Friday, November 30, 2018

Analytic "fellow" must be a computer programmer and carry 25 pound boxes.

Job posting by the Cleveland Indians for Baseball Operations Fellow 11/20/18:

Job Requirements:
• Experience with SQL and statistical software (i.e. R, Python, Stata, SAS) a plus ...


Standard Requirements:
...
• Occasional physical activity such as lifting and carrying boxes up to 25 lbs.
_______________________________

No salary is specified but fangraphs.com referenced this job ad with: "These positions are paid.".

Read the entire job add for yourself. It's pretty long and involved. The two items highlighted above stand out. I have it on good authority that the computer stuff is a REQUIREMENT, not a plus. The juxtaposition of that and the ability to handle 25 pounds seems incongruous, almost like freshman hazing.

Also on good authority: 1,500 applications in the first 72 hours.

This for at most a one year assignment with the hope of a permanent job. Some applicants will have already done a one year stint with another team, maybe two. Hiring teams value prior experience with the Astros or Rays.

So, the next time you are wowed by team analytic minutia, consider the blood, sweat and tears of some anonymous young "fellow".

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I suspect the 25 pounds is equipment they have to lug to minor league games to measure pitch speed and runner inseam size or whatever else they measure these days. We'll know they're measuring too much when they have a computer failure and have to delay the game.