Please note, this posting contains multiple positions. All positions are paid.

Position: Baseball Operations Internship

Description:
The Los Angeles Angels Baseball Operations department is seeking passionate individuals to join their team for the 2020 season. Applicants can come from any discipline or background, as long as you have the curiosity, open-mindedness, and perseverance to take on difficult problems.

As a Baseball Operations Intern, you will be fully immersed in their department, and given the resources to learn, grow, and develop over the course of the season. The Angels’ goal is to find people with the necessary skills and traits to become long-term members of the department.

Examples of things you will do during the internship:

• Contribute to the ML advance scouting process
• Assist with preparation for the 2020 MLB Draft
• Develop visualizations and other mechanisms for communicating information to Baseball Operations personnel
• Perform player evaluations, combining statistics, video, and other data sources
• Assist with special projects as assigned

You should have:

• Creativity, strong attention to detail, and a growth mindset
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work as part of a team on complex projects
• Willingness to both teach others and learn new techniques
• A flexible schedule with availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays

Physical Demands:

• Ability to sit for extended periods of time
• Ability to traverse office and stadium frequently
• Ability to work in inclement weather (when in stadium)

In addition to handling the essential functions of the Angels’ internship, the team desires counter-intuitive thinkers who will take initiative and explore new research opportunities. Previous interns have developed ideas that have changed the way the organization approaches important challenges and they hope you will bring the same mindset with you.

The Angels believe that diversity contributes to a more enriched collective perspective and a better decision-making process. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

To Apply:
Please provide (1) a current resume and (2) answer the following two questions in no more than 250 words each. These requirements are an integral part of your application. Incomplete applications may not be considered. Application deadline is 8:59 pm PST on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

1. Detail a project or experience that you have worked on that you are proud of. Do you have any takeaways from this experience that have helped prepare you for this role? The project or experience does not need to be baseball-related.

2. What is the area in which you feel you need the most improvement? What are some steps you could take to improve upon this weakness?

Applications should be completed through this link.

Position: Player Development Internship

The Los Angeles Angels Player Development department is seeking passionate individuals to join their team for the 2020 season. Applicants can come from any discipline or background as long as you have the curiosity, open-mindedness, and perseverance to take on difficult problems.

As a Player Development Intern, you will be fully immersed in their department, and given the resources to learn, grow, and develop over the course of the season. Our goal is to find people with the necessary skills and traits to become long-term members of the department. The internship is based out of the Angels Minor League Complex in Tempe, Arizona and begins in early January.

Examples of things you will do during the internship:

• Collaborate with Player Development personnel to create, organize, and develop tools to support processes and players throughout the year
• Develop visualizations and other mechanisms for communicating information to Player Development personnel and minor league players
• Perform player evaluations combining statistics, video, and other data sources
• Assist with special projects as assigned across Player Development and other areas of Baseball Operations (i.e. Amateur Draft, Trade Deadline)
• Contribute to day-to-day operations of the Player Development department

You should have:

• Interest in the latest trends and research in Player Development
• Creativity, strong attention to detail, and a growth mindset
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work as part of a team on complex projects
• Strong willingness to work with individuals from a variety of linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Enthusiasm to both teach others and learn new techniques
• A flexible schedule with availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays

Physical Demands:

• Ability to sit for extended periods of time
• Ability to traverse office and stadium frequently
• Ability to work in inclement weather (when in stadium)

In addition to handling the essential functions of their internship, the Angels desire counter-intuitive thinkers who will take initiative and explore new research opportunities. Previous interns have developed ideas that have changed the way the organization approaches important challenges and they hope you will bring the same mindset with you.

The Angels believe that diversity contributes to a more enriched collective perspective and a better decision-making process. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

To Apply:
Please provide (1) a current resume and (2) answer the following two questions in no more than 250 words each. These requirements are an integral part of your application. Incomplete applications may not be considered. Application deadline is 8:59 pm PST on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

1. Detail a project or experience that you have worked on that you are proud of. Do you have any takeaways from this experience that have helped prepare you for this role? The project or experience does not need to be baseball-related.

2. What is the area in which you feel you need the most improvement? What are some steps you could take to improve upon this weakness?

3. What is your level of fluency in English and Spanish?

Applications should be completed through this link.

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

This posting contains two positions. Please note instructions for applying for each position below.

Position: Professional Scouting Trainee

Reports to: Assistant Director; Professional Scouting

Position Overview: The Atlanta Braves Professional Scouting Department is seeking a trainee for the 2020 baseball season. This trainee position will interface with the Atlanta Braves front office as well as the be the main point of contact for the Professional Scouts.

Trainee Program Department Overview: This is an entry-level opportunity that will expose the individual to the many facets of not only the Professional Scouting Department but will provide a strong foundation to begin a career in professional baseball.

Major responsibilities:

• Daily updating of roster/magnet boards for all executives
• This will require knowledge of MLB’s eBis2 platform
• Ability to generate specific reports as requested by executives in a timely fashion
• Point person regarding visiting scout tickets
• Main person to oversee Braves scouts’ schedules
• Coordinate annual departmental meetings (travel, accommodation, meals, etc.)
• Produce/send daily player transaction emails to the professional scouting staff
• Attend/scout all home games
• Potential travel to affiliates nearby to scout the system
• First point of contact with the Pro Scouts

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Knowledge of current baseball statistics and analytics used in player evaluation
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills
• Intermediate knowledge of SQL Server
• Possess excellent critical thinking and time management skills
• Ability to work extensive hours as dictated by the Major League season schedule (including weekends and holidays throughout the season)
• Knowledge of and passion for professional baseball
• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time
• Must be able to move throughout all areas and levels of the ballpark
• Must be able to relocate to the Atlanta area
• Commitment from January 1 through December 15
• Must complete a successful background check

Preferred qualifications:

• Master’s degree
• Basic understanding of R
• Previous baseball playing experience

To Apply:
To apply for the Professional Scouting Trainee position, please submit resume/cover letter to proscouting@braves.com.

Position: Minor League Video & Information Intern

Reports to: Minor League Video Coordinator

Position Overview: The Minor League Video and Information Intern will provide a service to an Atlanta Braves affiliate through charting live baseball games and providing video and information to Braves coaches, coordinators, and front office members. This role manages all aspects of the assigned affiliate’s video and advance scouting operation and aims to provide an experience that prepares the ideal candidate for a future role in the baseball industry.

Responsibilities:

• Capture and chart video for each game of the full minor league schedule of an assigned affiliate (home games and team travel to road games, postseason included).
• Manage a network of cameras set up to collect high-quality video from multiple angles.
• Attach, edit, and upload video following each game daily.
• Support the coaching staff/players with ad-hoc video/technology requests as assigned.
• Participate in the affiliate’s advance scouting process and produce associated materials for the coaching staff.
• Attend a portion of the Braves’ Spring Training camp in Venice, FL to undergo training in video and advance information.
• Participate in periodic calls with the Baseball Operations group in Atlanta.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• An understanding and appreciation for diverse cultures and an ability to work effectively and relate well with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
• Self-motivated individual with high degree of responsibility including confidentiality, sense of urgency, and accountability.
• Proactive, organized, and detail-oriented person who can prioritize their workload and follow-through with minimal supervision.
• Flexibility and enthusiasm in attitude and approach.
• Willing to relocate to a Braves minor league affiliate from Mid-March through Mid-September.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including nights, weekends, and some holidays.
• The ability to safely lift and transport equipment weighing 25 lbs. or more.
• The ability to climb ladders and successfully place equipment from variable positions and heights.
• Bachelor’s degree
• Must complete a successful background check.

Preferred qualifications:

• Bilingual preferred
• Programming experience with SQL/R
• Playing experience at the collegiate/professional level
• This is a paid position that includes a housing stipend for the duration of the minor league season.

To Apply:
To apply for the Minor League Video & Information Intern position, please submit resume/cover letter to MLops@braves.com.

The Atlanta Braves are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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

Fresh from the unpleasant surprise department, the Washington National announced Sunday afternoon that Max Scherzer would be scratched from his Game 5 start. Scherzer has suffered neck pain in recent days and in the words of Nationals GM Mike Rizzo, is in “ungodly pain.” In for Game 5 is Joe Ross, whose only appearance so far this postseason was when he threw two shutout innings of relief in Washington’s Game 3 loss to Houston.

Considering that at times this postseason Scherzer has looked as if he would have to be dragged from the mound by a full SWAT team, I would imagine there’s not a great deal of hyperbole involved in the description of his pain. The Silver Hammer’s replacement, Joe Ross, fared well in 2019 when used as a starter, allowing a 3.02 ERA and 3.86 FIP in nine starts, all in the second half of the season. Ross, who once assisted shortstop Trea Turner in making the Wil Myers three-way trade look like a disaster for the non-Washington teams, has otherwise had his career waylaid by injuries.

The larger question, of course, is just what this means for Washington’s bottom-line playoff odds. Initially coming into Game 5, ZiPS projected the Astros to have a 61%-39% edge to win the series. But what scenario are we exactly projecting now? The answer depends on what actually happens with Scherzer’s injury, which is speculation at this point.

Ross’ start is essentially forced by the Nationals’ relief corps. Washington doesn’t have the arms to make a bonafide bullpen game a palatable scenario to the team, and with Austin Voth off the roster, they can’t start him without ruling another pitcher out due to injury. In any case, the Nats certainly don’t want to rule out Scherzer’s return unless they absolutely have to, and one would imagine the league looking very closely at the situation if Fernando Rodney or Tanner Rainey were to “suddenly” suffer injuries that necessitated them being replaced on the roster.

For the ZiPS World Series probabilities, I’m going with the happy scenario for now: Ross starts tonight, with Stephen Strasburg going in Game 6, and Scherzer left for a return in a possible Game 7. If you look at the probabilities right now, you’ll actually see the Nationals’ championship probability get a small bump to a 40%/60% deficit. ZiPS is a noted Aníbal Sánchez skeptic, and projects Ross as a minor improvement, by about two-tenths of a run per nine innings.

That, of course, doesn’t mean that this is welcome news for the Nationals, only that it’s beneficial in one very specific scenario, one the Nationals are far from guaranteed to see. To get an idea of the probabilities in some of the scenarios that are far uglier for the Nats, I re-ran the probabilities with a few of the possibilities, and condensed them into one pretty little chart!

Losing Scherzer for the rest of the World Series would be the worst-case scenario for the Nationals, but not one that dooms them. People tend to drastically overrate the dependability of a great starter’s excellence or a lousy starter’s ineptitude in an individual game. As terrific as Scherzer is, even in his best season, he was “only” worth 0.23 WAR per start, and was “just” 0.17 WAR better than the average pitcher. You want your best pitchers in the actual games, but even without Scherzer, who wins the series will come down to a lot more than his attendance.