Dreaming of working for the white sox

[chw42]

I'm sure this would be the hard way, but...

 

If you're a math major or some really math-related major and knows a thing or two about statistics - look into baseball statistical analysis.

 

Start a blog, do some really good, ground-breaking research. Get noticed, you'll get hired by a team.

 

I was talking about this with qwerty, he told me there's 20 or so people getting picked up from the blogosphere by MLB teams.

 

It's a shot in the dark in a lot of ways, but if you have the background, you can give it a try.

[iamshack]

I'm sure this would be the hard way, but...

 

If you're a math major or some really math-related major and knows a thing or two about statistics - look into baseball statistical analysis.

 

Start a blog, do some really good, ground-breaking research. Get noticed, you'll get hired by a team.

 

I was talking about this with qwerty, he told me there's 20 or so people getting picked up from the blogosphere by MLB teams.

 

It's a shot in the dark in a lot of ways, but if you have the background, you can give it a try.

Yeah, it is...I was talking with Voros McCracken about 4 months ago and he was looking for work...so it can definitely be tough.

[chw42]

Yeah, it is...I was talking with Voros McCracken about 4 months ago and he was looking for work...so it can definitely be tough.

 

 

McCracken's probably one of the most influential sabermetricians of this past decade, too.

 

Even in this case, it's all about getting noticed and knowing the right people. McCracken and his theories became big because he got noticed by Rob Neyer. After he got famous, he did land a job with the Red Sox.

 

It seems like he's no longer doing much baseball research, he's trying to quantify soccer instead (hard to do).

Edited August 9, 2010 by chw42

[maggsmaggs]

McCracken's probably one of the most influential sabermetricians of this past decade, too.

 

Even in this case, it's all about getting noticed and knowing the right people. McCracken and his theories became big because he got noticed by Rob Neyer. After he got famous, he did land a job with the Red Sox.

 

It seems like he's no longer doing much baseball research, he's trying to quantify soccer instead (hard to do).

If you wanna get into baseball via the stat route, go to Harvard/Stanford/MIT/etc. and major in computer science, math or economics. Then get your masters degree from one of those schools, too. Even though it may seem like a small field, baseball statisticians are plentiful. Again, you gotta have the big-time degree on your hands unless your the exception to the rule like Bill James, and even for him it took what 30 years before a team hired him despite all sorts of groundbreaking stuff.

[Chisoxfn]

And just be aware there are very very few guys that make it. And if you can get an MBA from Harvard, know that you'll be turning down a 120K a year salary (or so, give or take another 30K) with bonus possibilities and options for a job that will pay you like 35-50K working for an MLB organization (Maybe less) just hoping you can prove yourself.

 

Quite frankly, it is a pretty moronic decision, but to each there own. And even than, that MBA from Harvard will probably pay you a hell of a lot more over your time than it would if you went, worked in baseball, and even made it to be a GM.

[Felix]

And just be aware there are very very few guys that make it. And if you can get an MBA from Harvard, know that you'll be turning down a 120K a year salary (or so, give or take another 30K) with bonus possibilities and options for a job that will pay you like 35-50K working for an MLB organization (Maybe less) just hoping you can prove yourself.

 

Quite frankly, it is a pretty moronic decision, but to each there own. And even than, that MBA from Harvard will probably pay you a hell of a lot more over your time than it would if you went, worked in baseball, and even made it to be a GM.

I get what you're saying, but money isn't everything. If it were, I certainly wouldn't have majored in Sport Management with the intention of working for a sports team. Obviously a different beast than going to Harvard with sabermetrics in mind, but there were definitely more lucrative career paths I could have taken.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Felix

[SnB]

I get what you're saying, but money isn't everything. If it were, I certainly wouldn't have majored in Sport Management with the intention of working for a sports team. Obviously a different beast than going to Harvard with sabermetrics in mind, but there were definitely more lucrative career paths I could have taken.

 

I got out of the sports industry because of the inability to make a living off of it and well.......it prevented me from watching sports. I'm much happier working a regular 9-5 and having nights/weekends off to enjoy my favorite interest instead of turning it into work.

 

But I have a few friends who are knee deep in the industry and love it, so to each their own.

[Felix]

I got out of the sports industry because of the inability to make a living off of it and well.......it prevented me from watching sports. I'm much happier working a regular 9-5 and having nights/weekends off to enjoy my favorite interest instead of turning it into work.

 

But I have a few friends who are knee deep in the industry and love it, so to each their own.

I actually didn't decide on sports for awhile for that exact reason. I started off thinking of doing some sort of academic major, as I wanted to leave sports as a hobby for my spare time instead of turning it into work. However, I really don't regret my decision at all, regardless of the ridiculous hours I've put in and will continue to put it. It really depends on the person, and if you don't think you want to be "married to your job," then I would definitely suggest looking at a different field.

[The Beast]

I actually didn't decide on sports for awhile for that exact reason. I started off thinking of doing some sort of academic major, as I wanted to leave sports as a hobby for my spare time instead of turning it into work. However, I really don't regret my decision at all, regardless of the ridiculous hours I've put in and will continue to put it. It really depends on the person, and if you don't think you want to be "married to your job," then I would definitely suggest looking at a different field.

This is why I'm getting a degree in Business instead of sports management or journalism. As time goes by, I wonder if I truly want to work in something that could control my life. I don't want sports to be my life, but I figured that I would try getting into the field while I was 23 (after graduating college) instead of never doing so and regretting not even trying. I gave journalism/broadcasting a go, and I do not regret doing so. It really is all about finding something that works for you, and maybe a 9-5 job is what I could do.

[qwerty]

If you wanna get into baseball via the stat route, go to Harvard/Stanford/MIT/etc. and major in computer science, math or economics. Then get your masters degree from one of those schools, too. Even though it may seem like a small field, baseball statisticians are plentiful. Again, you gotta have the big-time degree on your hands unless your the exception to the rule like Bill James, and even for him it took what 30 years before a team hired him despite all sorts of groundbreaking stuff.

 

The exception to the rule is becoming less and less of an exception these days, as chw42 noted. I can compile a pretty extensive list of people getting scooped up from the internet, to go on and work with a major league team, with all sorts of different job titles. Really good, highly important/critical jobs. Now that i think about it, the list would be far more than in the 20's. Teams are realizing the best minds don't necessarily have to be an ivy league graduate. Sometimes things happen in ones life in which college is not an option at a certain point in time, if ever. Some of these said people have had very limited ''education''... just like in practically any field. If you know what you preach, it's hard to be denied.

 

Simply put, things have come a long way since bill james got hired by the red sox. Thankfully he paved the way (in so many ways), and ever since, things are just that much easier on everyone.