Contract Crowdsourcing 2022-23: Ballot 2 of 11

© Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Free agency begins five days after the end of the World Series. As in other recent seasons, FanGraphs is once again facilitating a contract crowdsourcing project, with the idea being to harness the wisdom of the crowd to better understand and project the 2022-23 free-agent market.

In recent years, we’ve added a few features to these ballots based on reader feedback. You now have the option to indicate that a player will only receive a minor-league contract, or won’t receive one at all. And new this year, if there is a player option, team option, or opt out in a player’s contract, you’ll be able to indicate whether you think he will remain with his current team or become a free agent. Numbers are prorated to full season where noted. The projected WAR figures are from the first cut of the 2023 Steamer600 projections.

Below are ballots for nine of this year’s free agents — in this case, a group of catchers and shortstops. Read the rest of this entry »


Jose Altuve and Jean Segura, Masters of the Infield Hit

Jean Segura
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Altuve takes off, running as fast as he can down the line. The throw is coming in faster, sailing toward the bag. You can tell it’s going to be a close call, and indeed it is. The umpire extends his arms, signaling safe, and the crowd erupts into either emphatic cheers or cacophonous boos, depending on whether this hypothetical call takes place in Houston or Philadelphia. The whole play lasts only a few short seconds, but it’s one of the most thrilling moments of the entire game.

What I am describing is an infield hit — one of the most overlooked plays in baseball. It’s not surprising that home runs, extra-base hits and the like get a little more attention, especially since infield hits are just as often the result of poor defense or a lucky bounce as they are the result of true offensive skill. Yet as individual plays, infield singles are exactly what make baseball so exciting. There are few batted ball events as highly suspenseful as those in which an infield hit is possible. Those four to five seconds between the contact and the call can get your heart racing nearly as fast as the runner himself. Infield hits represent a true battle between batter, fielder, and even the field itself. On top of that, the ever-present possibility of an infield single is exactly what makes every routine ground ball worth watching.

This year, we have the privilege of watching two of the very best infield hitters in the game face off in the World Series. Altuve and Jean Segura are the active leaders in infield hits, the former with 247 and the latter right behind him with 244. They both passed Elvis Andrus on the active leaderboard this season, who himself reached the top of the leaderboard when Hunter Pence retired in 2020. FanGraphs began tracking infield hits in 2002, and in that time Segura and Altuve each rank among the top ten. Both just 32 years old, they have plenty of time to climb the ranks, too. Within a few years, they should find themselves second and third behind only infield hit god Ichiro Suzuki. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to a moment to appreciate how they both got here. Read the rest of this entry »


Contract Crowdsourcing 2022-23: Ballot 1 of 11

© Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Free agency begins five days after the end of the World Series. As in other recent seasons, FanGraphs is once again facilitating a contract crowdsourcing project, with the idea being to harness the wisdom of the crowd to better understand and project the 2022-23 free-agent market.

In recent years, we’ve added a few features to these ballots based on reader feedback. You now have the option to indicate that a player will only receive a minor-league contract, or won’t receive one at all. And new this year, if there is a player option, team option, or opt out in a player’s contract, you’ll be able to indicate whether you think he will remain with his current team or become a free agent. Numbers are prorated to full season where noted. The projected WAR figures are from the first cut of the 2023 Steamer600 projections.

Below are ballots for eight of this year’s free agents — in this case, a group of infielders, some of whom occasionally see time in the outfield. Read the rest of this entry »


Reaching Back for a Little Something Extra

© Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Hello there! Here’s a graph.

Graph showing that run value declines as fastball velocity increases.

Were you not geared up for such a quick graph? Did I blow it right by you? That was kind of the point. The graph shows the run value of fastballs, bucketed in 1-mph increments. Over the past four seasons, for every 100 fastballs thrown, one tick of velocity has been worth roughly an eighth of a run. The lesson? Throw your fastballs fast.

I’ll stick to fastballs in this article, but I should mention that harder soft stuff is also associated with better outcomes, though the correlation is weaker and the effect is less dramatic. My number crunching indicates that over 100 breaking and offspeed pitches, an extra mile per hour is worth roughly 1/16 of a run. Read the rest of this entry »


More on Those Fabulous Postseason Starters

© Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Every October, I eagerly await the latest installment of Jay Jaffe’s series about the state of starting pitching in the playoffs (his look at relievers is also a highlight). Last year, that waiting was almost rubbernecking; I wanted to see how absurdly short the postseason starts had gotten, and I wasn’t disappointed – thanks, opener Corey Knebel. This year, I was excited to see a rebound because I’m a sucker for playoff pitching duels. Again, I wasn’t disappointed; as Jay noted, start length has exploded this year, to the highest mark since 2019 and second-highest since ’16.

That tracks perfectly with my experience of this year’s slate of games. Sure, there were some games like the deciding Padres/Phillies clash where neither starter escaped the first inning, but for the first time in ages, aces pitching into the seventh has felt more like the rule than the exception this year. Yu Darvish totaled 25 innings across four starts. Zack Wheeler has amassed 25.1 innings in four starts, and he’s coming back for more. Framber Valdez and Joe Musgrove have each averaged more than six innings per start. Six is the new seven; in modern baseball, these qualify as workhorse performances.

You should read Jay’s article if you haven’t already. It’s one of my favorite recurring features — it’s that and my postseason managerial report cards, except with Jay’s series, I get the great pleasure of reading instead of having to pore over every game log countless times myself. When you’re done reading Jay, though, I have a treat: I got my hands on a database of postseason game logs, which means I can do some fun permutations and take a closer look at this season’s postseason starters. Read the rest of this entry »


FanGraphs Audio: Tyler Kepner Talks World Series, Justyn-Henry Malloy Calls From AFL

Episode 998

Just in time for the World Series, we welcome back an author who recently wrote a book on the subject before talking to a prospect in the Arizona Fall League.

  • To start the show, Jay Jaffe welcomes Tyler Kepner, baseball writer at The New York Times and author of The Grandest Stage: A History of the World Series, back to the show. The pair discuss what inspired the book, the hundreds of interviews that went into it, and how Tyler has been preparing to write it his whole life. We hear about picking MVPs for the Fall Classic before they started officially doing so in 1955, and Jay’s fond memories of the 1988 championship. The duo also talk about how un-fun it is to cover Yankees eliminations, how players handle pressure on the game’s biggest stage, and what they are looking forward to in the Astros/Phillies World Series. [3:26]
  • After that, David Laurila welcomes Justyn-Henry Malloy, a prospect in the Braves system whose excellent 2022 campaign has culminated in playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the AFL. We hear what a day in the life of a Fall League player is like, and how much fun it has been to play with players like Cade Bunnell, Cal Conley, Heston Kjerstad, and Vaughn Grissom. Malloy also tells us about how he strives for consistency as a hitter while aiming to command the zone, as well as his adventures in battling the Arizona sun while playing the outfield. [33:21]

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Audio after the jump. (Approximate 55 minute play time.)


Job Posting: New York Mets – Director, Performance Technology

Director, Performance Technology

Location: Citi Field – Queens, New York
Status: Full time

Summary:
The New York Mets are seeking a Director, Performance Technology to lead the team responsible for driving the Baseball Operations Department’s use of technology to improve decision making and outcomes across player performance and health, player evaluation, and player development. The Performance Technology Director will oversee the sports science and biomechanics functions within Baseball Operations and will work closely with personnel in Baseball Analytics, Baseball Systems, Data Engineering, and High Performance on the development of models, tools, interfaces, and programming necessary to generate and present insights to players and staff in a highly actionable format. The Performance Technology Director will also collaborate with leaders across all functions within Baseball Operations to successfully develop and implement value-adding technology solutions within those areas. The ideal candidate has worked in a senior sports science or biomechanics role working with elite athletes and possesses extensive experience in evaluating, developing, and implementing technology solutions in that space.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Partner with senior leadership to shape the roadmap for the Performance Technology Department and own its execution
  • Oversee the construction and operation of performance labs at the Mets’ Florida complex and at Citi Field
  • Hire and manage a team that will operate lab environments and conduct data capture and research
  • Oversee the department’s efforts in sports science and biomechanics, optimizing athlete performance and availability through technology and research-driven methods
  • Work with analysts and engineers on the development of models, tools, and software designed to generate actionable insights and convey them effectively to players and staff  
  • Work closely with leadership across Baseball Operations to improve systems and processes by identifying problems and developing and implementing technology-driven solutions
  • Ensure the organization has a high awareness of the performance technology landscape and, through a strong process for vetting and testing technology, that it is well-positioned to be an early adopter of high-value technology
  • Manage the department’s budget and make investment recommendations to senior leadership
  • Collaborate with Point72’s Technology Innovation team on the identification and evaluation of emerging technologies with potential applications to baseball
  • Contribute to and help foster a culture of innovation throughout all of Baseball Operations

Qualifications:

  • PhD in Biomechanics, Biomedical Engineering, Kinesiology or other related disciplines or equivalent experience
  • Experience leading and managing a team
  • Experience working with athletes in an elite athletic environment (baseball-specific experience is a plus)
  • 8+ years relevant professional experience
  • Deep knowledge of the performance technology space, including, but not limited to, marker-based and marker less motion capture, wearables, and sensors
  • Experience with research design and conducting scientific research
  • Ability to work cooperatively with others, and to take control of large-scale projects with little or no daily oversight
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience with front-end development and product management is a plus
  • Proficiency in R, Python, or other statistical computing languages is a plus
  • Experience with algorithm development and AI/ML and computer vision-based solutions is a plus
  • Experience working for a technology company on technology for athletic performance 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.

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


Job Posting: Cincinnati Reds – International Scouting Analyst

International Scouting Analyst

Job Title: International Scouting Analyst
Department: Baseball Operations – International Scouting
Reports To: Assistant Director, Player Development & International Scouting
FLSA: Salary, Exempt

Job Purpose:
To support the International Scouting Department through statistical research and analysis,
video and data capture, scouting coverage, statistical research and analysis, and administrative duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Develop and integrate new tools and technology to improve decision-making processes.
  • Advanced statistical analysis of players.
  • Coordinate data intake from multiple countries.
  • Operate various tracking technologies to evaluate players.
  • Introductory-level player evaluation, including scouting and writing reports on assignment.
  • Assist with video and high-frame rate video capture of pitchers and hitters.
  • Edit, trim, and combine video clips.
  • General administrative, logistical, and organizational support for International Scouting processes.
  • Complete necessary documents and administrative duties in a professional and thorough manner.
  • Coordinate efficient travel arrangements.
  • Complete expense reports in a timely and professional manner.
  • Full and complete knowledge of Major League Baseball rules and regulations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Strong work ethic and willingness to work long, flexible hours including weekends and holidays.
  • Advanced baseball knowledge from both a scouting and statistical perspective.
  • Ability to understand and interpret TrackMan and Rapsodo data.
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills.
  • Knowledge of statistical analysis and/or predictive modeling.
  • Demonstrated experience with database querying (SQL) and statistical software (e.g. R, Python).
  • Understanding of typical baseball data structures and knowledge of current baseball research, statistics and strategy.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with all aspects of Baseball Operations, Scouting, and Player Development.
  • Independent judgment and ability to multitask is required to plan, prioritize, and organize diversified workload.
  • Ability to work as part of a team.

Experience, Education and Licensure

  • Bachelor’s degree preferred.
  • Experience playing and/or working in college and/or professional baseball/softball preferred.
  • Basic understanding of video management, storage and backup preferred.

Requirements:

  • Spoken and written fluency in English. 
  • Spanish fluency preferred.
  • Ability and willingness to travel within and out of the United States for extended periods of time and occasionally on short notice.
  • Willing to relocate within the United States if necessary to meet the needs of the organization.

Expectations:

  • Adhere to Cincinnati Reds Organization Policies and Procedures.
  • Act as a role model within and outside the Cincinnati Reds Organization.
  • Perform duties as workload necessitates.
  • Demonstrate flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
  • Meet department productivity standards.
  • Willingness to learn. Open to new methodologies. 

Equal Opportunity Statement:
The Cincinnati Reds are an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the Cincinnati Reds to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion or creed, sex, age, military or veteran status, disability, citizenship status, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law.

Disclaimer:
The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. The above description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Additional duties, as assigned, may become part of the job function. The duties listed above is, therefore, a partial representation not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Cincinnati Reds.


Job Posting: Texas Rangers – Intern, Baseball Operations

Intern, Baseball Operations

Location: Arlington, TX

Summary:
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.

The Texas Rangers Baseball Club is seeking interns for next season including a number of roles beginning in January or May.

Responsibilities would include but not limited to:

  • Assist in maintaining database and querying reports, including but not limited to data entry, data quality assurance, database queries, and other administrative tasks as necessary.
  • Assist Major League Operations Department in Arbitration preparation and maintaining payroll outlooks.
  • Aid in the development of tools, outputs, and presentations that both inform and help shape execution strategy for key transactional processes, including but not limited to Free Agent Signings, Trade Acquisitions, Waiver Claims, and the Rule 4 Amateur Draft and the Rule 5 Draft.
  • Conduct general baseball research and look-back analyses pertaining to industry trends, league economics, and various innovative topics within the baseball operations landscape.
  • Area of interest project to be worked on throughout year.
  • Participate in educational program that exposes individual to multiple departments within Baseball Operations along with tasks associated with said departments.
  • Assist with daily administrative tasks within multiple departments of Baseball Operations.
  • Prepare information and logistics for meetings and assist with administrative and research projects.
  • Operate various technology during home games.
  • Assist in logistical needs related to Amateur Draft, Trade Deadline, and rehab/transactional moves as needed.
  • Exposure to all areas of Baseball Operations.
  • All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

  • Ability to multitask in stressful situations.
  • Ability to relocate to Dallas-Fort Worth area.
  • Availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
  • Completed or currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree.
  • Demonstrated passion for baseball.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to develop and maintain relationships.
  • Familiarity with advanced baseball statistics.
  • Growth oriented, desire to learn.
  • Must possess highly proficient skills in the use of Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Power Point).
  • Strong administrative, organizational and communication skills.
  • Strong attention to detail. Meticulously completes work assignments thoroughly and in an accurate, and prompt way.
  • Experience in SQL, R, Python, Tableau is a plus.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the job.

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


Effectively Wild Episode 1922: Fall Classic, Fall Ball

EWFI
Ben Lindbergh, Meg Rowley, and FanGraphs lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen banter about Ben’s latest ex-player Facebook friend recommendations and an MLB bourbon sponsorship, discuss (9:27) David Stearns stepping down from the Brewers’ top job, Adam Wainwright returning to the Cardinals, and Aaron Boone remaining the manager of the Yankees, and then (26:53) preview a few important factors to watch in the World Series, followed by a question (45:14) about Aaron Judge and scouting tall players, an explanation of how the Astros built and have maintained their player-development advantage (53:34), Eric’s insights (1:02:49) into impressive prospects in the Arizona Fall League (such as Rockies speeder Zac Veen), thoughts on Oswald Peraza, Anthony Volpe, and the Yankees’ infield of the future (1:25:50), and a preview (1:29:28) of what to watch in international and winter ball (including the top MLB prospects in NPB and the KBO), plus addenda (1:35:11) and a Past Blast from 1922.

Audio intro: The Fratellis, “Boy Scout to the End
Audio outro: Ray Davies, “After the Fall

Link to Evan Williams contest
Link to Jim Beam ad
Link to sponsorship growth story
Link to MLBTR on Stearns
Link to Wainwright signing news
Link to Baumann on Wainwright
Link to news about Boone
Link to news about Boone and Cashman
Link to Jeter video
Link to Michael Kay’s Lincoln comp
Link to info on Kay’s diet
Link to older post on Kay’s diet
Link to Ben on player height increase
Link to MLB.com on team makeup
Link to Ben Clemens WS preview
Link to FG post on Astros lefties
Link to FG post on pitching to Harper
Link to Silver Slugger finalists
Link to AFL stats
Link to AFL prospects on The Board
Link to Veen play
Link to Russell on winter ball
Link to Ben on Murakami
Link to info on LIDOM on MLB.TV
Link to EW emails database
Link to research about alternate titles
Link to 1922 story source
Link to SABR on the Supreme Court
Link to SABR on the MLBPA
Link to update on antitrust case
Link to tweet about minor league CBA
Link to Jacob Pomrenke’s website
Link to Jacob Pomrenke on Twitter

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