not since Major League and Bull Durham has a baseball movie received this much buzz. Brad Pitt, not Kevin Costner, will play the main character Billy Beane, General Manager of the Oakland Athletics. The movie is set to be released on September 23, 2011 and we guarantee that MLB reports will be there opening night to prepare a review. We may even catch this one early, as we are known to have a trick or two up our sleeve.
Before the movie is released, we will be reading the book again and posting a book review on the Reports in anticipation of the movie. It has been a number
of years since many of us have read “Moneyball” and a good refresher is in order. It has been argued by many that Moneyball was a landmark book, as it changed the complexion of baseball in many ways. Moneyball brought the use of statistical analysis to the forefront of baseball and created the statistics vs. scouting debate, which still continues till this day. Billy Beane was hailed as a genius following the release of the book. Aside from remaining the General Manager of the A’s, Beane is a highly sought-after public speaker and has grown to become a minority owner of the team as well. One of the highest profile executives in baseball history, it is only fitting that actor Brad Pitt would be playing Billy Beane in the movie.
For all the years that it has taken to get this movie off the ground, there have been concerns that the final product may not be up to par with the level set by the book. After watching the trailer, I have to admit that I am very excited to watch the movie in the theatre. Even if you are not a fan of Billy Beane or the Oakland A’s, Moneyball the Movie appears to be a must see for all baseball fans that would like to catch a glimpse into the world behind the game. We took a look at the current status of the A’s and its new manager last week on the Reports, which you can read by clicking here. With the anticipation of the upcoming movie and the Athletics as a team sitting at the basement of its division, the team needed a change. If nothing else, to turn around the fortunes of the ballclub and help build hype leading to the release of the movie.
There is no denying that we all love baseball movies. Baseball fans, when not watching games in person or television, will often be found reading about baseball and watching baseball movies every chance they get. There have been countless baseball movies over the years, including: Major League, The Babe, Eight Men Out, Mr. Baseball, Mr. 3000, Field of Dreams, A league of Their Own, Rookie of the Year, etc. The list goes on and on. I have to admit that as a supporter of the game, in my opinion there is no such thing as a bad baseball movie, only some movies that are better than others. Moneyball the Movie will be released in approximately three short months. We can’t wait. Until then, to get your appetite wet and satisfy some of your curiosity, we present the recently released trailer. Watch it, enjoy it and let us know what you think. Will you be at the theatre to watch Moneyball the Movie? We hope to see everyone there.
Click “Moneyball” to watch the trailer for the most anticipated baseball movie in recent history.
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
MLB Reports 
You must be logged in to post a comment.