9781422285237 - Analytics: Sports Stats & More

Fred Claire says that from a general manager’s perspective, there is a balance between all of the information and knowing how to use it. “The use of information is to make the best decision,” he says. “The only real question in all of that is to define and utilize what is there.” That is why teams may be hiring more people to help determine how to make the best use of all of the information being developed today. A Season Out of the Sun Each sport has its own schedules and pace, but here’s a look at the schedule from a baseball perspective. The dates might vary from sport to sport, but the workload will not. If you are working with a Major League Baseball team, the games are about three hours long, but don’t think your day is only from the first pitch to the final out. You havemore than seven weeks of spring training, which entails 30 or so games, including split- squad games at different locations in either Florida or Arizona. On the surface, that sounds great, especially if you live in a cold- weather climate. However, realize that you will be away from your home for that period of February and March. Do you have a family you will be leaving behind? If you live alone, do you have a pet that needs to be fed and walked?

44 C areers O ff the F ield • Analytics: Sports Stats and More