David Justice is calling fake news on how he was depicted in the “Moneyball” movie.
The movie, based on the Michael Lewis book about former Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane, portrayed Justice as a me-first egotist.
Justice appeared on Keyshawn Johnson’s Fox Sports podcast “All Facts No Brakes” and repudiated specific aspects of how he was shown in the film.
“There’s a scene in ‘Moneyball’ where my character makes a comment about it costing money to get a drink [and it cut to the actor playing Justice asking why soda costs $1 in the clubhouse] or there was a scene where the general manager played by Brad Pitt comes into the batting cage and he’s talking to me about needing me to come onboard to be a leader,” Justice said.
“It portrays me like I’m talking to the general manager saying like, ‘Listen, y’all paying me my salary, like don’t even come in here and talk to me [a clip played of Justice’s character asking what was in it for him to be a leader].’ First of all, my mama would’ve killed me if she saw me even remotely disrespecting a coach or a manager or someone like that.”
Justice was played by Stephen Bishop in the 2011 movie.
On Johnson’s podcast, Justice said that he already knew the expectation was that he was supposed to be a leader on the A’s in 2002, his 14th season in MLB.
“This was my last year in the big leagues,” he said.
“First day of spring training I already knew what it was going to be about. Billy Beane … never had to have a conversation with me.”
