Yesterday, the Rays traded C/INF Ford Proctor to the Giants for Triple-A reliever Jeremy Walker. The Rays appear to have been trying to clear 40-man space. The Rays have several players on the 60-day IL who don’t currently occupy a 40-man spot but will need to once they return, including Wander Franco, Manuel Margot, and Harold Ramírez, all of whom are likely to come off of the IL between now and the end of the season. Tampa could also potentially add more big leaguers before the deadline who would require 40-man space. The move was an opportunistic pounce by the Giants, who get a player I happen to like quite a bit.

Proctor was occupying a 40-man spot while hitting .213/.329/.306 at Triple-A Durham, and his strikeout rate has climbed significantly for the second straight year. He was a contact-oriented infielder at Rice and in the lower minors who the Rays moved behind the plate during the early stages of the pandemic. While he’s made huge strides on defense, he still has moments of ineptitude, whiffing on the occasional easy-to-receive pitch, or letting a blockable ball in the dirt get past him. For a convert who has just shy of two years experience wearing the tools of ignorance, Proctor looks pretty good even though he’s 25. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you also furiously following the news ahead of today’s trade deadline? Join me on Twitch this afternoon for a live chat and transaction reactions, with guest appearances from Nick Pollack of Pitcher List and Jason Martinez of our very own RosterResource. You can tune in over on my Twitch channel or right here in this post, starting at 3 PM ET and going until we run out of deals to cover. Happy deadline day!

After months of rumors and loud whispering, the mega-trade for Juan Soto has finally happened, with the winner being the San Diego Padres. It’s hard to overstate the impact of a trade like this; while stars are always traded, Soto is a very young and already quite accomplished player with generational-type talent, and players in that category do not change uniforms by trade all that often. I’m already tempted to type this piece in all capital letters, damaging the eyes of our esteemed editors; the Padres adding an excellent rental in Josh Bell just makes it an even harder test for my willpower.

The stable of talent sent to Washington is impressive, as it should be. Heading to D.C. are starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, shortstop C.J. Abrams, outfielder Robert Hassell III, outfielder James Wood, pitcher Jarlin Susana, and first baseman Eric Hosmer. For the Nationals, any lingering concerns that someone would have to take Patrick Corbin, thus reducing the value of the return significantly, have now safely evaporated, and they’ll now have to turn to other options there. The Padres even fulfilled Washington’s desire to include a major leaguer who can help the team win games right now in the form of Gore. There are still issues to iron out with Hosmer’s no-trade clause, but for now, we’re going to look at this trade with the assumption that this works out, one way or the other. One possibility is an effort to get a third team into the mix, one that is interested in Hosmer’s services and not on his no-trade list, or at least a team he’d be more willing to waive the clause to join. Who that would be exactly is a tricky question; maybe the Royals?

UPDATE: Hosmer has officially vetoed his move to Washington, though the trade will still go ahead without his involvement. San Diego now has an interesting contract situation to resolve this afternoon.

UPDATE 2: Hosmer is now heading to Boston, per multiple reports, with fellow first baseman Luke Voit now part of the Soto trade in his stead.

UPDATE 3: The deal is now official: Soto and Bell for Voit, Gore, Hassell III, Wood, and Susana.

To wet your whistle — my colleague Ben Clemens will be around shortly with a full rundown of the particulars of this trade, and Eric Longenhagen will run through the prospects — here are some projections which I swear aren’t fan service. (Year-by-year projections for Wood and Susana are unfortunately beyond ZiPS’ scope at this stage of their careers.) Some may be disappointed that Soto’s numbers aren’t quite what they were last year, but his defense looks worse and he’s not quite at his normal level of offense. But considering ZiPS has only “downgraded” his top comp to Carl Yastrzemski, it’s still a great projection!

Much more to come.

Rumors of a contract negotiations between starting pitcher Joe Musgrove and the San Diego Padres have been percolating for the last month, and those discussions bore fruit over the weekend: With a five-year, $100 million contract extension, the Padres have locked up their best and most dependable starter through the end of the 2027 season.

I discussed a possible Musgrove extension a couple of weeks ago, and not much has changed in the right-hander’s valuation since then, when ZiPS thought that a five year, $126 million contract would be fair for both sides. That makes landing Musgrove for $100 million a nice deal for the Friars, likely the result of some unknown combination of canniness, Musgrove’s comfort at the top of the rotation, and his stated desire to stay with his hometown team (Musgrove is from the San Diego area).

For Padres fans, it must be a relief to get this extension done — even when most of the factors suggest a deal can be reached, there’s no guarantee until there’s ink on the paper. Being from Baltimore, I think back on the acrimonious end to Mike Mussina‘s time in Charm City. Mussina had previously given the O’s a very good deal on a three-year, $21 million contract that bought out a year of free agency, but when he actually did hit the open market, the O’s basically underbid the Yankees, working on the assumption that a hometown discount would be permanently built into his contracts. That the second half of Moose’s Hall of Fame career came with the Yankees still makes me sad! ZiPS projects Musgrove as the best pitcher available in free agency — his projection edges out Carlos Rodón’s — and as with Mussina and the Yankees, all bets are off once the 29 other teams can bid on your franchise pitcher. Read the rest of this entry »

Position: Baseball Analytics Apprentice

Location: Arlington, TX

It’s fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they’re doing!

We’re committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

• Query and report on data
• Build and maintain analytical tools, metrics, & models
• Create compelling data visualizations and stories
• Research game changing ideas and concepts
• Present information to team leaders and organizational stakeholders

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in mathematics, engineering, computer science, data science, or related field
• Strong knowledge of baseball analytics and associated data & technologies
• Proficiency in SQL, R, Python, Tableau and/or other analytical tools
• Familiarity with concepts such as predictive modelling, cloud computing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and Bayesian analysis
• Strong written & verbal communication as well as visualization skills
• A creative mindset, open-mindedness, and desire to work in a learning culture

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you’ll enjoy your career with us!

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Texas Rangers.

Position: Baseball Research Analyst

Department: Baseball

Reports to: VP, Baseball

About Sports Info Solutions

Pioneers in the Sports Data Industry

SIS was founded on the belief that decision making in sports could be improved and that we could help teams win more games through the use of better data, analytics, and technology.

That belief has been validated repeatedly since our founding in 2002 as we continue to revolutionize the way the game is played on and off the field.

Company overview

Our mission is to enrich and optimize the decision-making process for sports teams, sportsbooks, and sports fans.

We are proud to have been leaders in collecting, analyzing and distributing the deepest data sets and insights to professional sports teams across the MLB, NBA and NFL.

We are now doubling down on what’s made us successful by further advancing our data, technology, insights and partners as we drive forward the next innovations in Sports Data and Analytics.

Position overview

Sports Info Solutions (SIS) is looking for candidates to fill a full-time position in our Baseball Department. The Baseball Research Analyst will work remotely and contribute as a member of our R&D team, supporting various research initiatives.

• This role is considered remote.

Job responsibilities

Includes (but is not limited to):

• Perform modeling and research using SIS’s internal baseball database as well as other notable data sets (Statcast, etc)
  Write articles and research pieces to be featured in SIS Research and Analysis, The Bill James Handbook, and Stat of the Week, among other sports outlets
• Design and develop dashboards and various analytical tools to directly support front office and field personnel
• Prepare cutting-edge research for presentation in a professional setting, including sales presentations and conferences
• Collaborate with colleagues to help illuminate the value of SIS’s analytical products to prospective clients
• Other duties as assigned. The position requires a variety of skills including (but not limited to) an analytical mind, computer expertise, writing ability, and a passion for baseball

Why work with SIS?

We believe in making sports better through data, analysis and insights. For that reason, we have an incredible team of technologists, scouts, analysts, and operators helping our partners win more games.

It is our ultimate vision to create an unparalleled platform of sporting data and insights, through best-in-class technology, products and partnerships.

We believe in a flexible, energetic, enjoyable working environment where we band together as teammates to do great things. We are committed to creating a diverse environment, working in a collaborative, team-centric environment.

Qualifications

If these sound like things that you have, you are well on your way to making an impact at SIS:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Minimum of 4 years applicable experience
• Familiarity with contemporary baseball/sports analytics, including first-hand research experience
• Analytical/Mathematical ability
• Substantive experience with MySQL, SQL Server, or similar databases
• Familiarity with R, Python, or another scripting language

Nice to have, but not required qualifications

These skills will set you apart:

• Experience implementing Machine Learning algorithms
• Proficiency working in Microsoft Office programs (or equivalents), especially Excel
• An ability to write and communicate effectively with a variety of audiences
• An ability to work both collaboratively and independently

EEO commitment

SIS provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, veteran status, military status, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. In addition to federal law requirements, SIS complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location where the company operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Abilities required

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the job.

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, including intensive computer usage.

Additional info

Sponsorship is not available for this position. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Sports Info Solutions uses E-Verify and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by Sports Info Solutions.

Updated 2022 Draft Rankings are now available on The Board. I have 125 players ranked right now, with a few names to know below them, and I may add a few more over the course of the next couple of days (if you see weird ages or tool grades or what have you, it’s because I’m pecking away behind the scenes).

A couple of things to keep in mind as you peruse the updated rankings. Scouting reports on each player can be viewed by clicking the clipboard. Each player with a 50 FV grade or above has also been given an approximate Top 100 ranking, which is within a couple spots of where they’ll rank once the draft class migrates to the pro side of The Board.

A reminder as you look at the draft prospects’ tool grades that I standardize present hit and game power evaluations. Teenage hitters either have a 20 or 25 present hit tool grade, where 25 is meant to indicate that they are advanced, and a 20 is meant to indicate that this skill is either neutral or raw. This extends to college-aged hitters, except with 30 and 35. I don’t think you can watch a high school hitter and have a real idea of how he’d hit if he were dropped in the big leagues tomorrow; consider this tact to be more informative. You can sort The Board by present and future grades to see which individuals I think will separate themselves down the line. I take this approach on the pro side of The Board and only put present hit tool and game power grades on hitters who’ve reached Double-A (this helps with sorting since players near the big leagues float to the top when you sort by a present grade), but that doesn’t apply to anyone in the draft.

I’ve begun to take a similar approach with defense. Present 40 grades indicate up-the-middle defensive projection (players I think can be special defenders will get a 45), corner projections will be in the 30s, and players where there’s risk that their defense bottoms out entirely will have a present 20. Again, sorting by the future grade will show where the real gaps in projection are. Also, the draft is the realm where the physical attributes tab is a much more important part of the player assessment.

I’ll have a mock draft up this weekend, then will live chat during the draft here at the site, where I’ll be Woj’ing picks as usual.

Position: Senior Software Engineer

Location: Citi Field – Queens, New York

Job Description:
The New York Mets are seeking a Senior Software Engineer in their Baseball Systems department. This individual will help architect and guide the Systems group in the building of mobile and web applications to enrich the Mets data ecosystem and inform decision-making within Baseball Operations. This position requires a strong background in mobile and web development. The ideal candidate would use lessons from personal experience to build scalable baseball solutions, mentor team members in software best practices, and architect new capabilities within Baseball Operations at the Mets. We are looking for strong engineering generalists who are excited to work on greenfield software projects and design scalable systems. This is a senior IC role that will be expected to mentor, write code part-time, and weigh-in heavily on technical designs and implementation details of solutions.

Prior experience in or knowledge of baseball is a plus but is not required.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Maintain and scale a broad collection of internal applications that enhance player development, scouting, and executive decision making
• Lead weekly software sprint meetings and retrospectives
• Partner with leadership and our design lead in building out the ongoing product roadmap
• Manage the technical on-call rotation and code review practices
• Communicate broadly with the greater Technology group at the Mets around status, technical needs, and blockers
• Develop exciting user-facing applications by designing, building, and deploying reliable, readable code for platforms within Baseball Operations
• Collaborate with a variety of engineers and internal stakeholders to validate designs and facilitate clean rollouts and deployments of new products
• Lend expertise to technical decision-making around the choices of technologies, platforms, and third-party partners
• Architect and oversee the rollout of backend APIs to facilitate scalable flow of baseball data
• Integrate with a variety of third-party APIs to enrich the New York Mets data ecosystem
• Work with data engineers to facilitate the easy collection and access of valuable baseball data
• Own green field projects with a high degree of technical control that extend the capabilities of the New York Met Baseball Operations organization

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field
• 6+ years of relevant work experience
• Management experience preferred
• Strong proficiency in Javascript, including experience working with Node.js and React
• Experience building scalable system within cloud platforms, e.g. GCP, AWS
• Experience reviewing code and developing test suites for scalable technological systems
• Experience working with MySQL and other relational databases
• Experience with different API frameworks, including REST and GraphQL
• Familiarity with modern agile practices and development tools
• Ability to work collaboratively with designers, analysts, and other engineers
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Prior experience in baseball or biomechanics analysis is a plus
• Prior experience in mobile development (Objective-C, Java) is a plus

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

Position: Technical Product Manager

Location: Citi Field – Queens, New York

Job Description:
The New York Mets are seeking a Technical Product Manager for Baseball Systems. This person will work with leadership to help prioritize, spec, and roll out technical work on software projects for Baseball Operations at the New York Mets. This position requires a technically-minded product expert to help guide the work the Mets do internally to generate sustainable on-field success. The ideal candidate would be detail-oriented, communicate clearly and efficiently, and have a strong grasp of modern design and development practices. Prior experience in or knowledge of baseball is a plus but is not required.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Interface with cross-functional stakeholders to gather requirements, and work with baseball systems team to define, evaluate, and prioritize program scope and implementation plans.
• Develop and manage end-to-end project plans and ensure on-time delivery.
• Provide hands-on program management during analysis, design, development, testing, release, and post-release phases.
• Communicate roadmaps/plans to stakeholders, providing transparency into delivery schedule
• Identify key metrics/measures that will be used to evaluate success and validate the impact of Baseball Systems and our products.
• Drive internal process improvements that translate to measurable on-field success
• Contribute to overall Baseball Systems strategy by generating product plans and crafting parts of the product roadmap
• Evangelize products internally and help collect feedback post-launch

Qualifications:

• 1-3 years of relevant work experience in technical product management, development, and planning
• Comfort with leading technical discussions from ambiguity to clearly defined action items.
• Ability to work cooperatively with others, and to take control of large-scale projects
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Detail-oriented and familiar with modern project-planning tools
• Prior experience in software development, namely GCP, React, Node experience is a plus
• Prior experience in baseball is a plus
• Any level of fluency in Spanish would be a plus

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the New York Mets.

Position: Manager, On-Field Strategy

Location: New York, NY

Major League Baseball is looking to hire a Manager, On-Field Strategy in the Baseball Operations Department. The position is full-time and is based in New York City.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide analytical and administrative support to the On-Field and Competition Committees
• Analyze trends in gameplay and strategy
• Evaluate the effectiveness of experimental playing rules and the impact of new technologies and other on-field initiatives
• Collaborate with departments across the Commissioner’s Office to provide support for day-to-day operations and relevant projects
• Other projects as assigned by the On-Field Strategy department

Desired Skills:

• Demonstrated interest in baseball and baseball-related analysis
• Detail oriented with very strong quantitative background, including experience working with large data sets and leading complex analysis
• Experience with SQL–or other relational database platforms–and statistical modeling software (R, STATA, Python, etc.)
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to manage relationships in a fast-paced business environment

Experience:

• Undergraduate degree with strong academic performance, including significant quantitative coursework
• Several years of work experience in data science, finance, or other quantitative field

To Apply:
Please visit this site and complete the LinkedIn application.

Position: Coordinator, Baseball Economics

Location: New York, NY

Major League Baseball is looking to hire a Coordinator, Baseball Economics in the Baseball Operations Department. The position is full-time and is based in New York City.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Complete valuation analysis of player contracts and other analysis related to baseball labor markets
• Assist with the administration of Major League player payroll accounting for Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) and Labor Relations Department (LRD) purposes
• Provide analytical and administrative support to Clubs in negotiations and hearings with salary arbitration-eligible players
• Collaborate with internal Baseball Operations department staff, as well as other departments throughout the Commissioner’s Office, to provide support for day-to-day operations and relevant projects
• Serve as liaison to Commissioner’s Office baseball operations IT systems, ensuring data accuracy across baseball applications, and assisting with departmental IT strategy
• Other projects as assigned by the Baseball Economics department

Desired Skills:

• Demonstrated interest in baseball and baseball-related analysis
• Detail oriented with very strong quantitative background, including experience working with large data sets and leading complex analysis
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience with SQL–or other relational database platforms–and statistical modeling software (R, STATA, Python, etc.)
• Very strong written and oral communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to manage relationships in a fast-paced business environment

Experience:

• Undergraduate degree with strong academic performance, including significant quantitative coursework

To Apply:
Please visit this site and complete the LinkedIn application.

Position: Fellow, Baseball Operations

Location: New York, NY

Major League Baseball is looking to hire a Fellow in the Baseball Operations Department from any discipline or background as long as the individual has the curiosity, open-mindedness, and perseverance to take on new challenges. This position is open to people of color, female candidates and those who identify as non-binary. The position is full-time and is based in New York City. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide support for Minor League player transaction and contract administration and serve as a point-of-contact for Club player development staffs on these topics
• Assist in coordinating MLB’s affiliated minor league system and Partner Leagues, including related on- and off-field initiatives
• Provide support with central office administrative duties for Major League player transactions, waivers and roster management, including assisting Club baseball operations staff with the interpretation of Major League Rules, Major League Regulations and the Basic Agreement
• Review and approve Major and Minor League transactions leading up to game-time throughout the season and disseminate waiver bulletins during the season
• Stay abreast of player development and Minor League operations trends occurring throughout the league with a focus on enhancing and improving the broader player development system
• Work with MLB baseball IT systems group and outside software consultants to ensure and enhance data accuracy and system functionality across relevant baseball applications
• Other projects as assigned by the Baseball Operations department

Desired Skills:

• Demonstrated interest in baseball and baseball-related analysis
• Familiarity with transactions, Major League Rules, the Basic Agreement and Major League Club operations regarding the minor leagues is a plus
• Strong administrative, organizational and communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to manage relationships in a fast-paced business environment
• Must possess highly proficient skills in the use of Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Power Point)

Experience:

• Undergraduate degree with strong academic performance

To Apply:
Please visit this site to complete the application – www.mlb.com/fellowship

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by Major League Baseball.

In the bottom of the 10th inning of last night’s Guardians/Rockies game, Charlie Blackmon made a bad read. No, not this one:

That wasn’t the greatest baserunning decision ever – if Andrés Giménez had snared that ball, Blackmon would have been stuck at second – but you can at least understand his hesitation. The ball was still in the air nearly the whole way there, a double play would be disastrous, and hey, if it gets through Giménez, a runner on third with no one out almost always scores, right?

Right? Wrong:

This was a series of tough decisions that went awry, and since I love bad baserunning, I had to break it down.

Let’s start with the first step. I can’t tell whether the Rockies had the contact play on, forcing Blackmon to head home with the crack of the bat and re-evaluate based on the ball’s path. He was hardly blazing headlong down the line at first contact:

Read the rest of this entry »