By Chris Ballard

The free-swinging Byrnes has learned that a walk (he had a career-high 56 at week's end) can be as good as a hit. David Zalubowski/AP

After being drafted by the A's in the eighth round in 1998, Byrnes played five years before sticking in the bigs, though he had some memorable call-ups, including one in 2000, when he nearly sparked a brawl because Indians pitchers didn't appreciate a hyperaggressive hack at the plate. He spent winters playing in the Dominican league, winning the MVP award in 2001 and earning the nickname Captain America. He was so popular when he played for Triple A Sacramento that he continued to appear on a weekly radio show even after he was called up to Oakland. His break with the A's finally came in '03, when Jermaine Dye was sidelined with a knee injury. In his first 59 games as a replacement, Byrnes hit .352 with 11 homers and was nearly named an AL All-Star (he was one of the online choices fans vote on to fill the last All-Star spot), only to sink into a 9-for-91 slump in July. Beane, one of the high priests of OBP, wasn't convinced Byrnes was an every-day player, especially against righties. Byrnes saw things a little differently. "It never got physical, but there were some heated arguments," says Byrnes. Part of the tension arose from the similarities between the men; in the overachieving, strong-willed Byrnes, Beane saw something of himself. "Billy's [playing] career was obviously short-lived, but he wanted it badly in the same way I wanted it," says Byrnes. "And while I have the ultimate respect for him as a person and a businessman -- Billy, I am not you."

Today Beane admits that he misjudged Byrnes. "Quite frankly, he's willed himself to be the player he said he could be, and in fairness to him, he told me he was going to do it, and he did." After signing as a free agent with Arizona in 2005, Byrnes had a breakout year in '06, hitting 26 homers and stealing 25 bases. This season he's focused on being more patient and using the entire field. At week's end Byrnes had nearly twice as many walks as he did last season (56 to 34) and was hitting better against righties than lefties (.310 to .252). He is, finally, the player Beane wanted him to be.

Asked if he wishes he still had Byrnes, Beane chuckles. "I'm not allowed to say that, but we can make some assumptions."

Watch byrnes now and one can still see his inner hacker trying to escape, only with mixed results. Take the opener of the Padres series, on Sept. 4. In the bottom of the third inning, with the D-backs up 2-0 and two men on, Byrnes stepped in versus righthander Chris Young, he of the 6' 10" frame and the sub-2.50 ERA. To this point Young had owned the matchup: Byrnes was 0 for 8 this season and 2 for 17 overall.

Young started him off with a slider away for a ball; then another slider away, but Byrnes swung and missed badly; then a third slider, this one so far out of the zone it ended up in the dirt, though that didn't stop Byrnes from taking a mighty cut. Down 1 and 2, Byrnes was on the defensive. In years past he'd have been toast.

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