Listening to Red Sox skipper Terry Francona explain why he didn’t have Jason Varitek sacrifice bunt with two-on and no-outs in extra innings Sunday let us know he's perfectly in step with the front office’s Moneyballian philosophy. Unlike Gr…sorry, still can’t bear to utter the joker’s name.

One thought about Moneyball. The just-released paperback version includes a new afterword by author Michael Lewis. In it he vehemently answers his critics. In doing so he let his emotions get the best of him -- he lost his composure and grace; both of which had shone through in each proceeding chapter.

Indeed, Lewis went from looking cool and confident in the batter's box to swinging at everything, or rather swinging at everyone. Why go blow for blow with a moron like Joe Morgan?

The calm discipline that made Moneyball have the air of “revolution as a state of fact” was replaced with wasted aggression at those who still failed to understand that a revolution had taken place.

We know what Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane, the straight-shooting subject of Lewis’ book, would say of the author’s defense in the new afterword: "trying to do too much, trying too do much." (Of course, he'd also say thanks for making the whole effing book about me, a-hole.)

The lesson to be learned: don't keep selling after you've already made the deal. Still, the book was a big time home run. Just hate to see the game end on a strikeout.