While the Astros had to fight off the Rays in Game 5 on Thursday, the Yankees have been waiting around since Monday after finishing off a sweep of the Twins. This well-rested roster also gets back center fielder Aaron Hicks, who has been on the Injured List since early August, and CC Sabathia, who will be available out of the bullpen after being left off of the Division Series roster. Luke Voit and Tyler Wade are the odd men out.

Here’s how every member of the Yankees’ 2019 ALCS roster was originally acquired. The team’s full RosterResource Depth Chart and Payroll pages are also available as a resource.

Homegrown (5)

• Brett Gardner, OF: Drafted Third Round 2005
• Austin Romine, C: Drafted Second Round 2007
• Gary Sánchez, C: Amateur Free Agent (Dominican Republic) July 2009
• Luis Severino, SP: Amateur Free Agent (Dominican Republic) December 2011
• Aaron Judge, OF: Drafted First Round (32) 2013

Total WAR: 11.9 Read the rest of this entry »

The last time the Cardinals were in the NLCS five years ago, they were only a minor roadblock for Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants. On his way to a World Series MVP, Bumgarner pitched 15.2 of 45 innings in the series, which the Giants won in five games. The Cardinals, who will stick with the same 25-man roster that defeated the Braves in five games, could have as difficult a challenge, if not more, with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg possibly in line for 20-30 innings of work during the upcoming series.

Here’s how every member of the Cardinals’ 2019 NLCS roster was originally acquired. The team’s full RosterResource Depth Chart and Payroll pages are also available as a resource.

Homegrown (12)

• Yadier Molina, C: Drafted Fourth Round 2000
• Matt Carpenter, 3B: Drafted 13th Round 2009
• Carlos Martinez, RP: Amateur Free Agent (Dominican Republic) April 2010
• Kolten Wong, 2B: Drafted First Round (22) 2011
• Jack Flaherty, SP: Drafted First Round (34) 2014
• Daniel Ponce de Leon, RP: Drafted Ninth Round 2014
• Harrison Bader, CF: Drafted Third Round 2015
• Paul DeJong, SS: Drafted Fourth Round 2015
• Ryan Helsley, RP: Drafted Fifth Round 2015
• Dakota Hudson, SP: Drafted First Round (34) 2016
• Tommy Edman, INF/OF: Drafted Sixth Round 2016
• Randy Arozarena, OF: Amateur Free Agent (Cuba) July 2016

Total WAR: 23.0 Read the rest of this entry »

After four division series losses in seven years, the Nationals finally advanced to the championship series with a dramatic Game 5 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday. They’ll face off against the Cardinals with mostly the same roster, although they’ll be without closer Daniel Hudson for at least one game — he has been placed on the paternity list — while Victor Robles and Kurt Suzuki are active but out of the Game 1 starting lineup due to injuries. Roenis Elias, who hasn’t pitched since September 5 due to a hamstring injury, and Javy Guerra have been added to the roster. Hunter Strickland did not make the cut.

Here’s how every member of the Nationals’ 2019 NLCS roster was originally acquired. The team’s full RosterResource Depth Chart and Payroll pages are also available as a resource.

Homegrown (8)

• Ryan Zimmerman, 1B: Drafted First Round (4) 2005
• Stephen Strasburg, SP: Drafted First Round (1) 2009
• Michael A. Taylor, OF: Drafted Sixth Round 2009
• Wander Suero, RP: Amateur Free Agent (Dominican Republic) February 2010
• Anthony Rendon, 3B: Drafted First Round (6) 2011
• Austin Voth, RP: Drafted Fifth Round 2013
• Victor Robles, OF: Amateur Free Agent (Dominican Republic) July 2013
• Juan Soto, OF: Amateur Free Agent (Dominican Republic) July 2015

Total WAR: 22.6 Read the rest of this entry »

Please note this posting contains multiple positions.

Position: Quantitative Analyst

Department: Baseball Research & Development
Status: Full-Time
Reports to: Director, Quantitative Analysis
Deadline: November 8, 2019

Description:
The Baseball Analytics team of the Los Angeles Dodgers is responsible for developing novel statistical methodology to support decision-making throughout Dodgers baseball operations. They are seeking to hire a Quantitative Analyst to join the team. As a member of the team, you will collaborate with experts (from statistics, computer science, biomechanics and other disciplines) who will challenge you to bring scientific rigor to your research. This position offers the opportunity to solve challenging problems in data science and ultimately see the impact of your work on the field.

Job Functions:

• Develop and implement novel mathematical models to answer research questions in player evaluation, player development and in-game strategy
• Productionize and maintain data science projects relied upon by the rest of the organization to support their decision-making processes
• Collaborate with team members to provide technical advice, learn from their expertise and integrate data science projects with each other
• Perform ad hoc data analyses to answer urgent questions from front office leadership and other groups within baseball operations
• Prepare presentations and reports to disseminate model results to the front office, as well as staff from coaching, scouting and player development
• Assist with and manage personnel-related manners, such as reviewing resumes, interviewing candidates and overseeing intern projects

Basic Requirements/Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in statistics, computer science, mathematics or any other STEM field related to data science
• Proficiency in R or Python
• Understanding of Git version control for code development
• Ability to communicative effectively in speech and in writing on a technical and nontechnical level
• Experience applying one or more of the following modeling techniques (or similarly specialized techniques) to real-world data preferred:
• Advanced statistical models such as generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), spatial or time series models, or Bayesian hierarchical models
• Topics in machine learning (e.g. ensemble methods), artificial intelligence (e.g. reinforcement learning) or computer vision (e.g. pose estimation)
• Techniques from operations research such as optimization or simulation
• Experience with advanced data visualization libraries such as D3 or plotly preferred
• Experience maintaining a well-organized, well-documented code repository for productionizing a data science project preferred

To Apply:
To apply, visit https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/team/jobs.

Position: Quantitative Analysis Intern

Department: Baseball Research & Development
Status: Part-Time
Reports to: Director, Quantitative Analysis
Deadline: November 8, 2019

Description:
The Baseball Analytics team of the Los Angeles Dodgers is responsible for developing novel statistical methodology to support decision-making throughout Dodgers baseball operations. They are seeking to hire a summer intern to join the team. The primary goal of our internship program is to identify and develop talented individuals who may be interested in joining the team full-time in the future.

Job Functions:

• Collaborate with the team to select one quantitative research project, and take that project from start to finish during the 12 weeks of the internship
• Meet front office staff, coaches, and scouts; and get exposure to various aspects of baseball operations

Basic Requirements/Qualifications:

• Pursing a degree in statistics, computer science, mathematics or any other STEM field related to data science
• Experience with R or Python
• Ability to communicative effectively in speech and in writing on a technical and nontechnical level
• Experience with advanced statistical models such as generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), spatial or time series models, or Bayesian hierarchical models preferred
• Experience with machine learning (e.g. ensemble methods), artificial intelligence (e.g. reinforcement learning) or computer vision (e.g. pose estimation) preferred
• Experience with operations research topics such as optimization or simulation preferred
• Experience with advanced data visualization libraries such as D3 or plotly preferred
• Experience maintaining a well-organized, well-documented code repository for productionizing a data science project preferred

To Apply:
To apply, visit https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/team/jobs.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Position: Amateur Scouting Video Coordinator

Location: TBD, United States

Please note: This position is based in the United States and the successful applicant must be legally entitled to work in the United States.

Primary Focus:
Assist the Director of Amateur Scouting and other amateur scouting staff members and front office with preparation for the MLB draft, particularly in the areas of video and technology. Collaborate with all members of the amateur scouting department with a focus on professional development and cultivating strong scouting abilities.

Scouting Responsibilities and Duties:

• Lead video and other data collection efforts by traveling to amateur and international events, maintaining constant communication with various Baseball Operations staff members for the purpose of collecting, editing and uploading prospect video.
• Write scouting reports on amateur, professional, and international players as directed, maintaining pref lists for current and/or future eligible players.
• Provide technical support to all scouting personnel as it relates to capturing, uploading and downloading video.
• Chart baseball games as required at special events – showcases, international workouts, etc.
• Assist scouts with other ad-hoc data collection requirements as needed
• Complete special projects as assigned by the Amateur Scouting and/or Baseball Operations leadership teams.
• Proactively seek out innovative methods to improve video organization, data collection, and other departmental processes.
• Attend regional and full-staff scouting meetings as required.
• Provide professional scouting coverage during the summer as assigned by the Pro Scouting Department.

Experience and Job Requirements:

• Strong interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals including members of the front office, scouts, players and coaches.
• Ability to operate a video camera and navigate through iOS and Windows operating systems.
• Deep passion for baseball with a willingness to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.
• Willing to travel frequently and for extended periods of time as dictated by the baseball calendar.
• Baseball playing and/or scouting background is preferred, although not required.
• Previous experience with video cameras and video editing software is preferred.
• Previous experience with high-speed video technology, portable radar technology, and other baseball data acquisition systems is preferred.
• Relocation within the Continental US may be required.
• A valid Driver’s license is required.
• Legally able to work in the United States.

To Apply:
Please complete the application that can be found here.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Yesterday, Jay Jaffe noted that starting pitching has been carrying a greater load in the playoffs this year than in the regular season and recent postseasons. One really good reason for that is the sheer number of very good starters in the playoffs this October. Take today’s games as an example. Jack Flaherty and Mike Foltynewicz will go head to head this afternoon, followed by Walker Buehler and Stephen Strasburg tonight.

Below, find a table with the NL pitching WAR leaders this season:

Three of this season’s top seven National League pitchers by WAR are set to start, and try to get their teams a series away from the NL pennant. It’s possible we see a few more of those pitchers throw in relief in tonight’s games, as well. Now, look at this table showing the NL pitching WAR leaders since August 6 when Mike Foltynewicz made his first start since returning from the minors:

We could very well see an offensive explosion today, but the scheduled starting pitchers are some of the best in the game this year, with Mike Foltynewicz joining the group over the last two months of the season. Elimination games are almost always exciting, and these ones are likely to feature great pitching to boot.

Justin Verlander has never started a game on short rest in the way we conventionally think about short rest starts. Back in 2011, Verlander started Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees, but the game was suspended after one inning; he then started Game 3 of that series on two days’ rest. In 2017, Verlander started Game 1 of the ALDS against Boston, pitching six innings and throwing 99 pitches. He followed that start up with 2.2 innings of relief pitching after three days’ rest. Neither appearance really fits what we might expect to see from Verlander today when he starts on three days’ rest after pitching seven shutout innings on Friday.

Even if we add a history of Verlander making starts on short rest, given the very small number of starts and the huge time gap between them, it wouldn’t be especially relevant. Similarly, that Dallas Keuchel just fared poorly on short rest against the Cardinals probably also doesn’t have much bearing on what Verlander manages. The same is true for other pitchers over the last dozen years. There just isn’t a great body of evidence to tell us what we might see over the course of one game. What we do know is that Verlander is pitching a day earlier than he normally would, and that probably has some effect on his body and arm.

For the sake of argument, let’s say that pitching on short rest makes Verlander slightly weaker as a pitcher. We don’t know this to be the case, but it is certainly possible. And we can make another assumption that Verlander being slightly weaker means that his fastball won’t be as hard as it would be typically. Verlander’s fastball averaged 94.6 mph this season and in his start on Friday, it averaged 94.5 mph. If we wanted to know how Verlander might pitch on short rest, we could look at starts where his average fastball velocity was something less than his season-long average. Read the rest of this entry »

Position: Baseball Systems Developer

Location: Atlanta, GA (Remote preferred)

Description:
The Baseball Systems Developer position emphasizes software and web development as it relates to the Baseball Operations department. The Developer’s main responsibilities will be to build and enhance proprietary applications for displaying baseball information and visualizations, maintaining existing information management systems, and developing additional productivity tools to aid in Baseball Operations decision making. Candidates must have proven experience with application and/or web development, with interest in baseball and sports analytics research as a strong plus. The position will report to Assistant General Manager, Research and Development.

Note: The candidate that fills this position will have the option to work remotely or in the Braves’ Atlanta offices. Remote is preferred.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain proprietary software used within the Baseball Operations department.
• Work with department stakeholders to develop, deploy and test applications within IT best practice parameters.
• Build relationships, communicate effectively, and gather feedback from Baseball Operations staff to build new platforms and improve existing systems.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• BA or BS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related technical field of study or equivalent work experience.
• 2+ years of software development experience in one or more programming languages: Java, .NET, Python, JavaScript, C#, C/C++.
• Experience with database technologies and SQL. Microsoft SQL Server experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with using version control such as git.
• Ability to learn new technologies, including new coding languages.
• Comfort with Agile software development methodology. Kanban or Scrumban experience a plus.
• Strong work ethic, initiative, and the ability to solve technical problems.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including some nights and weekends as dictated by the Major League season.
• Must complete a successful background check.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of current baseball statistics and analytics used in player evaluation a plus
• Experience with data visualization a plus.
• Solid fundamentals with HTML/CSS.
• Web development experience, especially with JavaScript (Node.js, Vue.js, React), or Python (Flask)
• Experience with big data techniques
• Familiarity with cloud developer tools
• iOS and/or Android app development.
• Demonstrated software development work product.

To Apply:
If you are interested, please email your resume and any other materials to bravesrdpositions@gmail.com.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Atlanta Braves.

Position: MLB Diversity Fellowship Program

Location: Various

Description:
This latest venture in Baseball’s efforts to competitively recruit the most talented individuals and brightest young minds entering the workforce will provide the opportunity for young, diverse professionals to experience front office positions that have been traditionally influential in baseball operations decisions. Fellows will have the opportunity to work in baseball operations and see the inner workings of a front office. Areas of baseball operations include player development, scouting, research and development, and beyond.

The MLB Diversity Fellowship Program will allow MLB to stay true to the ideals of equal opportunity while solidifying Major League Baseball as an organization of choice for all recent graduates, including people of color and women.

MLB’s Diversity Fellowship Program is a rewarding opportunity to start a career in baseball and be a part of growing a world class, global sports business. The 2020 Fellowship has two tracks: the Club Fellowship and the MLB Office of the Commissioner Fellowship.

MLB Club Fellowship Program

• Selected candidates in the Club Fellowship will be placed in one of our 30 Clubs in the United States or Canada for a minimum period of 18 months.
• The Fellows will not have the option to choose a Club or location, so, applicants should have flexibility to relocate for any of the assignments.
• During his or her tenure, Club Fellows will be appointed to an entry-level role in either the front office or baseball operations department.

MLB Office of the Commissioner Fellowship Program

• The selected candidate for the MLB Office of the Commissioner Fellowship will be placed in New York City for a minimum period of 18 months.
• The Fellow will rotate through MLB’s baseball operations and labor economics departments under the supervision of respective department heads.

While all disciplines are eligible to apply, MLB strongly encourages candidates with degrees or knowledge in economics, analytics, computer science, applied mathematics, law, and business to submit applications. The Fellowship will begin post-graduation (if applicable) on a mutually agreed upon date between the Office of the Commissioner and/or Club and the chosen fellow.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Open to people of color and female candidates.
• Candidates must be recent graduates (spring 2017 graduates to upcoming spring 2020 graduates) with either a bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or related advanced degree.
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• A passion for and knowledge of baseball is helpful but not required.
• Former professional baseball and softball players (including national team members) who have earned a degree(s) and do not meet the graduation date requirement but have ceased playing within the last two years will also be eligible.
• Exact locations are up to the discretion of Major League Baseball and participating Clubs.

To Apply:
To apply, please complete the application, which can be found here.

More information about the Fellowship program can be found here.

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

Position: Baseball Operations Analyst, Player Personnel

Department: Baseball Operations
Status: Regular Full-Time
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Position Summary:
The Arizona Diamondbacks are seeking an Analyst with a focus on Professional Player Personnel to join their Baseball Operations department. This position will work closely with Director and Executive levels of the front office on player evaluation both internally and externally in regards to potential trade and free agent targets. A model candidate will be able to leverage their analytical skills, a strong sense of creativity and their knowledge and passion for the game of baseball to provide innovative ideas throughout the Player Personnel decision making process.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Evaluation of players covering all 30 Major League organizations, the NPB, KBO, CPBL, MLB affiliated Caribbean leagues, and Independent Leagues.
• Create and maintain a systematic process for evaluating a large sample of players in a quick and efficient manner.
• Design and develop statistical models and tools that can be communicated effectively to a nontechnical audience.
• Generate ideas for player acquisitions, roster construction and contract decisions.
• Continuously explore interesting research questions in order to identify new trends in the game that will lead to competitive advantages.

Skills:

• Proficiency in SQL as well as either R or Python is strongly preferred.
• Experience with data visualization is a plus.
• Ability to communicate ideas and opinions to all members of Baseball Operations.
• Experience with roster decisions, evaluation of professional players, and the free agent market within other ML front offices is desirable.
• An expert-level understanding and appetite for the game of baseball.

To Apply:
Interested individuals should send a cover letter and resume to bbopsjob@dbacks.com.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Arizona Diamondbacks.