BJ Upton, Prince Fielder, Scott Kazmir are three players who eventually proved Billy Beane didn't always bat .1000 when evaluating future talent. Beane didn't have the desire to take any of these players (for various reasons) — and all of these players have proven themselves in the majors.

Bing: Where is BJ Upton now?
Bing: Where is Prince Fielder now?
Bing: Where is Scott Kazmir now?

Beane saw something special in Kevin Youkilis (photos) and coveted him for the A's. The union wasn't meant to be, however, and Youkilis stayed with the team who was developing him — the Boston Red Sox.

Bing: Where is he now?

Mark Teahen (photos) was drafted by Beane and the A's but never played for the 'Moneyball ' honcho. Teahen was traded to the Royals — a trade for which the A's received Octavio Dotel.

Bing: Where is he now?

Bobby Crosby (photos ) stepped up to the challenge and became the starting shortstop for the A's when Miguel Tejada left for the Orioles after the 2003 season. Crosby was good enough in his rookie season to win rookie of the year — the first A's player to accomplish that in the Moneyball era. Crosby left the A's for the Pittsburgh Pirates after the 2008 season.

Bing: Where is he now?

Nick Swisher (photos) began the statistical climb immediately following his rookie season in Oakland in 2004. He contributed in the A's line-up until he was traded to the White Sox in 2008.

Bing: His recently-released album?

Joe Blanton (photos) was brought up to the A's to shore up the rotation after Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson were both traded from the roster. Blanton showed promise in his first years in Oakland. From 2005-2007, Blanton improved statistically but was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.

Bing: Where is he now?

Chad Bradford (photos) played a role for Beane's team from 2001 until 2004. As a reliever, Bradford had three good years in Oakland until he was traded to the Red Sox following a statistical slump.

Bing: Where is he now?

After Mark McGwire's departure via trade, Jason Giambi (photos) assumed the role of starting first baseman for the A's. Although Giambi had been with the team since 1995, it wasn't until 1999 that he really began to hit his stride. Giambi's best years for Oakland came in 2000 and 2001. Giambi won the AL MVP in 2000 and almost won the MVP in 2001 but most importantly he helped the A's get to the playoffs both of those years.

Bing: Where is he now?

The A's drafted Eric Chavez (photos) in 1996. The third baseman was a slugger at the plate and a stalwart defensively, winning six Gold Gloves in six seasons (2001-2006). After 13 years with the A's, Chavez left for the Yankees as a free agent.

Bing: Where is he now?

One of the earlier acquisitions for Beane, Miguel Tejada (photos) made his way to the A's late in the 1997 season and became the starting shortstop in 1998. As projected, Tejada's statistics began to back up his athletic promise. In 2002, Tejada had his best season and helped propel the A's into the playoffs.

Bing: Where is he now?

Jason Isringhausen (photos) joined the staff in Oakland as a relief pitcher in 1999. In 2000 he had one of his best statistical seasons for any A's closer in history, helping lead the team to the playoffs.

Bing: Where is he now?

Tim Hudson (photos) rounded out the trifecta of talented, young pitchers that starred for the A's during the Moneyball era. Right out of the gate, Hudson tore up major league baseball, going 11-2 in his rookie season and winning 20 games in his second. The A's traded Hudson to the Atlanta Braves in 2005.

Bing: Where is he now?

Mark Mulder (photos) benefitted from being part of the 'Moneyball' Oakland A's. Teaming up with Barry Zito and Tim Hudson, Mulder helped the A's reach the MLB playoffs from 2000 to 2003.

Bing: Where is he now?

Barry Zito (photos) developed into a monster talent with the Oakland A's. Zito won a Cy Young award in 2002 — two years after his major league debut. The magic ran out in Oakland for Zito after the 2006 season — he was traded to the San Francisco Giants.

Bing: Where is he now?

As Billy Beane's assistant GM and second in command, Paul DePodesta (photos) also had major influence on the Oakland A's emergence as a powerhouse team.

Bing: Where is he now?

Billy Beane (photos) is a former MLB outfielder who played for the A's, Tigers, Twins and Mets. Beane's most valuable contribution to baseball isn't as a player, but as a GM and talent evaluator. As GM of the A's, Beane gained notoriety for his use of baseball metrics to build the team's roster. This use of sabermetrics ran counter to conventional baseball wisdom and changed the way teams did business. The practice was chronicled in Michael Lewis' book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game," published in 2003.

Bing: Where is he now?