Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
November 06, 2003
How to Become a Stat Head

Edward Cossette forwarded me an e-mail that was sent to him in response to this post on Bambino's Curse. The reader writes:


I share these sentiments, and have always wanted to be a stat-head, but I can't find the proper entry point. How does one get started with Sabrmetrics? I thought maybe this winter I would read Bill James Baseball Historical Abstract, but it's so heavy. Do you have to commit yourself to carrying around such tomes to be a Sabrmatrician? Seriously, is there a getting started manual out there for becoming a stats geek?

Edward thought I would be a good person to comment on such things, since I did in fact become a stat head. I can't say I know of anyone who intentionally set out to become a professional baseball researcher. I got into the business through a series of "right place right time" events:

  1. Took a computer programming course because it looked interesting.

  2. Took a second one because I did well at the first one.

  3. Did very well in the second course, and the professor offered me a job in his start up.

  4. Took the job and continued to earn a degree in computer science.

  5. About the same time started scoring for Project Scoresheet.

  6. Professor's best friend was Dick Cramer, the founder of STATS, Inc. We'd have dinner together whenever he came to town.

  7. Started scoring games for STATS, Inc. in 1987.

  8. In 1990, STATS, Inc. got their ESPN contract. When I expressed interest in the job, Dick Cramer pushed to hire me.


So it was a combination of the right skill set, working as much as I could in the field, and knowing the right people. So, I would suggest to anyone who really wants a job like this to:

  • Study math, especially statistics and probability theory. There isn't enough experience in that among many of the stat heads out there.

  • Know how to program a computer and use database software.

  • Do something in baseball. Work for a minor league team in any capacity or score games for STATS, Inc. Ask a lot of questions about what's going on.

  • Play lots of fantasy games and simulation games. You'll learn a lot about the players and how baseball works. Plus, it's fun.


Set a foundation for yourself, then try to get involved with a team, or a news organization. Most of the ESPN researchers I know started off somewhere else at the company and naturally gravitated to the research area. And think about starting a blog. It's easy, it's fun, it's cheap, and your opinions get seen. It's also convient to point a potential employer to your work.

And yes, you have to read Bill James. I'd start with the old paper back Abstracts rather than the Historical tome, but all should be read. And find a copy of The Managers; you'll learn more about baseball from that book than any other Bill has written. Good luck!


Posted by David Pinto at 09:35 AM | Statistics | TrackBack (1)