By Elliot Chun
Opportunity cost is a notion that is often mentioned in the Bennet Miller-directed film "Moneyball," although it is best understood by focusing on the scene in which Billy Beane needed to make a life-altering decision. The main character had to decide between playing professional baseball for the New York Mets or attending Stanford University as a student-athlete. Right out of high school, he was regarded as a future all-star baseball player and received a four-year full scholarship to Stanford University due to his exceptional academic standing. Despite the big risk and commitment, the lore of being the next big star of the New York Mets along with a generous paycheck and signing bonus won his favor. Though he was pursuing his goal, his performance fell short of the scouts' expectations of him. At the very least, his Stanford degree, or pursuit of it, was Beane's opportunity cost from his failed baseball career. If he had chosen the University path instead, he would have had more time to grow and develop before entering the big leagues. It may have been more beneficial in the long run to go to Stanford rather than being thrust into the spotlight right away, which he unfortunately couldn't handle.
