Jon Meoli interviews Sig Mejdal

[justD]

Mejdal guides the growth of analytics - Baltimore Sun

One thing that jumped out at me was the "agent of change" aspect they're looking for in analysts, in personnel that carry the message of analytics to the coaches and players, as part of the high bar they've set for new hires in that department.

A second thing is how odd it was that Jon put in the little jab at the Mets organization when relaying what Sig was saying about being on the same page throughout the organization. 

Some selected info from the article quoted below:

Quote

Mejdal guides the growth of analytics
By Jon Meoli

A little more than three years ago, Sig Mejdal became one of his former Houston Astros colleague Mike Elias’ first hires as the assistant general manager for analytics in a remade Orioles front office.

Of all the areas the Orioles needed to address at the time, that was among the most significant. After department head Sarah Gelles had left that fall to go work in Houston, only developer Di Zou remained. It was an analytics unit of one.

Now, Mejdal says the department is a dozen strong. And with jobs posted for full-time developers and analysts plus interns, that could continue to grow this offseason as the Orioles continue to push forward in an area that had long been neglected.

The growth has been measured on purpose, Mejdal said.

“We’re pretty particular,” he said. “It’s a pretty high bar.”

His description of who meets that bar, outside the technical expertise that he said is not difficult to find, goes a long way to describing how the exploding areas of data and technology fit into the Orioles rebuild — which now must navigate the owners’ lockout of the players after the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement, the sport’s first work stoppage since the 1994-95 strike. One important area, he said, is “pragmatism, and an appreciation of the tradeoffs between complexity and clarity.

“That is more rare, and in my experience, that is so important when your customers — the players, the coaches, the decision-makers — they don’t have the same background as the analysts and developers. Sometimes, it’s challenging to put yourself in their shoes, and imagine how they’re understanding what seems completely clear to you.”

As a straightforward example of putting one’s self in the shoes of the user, Mejdal got first-hand experience with how the products that his team creates are used last summer. He spent a month with the major league team, home and away, trying to glean what could be done differently or better to help bring the major league improvement that the Orioles desperately need.

...

The other main trait they look for as an analyst dovetails with that collaboration, as Mejdal said the Orioles are seeking a level of “social maturity” that can make an analyst’s work more valuable by how it’s presented.

“If you’re an analyst, to some degree you’re going to find yourself as a contrarian because you’re looking for something convention has missed,” Mejdal said. “We’re not a nonprofit. We’re searching for these inefficiencies in order to take advantage of them, and in order to take advantage of them, you need to convince the decision-maker that this is worthwhile and none of the decision-makers are tenured. So we often — as an analyst — we often find ourselves in the world of change management. In order to realize the potential from the analytics, you need to have a social maturity and a sensitivity in order to convince human beings that this is the way to go.”

...

Since Elias and Mejdal arrived late in 2018, the Orioles have been specific in who was in those roles with that in mind. Three years in, it’s created a kind of harmony that Mejdal finds unique. He was connected this fall with the New York Mets’ general manager job that ultimately went to Billy Eppler, and declined to comment specifically on that.

Still, he noted that what has been created in terms of direction and an acceptance of data and progressive methods with the Orioles is “difficult to quantify” and “definitely anecdotal,” but is incredibly meaningful to what’s happening at Camden Yards.

“It’s as clear as can be that while every organization talks about getting on the same page and we’ll all nod our head that this is what you need to do, actually accomplishing that is incredibly difficult and in my experience, few organizations have really done that,” Mejdal said. “I’m proud to work with Mike Elias and Matt Blood because they have created that in our organization. 

 

[SteveA]

Interesting that Mejdal spent a month with the major league Orioles last year, home and away.   And as far as I know it was never reported on.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, SteveA said:

Interesting that Mejdal spent a month with the major league Orioles last year, home and away.   And as far as I know it was never reported on.

I don't recall when or where it was mentioned but I do recall hearing about it.

[Moose Milligan]

Glad to see the analytics unit is a dozen strong and growing.  Hopefully it pays off dividends soon.

 

 

[sportsfan8703]

1 hour ago, SteveA said:

Interesting that Mejdal spent a month with the major league Orioles last year, home and away.   And as far as I know it was never reported on.

But was he in uniform?

[interloper]

Nice to hear about the harmony, and that the analysts aren't a bunch of neckbeards. Social maturity! 

[Pickles]

I didn't see any jabs at the Mets in that piece.

[Frobby]

He seems to think highly of Matt Blood.   

[sportsfan8703]

It would be nice to get an answer of why they signed Lyles?  

[Just Regular]

He did this in 2017 in the low minors...I guess four years from there to the Show is about right.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/Known-as-Astros-science-guy-Sig-Mejdal-to-10999390.php

I'm not sure who between analysts and players are beer and tacos, but Sig's a scientist doing what he can to relate effectively with the star athletes.

[Can_of_corn]

2 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

I don't recall when or where it was mentioned but I do recall hearing about it.

 

1 minute ago, Just Regular said:

He did this in 2017 in the low minors...I guess four years from there to the Show is about right.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/article/Known-as-Astros-science-guy-Sig-Mejdal-to-10999390.php

I'm not sure who between analysts and players are beer and tacos, but Sig's a scientist doing what he can to relate effectively with the star athletes.

This might even be what I remember reading.

[spiritof66]

Before Elias was hired, the Orioles were at or near the bottom of MLB teams in their commitment to advanced analytics. Obviously, there's been a lot of improvement in that area, but I have no idea what effect that has had on how the Orioles' commitment to, development of, and use of those tools ranks among MLB teams -- many of which started way ahead of the Orioles and have continued to add personnel and expertise. Three of the Orioles' four division rivals continue to have reputations as leaders in advanced analytics, but that doesn't tell me too much about where they stand today. https://www.overtimeheroics.net/2020/10/31/baseball-analytics/ 

The articles I've seen comparing the sizes of teams' analytics commitments looked at circumstances a few years ago, so they aren't very useful for figuring out where the Orioles now stand relative to other MLB teams. I'm guessing that today a 12-person analytics department, which Mejdal says is the current size of the Orioles group, is relatively small. It's been reported that in late 2018 the NYYs' department was 20 strong, the Rays 15, and the RS 6 (with the Orioles at 5). I don't buy Mejdal's statement that the Oriole department's growth has been deliberately slowed by high hiring standards (as opposed to budgetary constraints). It reminds me a little of the explanation by Spinal Tap's manager, Ian Faith, that the band had been booked into smaller venues because its "appeal is becoming more selective."  

I realize that information about analytics departments is hard if not impossible to come by. My impression is that while the Orioles have closed the gap between them and baseball's leaders, the gap is still large. Is anyone aware of recent rankings or comparisons or discussions that provide insight into where the Orioles' size/cost/quality/use of advanced analytics compares to other MLB teams'?

 

 

[justD]

2 hours ago, Pickles said:

I didn't see any jabs at the Mets in that piece.

Rereading it, I see there was no direct jab. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

4 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

I don't recall when or where it was mentioned but I do recall hearing about it.

You're right, I remember it being mentioned, but it wasn't talked about in any depth. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, spiritof66 said:

I realize that information about analytics departments is hard if not impossible to come by. My impression is that while the Orioles have closed the gap between them and baseball's leaders, the gap is still large. Is anyone aware of recent rankings or comparisons or discussions that provide insight into where the Orioles' size/cost/quality/use of advanced analytics compares to other MLB teams'?

 

 

Needless to say, size of staff matters but quality and capabilities also matter a great deal.   So, just knowing the size doesn’t tell you that much.   

That said, the various team websites have front office personnel listings, some of which are more up to date and complete than others.   The Yankees don’t identify anyone below the Director level.   The Orioles specify 8 members of their analytics group.   
https://www.mlb.com/orioles/team/front-office