The Seattle Times is reporting the Mariners have done completely away with their advanced scouting department and all scouting will be done solely by their brand new Statistical Analysis Department (the first of its kind in MLB).
Thoughts? If this is successful I don't see how this doesn't become the wave of baseballs future (since MLB is a copycat league).
As an M's fan its kind of scary. I'm a believer in mixing SABR with advanced scouting. Its shocking to me as well, since Jack Zduriencik is a former advanced scout.
No more advance scouts for M's Posted by Geoff Baker
One new development with the Mariners that kind of got lost in the crazed aftermath of that 12-player J.J. Putz trade is that Seattle will no longer use an advance scout for games. This role is instead being transfered to the team's new department of statistical analysis. The idea is that the team will receive video of their opponents and have workers in the new department break down each pitch from a statistical viewpoint. They can grade the break on curve balls, tendencies to throw certain pitches in certain situations, figure out what hitters like to swing at, that sort of thing.
The Milwaukee Brewers began using that approach when current Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik and assistant Tony Blengino were running their scouting operations.
Seattle's new department so far will have just one full-time employee with some interns taking down data as well. The team interviewed some intern candidates at the winter meetings in Las Vegas.
In Milwaukee, there grew to be a team of more than a dozen interns handling stats at one time or another. The M's hope similar growth can occur here. The idea is also that once interns break in with the club, the most talented, hungry types can advance in other areas of the club and provide an injection of fresh talent into the organization.
More on this department as details emerge.
One new development with the Mariners that kind of got lost in the crazed aftermath of that 12-player J.J. Putz trade is that Seattle will no longer use an advance scout for games. This role is instead being transfered to the team's new department of statistical analysis. The idea is that the team will receive video of their opponents and have workers in the new department break down each pitch from a statistical viewpoint. They can grade the break on curve balls, tendencies to throw certain pitches in certain situations, figure out what hitters like to swing at, that sort of thing.
The Milwaukee Brewers began using that approach when current Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik and assistant Tony Blengino were running their scouting operations.
Seattle's new department so far will have just one full-time employee with some interns taking down data as well. The team interviewed some intern candidates at the winter meetings in Las Vegas.
In Milwaukee, there grew to be a team of more than a dozen interns handling stats at one time or another. The M's hope similar growth can occur here. The idea is also that once interns break in with the club, the most talented, hungry types can advance in other areas of the club and provide an injection of fresh talent into the organization.
More on this department as details emerge.
As an M's fan its kind of scary. I'm a believer in mixing SABR with advanced scouting. Its shocking to me as well, since Jack Zduriencik is a former advanced scout.
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