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.

Please note, this posting contains multiple positions.

Position: Performance Science Associate (Seasonal)

Department: Baseball Operations
Location: Detroit, Michigan

Job Description:
The baseball performance associate will assist with the delivery of performance science solutions within Baseball Operations. This role will work closely Baseball Analytics, Player Development, Strength and Conditioning, and Coaching staffs in order to optimize performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist with implementation and maintenance of existing performance science initiatives across the organization, including data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Assist with the design, development, testing and support of new performance science initiatives.
• Work closely with the Director, Performance Science to develop and disseminate information from performance science initiatives.
• Effectively collaborate and communicate with player development, coaching, sports medicine, strength and conditioning and front office staff.
• Assist with data management, organization and integration into the organization’s athlete management system.
• Review research and technology updates relevant to baseball performance.
• Perform exploratory performance science research projects and analysis as directed.
• Assist with the maintenance, calibration and upkeep of performance science related equipment.
• Other duties as directed by Director, Performance Science

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree in exercise science, exercise physiology, sports science, kinesiology, biomechanics or similar field.
• Experience with the following technologies preferred: Force plates, accelerometers, motion capture, high speed video, GPS tracking.
• Experience using an athlete management system.
• The ideal candidate must have excellent computer skills. Coding or data visualization skills a plus.
• The ideal candidate must have excellent communication skills. Candidate must be able to convey complex sports science findings to relevant staffs.
• The ideal candidate must have excellent attention to detail.
• The ideal candidate must have excellent organizational skills.
• Previous experience working with professional athletes and coaches preferred.
• The ideal candidate must be willing to work longs hours, including days, nights, weekends and holidays.
• The candidate must be available full-time.
• Willing and able to relocate to the Lakeland, FL area or Detroit metro area.

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

Software Developer Associate (Seasonal)

Department: Baseball Operations
Location: Detroit, Michigan

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform general development and maintenance tasks for the upkeep of internally developed software products.
• Use modern software techniques and best practices in all parts of the software life cycle.
• Troubleshoot issues with existing Baseball Operations systems.
• Assist with development of new tools for improving data collection and processing.
• Complete ad-hoc database queries and analysis as directed.
• Provide support for important events such as the Rule 4 Draft, the trade deadline, contract negotiations and salary arbitration.
• Support Baseball Operations, Scouting and Player Development with ad hoc requests.
• Other duties as assigned by members of the Baseball Operations Department.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• The ideal candidate must be at least a college senior or recent graduate (within 6 months).
• Educational background in Computer Science or similar technical field of study.
• Familiarity with C# and/or Java in a web application context. Knowledge of Angular or similar front-end frameworks is a plus.
• Familiarity with SQL, database design principles, and relational data concepts.
• Experience with software development including requirements gathering, development, and testing is a plus.
• The ideal candidate must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• The ideal candidate must have excellent organizational skills.
• Highly motivated with excellent attention to detail.
• The ideal candidate must be available full-time.
• The ideal candidate must be available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as dictated by the baseball calendar.
• Willing and able to relocate to the Detroit metro area.

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

Position: Baseball Analytics Associate (Seasonal)

Department: Baseball Operations
Location: Detroit, Michigan

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist with importing, cleaning, and preparing of baseball datasets.
• Assist with the design, development, testing and support of proprietary data collection and decision-support systems.
• Design ad hoc SQL queries.
• Assist with statistical modeling of baseball data.
• Execute exploratory research and analysis as directed.
• Review public research on a regular basis.
• Provide support for important events such as the Rule 4 Draft, the trade deadline, contract negotiations and salary arbitration.
• Support Baseball Operations, Scouting and Player Development with ad hoc requests.
• Other duties as assigned by members of the Baseball Operations Department.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• The ideal candidate must be at least a college senior or recent graduate (within 6 months).
• Demonstrated familiarity with SQL querying and database design principles.
• Demonstrated knowledge of baseball-specific data, modern statistical techniques and sabermetric analysis.
• Familiarity with R/Python and/or other software applications/languages used for statistical calculations and graphical representations.
• Experience with software development, including requirements definition, design, development, testing, and implementation, a plus.
• Experience with ETL processes that integrate multiple data sources, a plus.
• The ideal candidate must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• The ideal candidate must have excellent organizational skills.
• Highly motivated with excellent attention to detail.
• The ideal candidate must be available full-time.
• The ideal candidate must be available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as dictated by the baseball calendar.
• Willing and able to relocate to the Detroit metro area.

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

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Detroit Tigers.

Please note, this posting contains multiple positions.

Position: Data Quality Engineer

Location: St. Louis

Summary of the background and skill set best suited to excel in this role:
The role of Data Quality Engineer will be to ensure data management (ETL) processes for the Cardinals’ testing and quality standards are met across existing and new data sources being ingested by the organization. This person will work closely with other members of the Baseball Development department to understand their data needs and incorporate them into the data management (ETL) processes. This role requires a detail-oriented mindset, analytical ability, an ability to work independently, and an interest in the game of baseball.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related technical field from an accredited college or university or equivalent work experience
• Candidates in school expecting to graduate Winter 2019 or Spring 2020 with work towards such degrees will also be considered
• Experience with end-to-end data testing and/or data analysis as well as knowledge of best practices and methodologies for data QA
• Demonstrated proficiency with SQL for creating/modifying queries
• Experience with JSON, CSV, XML and other data exchange formats
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Ability to work well in a fast-paced environment under deadlines in a changing environment
• Proven problem-solving skills and analytical ability

Preferred Qualifications:

• 1+ years of experience with software and/or data quality assurance
• Experience with Cloud data pipeline tooling and principles

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

Position: Data Engineer

Location: St. Louis

Summary of the background and skill set best suited to excel in this role:
The role of Data Engineer will be focused on supporting the data pipeline infrastructure that supplies the Baseball Development department with the data needed to make actionable insights in day-to-day operations. The person in this role will be responsible for maintaining the current data infrastructure and develop new innovative methods to deliver data to drive actionable business outcomes. This person should be detail oriented, analytically inclined, and have an interest in the game of baseball.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics or related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• Candidates in school expecting to graduate Winter 2019 or Spring 2020 with work towards such degrees will also be considered
• Experience with data processing software (such as Hadoop, Spark, Pig, Hive, Beam) and/or algorithms (MapReduce, Flume)
• Experience in writing software in one or more languages such as Python, Go, Java, C++ and/or JavaScript
• Demonstrated proficiency with SQL for creating/modifying queries
• Experience with JSON, CSV, XML and other data exchange formats
• Experience working with API endpoints (REST, oAuth2, CRUD, SOAP)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with data warehouses, including architecture and design of infrastructure components, ETL/ELT processes, reporting/analytic tools and environments
• Experience working with big data, information retrieval, data mining or machine learning
• Experience with Cloud data pipeline tooling and principles

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

Position: Analytics Engineer

Location: St. Louis

Summary of the background and skill set best suited to excel in this role:
The role of Analytics Engineer will be focused on supporting the analytics pipeline that supplies the Baseball Development department with the data tools and processes needed to make actionable insights in day-to-day operations. The person in this role will be responsible for facilitating the analytics team members with the necessary components in their data modeling processes. This person should be detail orientated, analytically inclined, and have an interest in the game of baseball.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics or related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• Candidates in school expecting to graduate Winter 2019 or Spring 2020 with work towards such degrees will also be considered
• Experience working with big data, information retrieval, data mining or machine learning
• Experience working in Python and/or R
• Experience working in SQL and/or NoSQL

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with data processing software (such as Hadoop, Spark, Pig, Hive, Beam) and/or algorithms (MapReduce, Flume)
• Experience in one or more modern machine learning languages, such as TensorFlow, Caffe/Caffe2, PyTorch, Keras, MXNet, Scikit-Learn
• Experience with Cloud data pipeline tooling and principles

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

Position: Senior Data Scientist

Location: St. Louis

Summary of the background and skill set best suited to excel in this role:
The role of Senior Data Scientist is to conduct quantitative research aimed at developing/enhancing predictive, machine learning, and other quantitative models to help the Cardinals organization gain insights as well as make actionable decisions related to all aspects of baseball operations.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS, MS, or PhD in an appropriate technology field (Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Math, Operations Research, etc.)
• 3-5+ years of experience with data science
• Expertise in R or Python
• Expertise in SQL
• Solid communication skills with demonstrated ability to explain complex technical issues to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Passion for baseball and strong intellectual curiosity

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficient in a modern machine learning framework such as TensorFlow, Caffe/Caffe2, PyTorch, Keras, MXNet, Scikit-Learn
• Published research demonstrating clearly defined methodologies and use of technical abilities

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

Position: Application Developer

Location: St. Louis

Summary of the background and skill set best suited to excel in this role:
The role of Application Developer is to design, implement and maintain analytics and technical systems (Frontend & Backend) in collaboration with the Baseball Development department. These applications will be used by Baseball Operations personnel and field staff. This person should be detail oriented, intellectually curious, and have an interest in the game of baseball.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent practical experience
• 1-3+ years of experience as a software engineer, developer, or equivalent technical experience
• Proficiency working with one or more of the following: JavaScript (including MVC frameworks such as AngularJS, Angular, React, or Vue.js), Java, Python, Go, CSS or HTML
• Proficiency developing, securing and consuming REST / JSON APIs using modern server-side or client frameworks (such as Node.js, GraphQL, Angular, etc.)
• Experience with SQL

Preferred Qualifications:

• iOS and/or Android Mobile App development
• Familiarity with NoSQL
• Experience with cloud developer tooling

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

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Forcing baseball writers to make predictions isn’t particularly nice. People tend to remember the bad picks more than the good ones, and a lot of flukiness can reveal itself in a short stretch of games. Still, I’m a scamp, so I asked my colleagues for their postseason winners. Thirty-two writers from across our family of blogs answered the call. Many of them proved to be Astros and Dodgers believers but some went in less well-worn directions. Below are the results by league and round, as well as each writer’s complete forecast. Happy playoffs!

National League

Wild Card and Divisional Series

Read the rest of this entry »

Before Opening Day, 32 staff writers and contributors from across our family of blogs made predictions about which teams would make the 2019 playoffs. I compiled the results, which can be found here. On March 19, 15 clubs had playoffs odds of 20% or better by our numbers; the Angels came close at 19.5%. When half the teams in the majors are seen as pre-season also-rans, it’s easy to fret that the next few months will be fairly ho-hum; that with so many divisions seemingly sewn up, the season might fail to deliver its share of thrills. Despite a few bold predictions (two brave souls forecast the Dodgers to miss the postseason entirely), many of our writers showed an unsurprising deference to the preseason projections. But just because the answers seemed obvious doesn’t mean we got everything right. As I’ve said in the past, affecting an air of clairvoyance is a rite of spring; realizing we’re a bunch of goofs is fall business. So before the playoffs begin this evening, let’s spend a moment reckoning with the fact that we’re bad at predicting things, or at least imperfect at it.

First though, we’ll pause to acknowledge those who got things the most right. No one predicted the postseason field in its entirety, but Eric Longenhagen, Paul Sporer, Eli Ben-Porat, and the Brothers Birchwood each anticipated eight of the final 10 teams. Eric, Paul, and the Birchwood Brothers got the American League field right but for Oakland; all three thought the Red Sox were destined for October baseball. And Eli was the closest in the National League; he correctly pegged the three division winners, and Washington as a Wild Card, though he thought the Nationals would be facing the Phillies in Philly.

Read the rest of this entry »

For your prognosticating convenience, we’ve created a new, live section of the playoff odds page to house the ZiPS projections for each game of the postseason. These projections are a supplement to the normal FanGraphs Playoff Odds. They are not a replacement for the existing ones, which combine ZiPS and Steamer. These projections are arrived at similarly to how ZiPS does the roster strength projections during the regular season, only with roster constructions that reflect the very different way players are used during the playoffs. Unlike the regular season model, ZiPS uses projected starters in order to make a more accurate, game-by-game projection; during the regular season, ZiPS uses the actual schedule, but without knowledge of which player will start each game.

To aid in modeling these probabilities, the full model of ZiPS is used, which includes updated split projections in order to (hopefully!) enhance the projections’ accuracy. There’s obviously a great deal of speculation as to who will start these games; these odds will be updated continually as we get closer to first pitch. Projections for the Division Series that will be played against the respective Wild Card winners will populate after the Wild Card games have concluded. For the moment, you’ll see their tabs grayed out. Read the rest of this entry »

Please note, this posting contains multiple positions.

Position: Economic Valuation Analyst

Department: Baseball Operations
Location: Baltimore, MD

Job Summary:
This position is responsible for developing creative and sophisticated analytical tools to support decision-making in Baseball Operations, with a focus on labor market economics and asset valuation. The employee will work closely with the professional scouting and analytics departments to inform strategic thinking.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Research economic issues pertaining to roster construction and player acquisition.
• Develop, test, and implement predictive models and quantitative tools.
• Assist with database management.
• Perform other duties and ad-hoc reports as assigned.

Desired Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Economics, Finance, Mathematics, Operations Research, Statistics, or a related field. Applicants with a non-traditional educational background and experience in financial modeling will be considered as well.
• Fluency in probability theory and financial mathematics, including an in-depth understanding of financial instruments and of pricing their associated risks.
• Experience with relational database systems and knowledge of SQL.
• Experience with predictive modeling using tools such as R or Python.
• Passion for baseball and understanding of sabermetrics.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate with staff members of all levels.
• Willingness to work non-traditional hours (nights, weekends, holidays).

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

Position: Scouting Analyst

Department: Professional Scouting
Location: Baltimore, MD

Job Summary:
This position will support the efforts of the Professional Scouting department by conducting extensive evaluations of professional players in the United States and abroad via multiple information sources & video analysis. The analyst will also work closely with the Research & Development department. The position is based out of Baltimore, Maryland

Primary Responsibilities:
Primary duties to include, but not limited to, the following:

• Compose scouting reports on professional players utilizing video, scouting information, and technology to enhance the club’s decision-making process.
• Build relationships with field scouts and members of the baseball community.
• Monitor activities, player performances, and roster dynamics of other organizations.
• Assist with database maintenance.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications:
Required:

• Ability to interpret data from multiple sources & convey findings to decision-makers.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, SQL, & SQL Databases preferred.
• Strong ability to self-motivate, self-organize, and multi-task.
• High level of attention to detail.
• Exceptional communication skills.
• Strong baseball knowledge.
• Ability to work long hours, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Desired:
At least 3 years’ experience from a variety of backgrounds, which can include: business, scouting, coaching, education, or other fields.

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

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Baltimore Orioles.