Jack Goin discusses Twins job opening, etc. (Was: All right all you geniuses...)

[diehardtwinsfan]

Wait, that really happened?

 

yep

[DocBauer]

Is there a "die-hard" clause in the requirements I missed? "If you were actually alive the last time the Twins...."

[Craig Arko]

Anyone have any food recommendations? Also, include where it is located in the ballpark. I don't know my way around too well.

 

I'll bite.

 

If you eat meat, you can't go wrong with Kramarczuk's. Sections 112, 117, and 312, Delta SKY 360° Legends Club.

[Jack Goin]

Jack, 1) if you were GM of a team, how much weight would you put on the analytics you currently do, versus fundamental scouting reports and other forms of input? 2) Do you ever play Out Of The Park baseball game, and how ridiculously unrealistic is it from your POV?

 

Weighing it is a pretty difficult thing to do. I would say it's impossible to do 50/50 because it's human nature to lean a little more one way or the other. I love scouting and I'm not able to get out as much as I would like. There is valuable info in scouting reports that you can use in the analytics process. There is just so much info available today with Pitch f/x, TrackMan, Statcast, advance scouting reports, etc. St. Louis does a good job of combining it. Oakland does a good job. The Yankees do a good job. The Spurs do a really good job combining the two types of data.

 

I'm not familiar with Out of The Park baseball.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Hey Jack,

 

Any chance you could make a cameo appearance at the park August 23rd? Most of us mods are planning on being there... Ash will be there too, so you can pay him back for banning you.

[Jack Goin]

Jack,

My guess is that the popular modern metrics(such FIPS, UZR and WAR) often a prominent part of this site are largely unused by you and your department. Would I be right?

 

No.

[Jack Goin]

I'd love it if you would elaborate a little on this. I presume you are not scouting things like arm angle and consistent release point and so forth. And all the players in this game are well known and have dossiers a mile long. What will you be looking for?

 

Doing my best to do the things mentioned above like any scout would do.

[Seth Stohs]

Anyone have any food recommendations? Also, include where it is located in the ballpark. I don't know my way around too well.

 

The Ribs (with fries) in centerfield, State Fair stand. And, of course, the helmet of nachos!

[ashbury]

Doing my best to do the things mentioned above like any scout would do.

 

I think I may have seriously misunderestimated your skill set.

 

/ channeling Yogi a little there...

[diehardtwinsfan]

Another question Jack, have you ever read through our game threads here? Lots of good entertainment.

[ashbury]

Another question Jack, have you ever read through our game threads here? Lots of good entertainment.

 

Oh gawd.... we spent the entire game last night discussing fabric for curtains. For real. (I almost said seriously, but there were jokes sprinkled in.)

[jay]

This is the best Twins Daily thread I've ever read. Thank you, Jack. In case you happen to come back...

 

For food, get the rib tips from Butcher and the Boar out on the RF plaza. Best thing I've ever had in any MLB ballpark.

 

For a question or two...

How much does your research team interact with counterparts from other MLB teams and are your methods/approaches tightly guarded or do you discuss on some level?

As you create new data analysis or reports or best practices, does the Baseball Operations team come to you and say "hey, we want to see (this)" or does your team go to them and say "hey, we have this info" or a combination of both?

[AlwaysinModeration]

Here's my question, Jack, and thanks for answering these questions, really interesting and fun stuff. With the Twins hopefully being active as sellers in the next three weeks, how much time do you anticipate getting with Terry Ryan with any potential trade targets you may have identified through your research? Do you have a couple of guys in other teams farm systems that you think are worth making a play for, that TR might not normally be interested in?

[Jack Goin]

This is the best Twins Daily thread I've ever read. Thank you, Jack. In case you happen to come back...

 

For food, get the rib tips from Butcher and the Boar out on the RF plaza. Best thing I've ever had in any MLB ballpark.

 

For a question or two...

How much does your research team interact with counterparts from other MLB teams and are your methods/approaches tightly guarded or do you discuss on some level?

As you create new data analysis or reports or best practices, does the Baseball Operations team come to you and say "hey, we want to see (this)" or does your team go to them and say "hey, we have this info" or a combination of both?

 

Both sides bring suggestions. I talk with our Major League staff periodically about data they want/need and try to get that to them. I talk to our Director of Pro Scouting about everyday, sometimes twice per day. We discuss a variety of topics including analytics, scouting philosophies, how to incorporate the two. Terry asks my opinion on players from a statistical viewpoint. Brad Steil our Director of Minor League asks me for various projects. Sometimes we just do research we are interested in.

[Jack Goin]

I think I may have seriously misunderestimated your skill set.

 

/ channeling Yogi a little there...

 

Thanks but it's pretty limited.

[WLFINN]

....

 

I'm not familiar with Out of The Park baseball.

 

 

Ben Revere joke?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I am pretty sure someone here can do this.

 

 

 

• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
  

But the part about "must be able to lift 55 Lbs" is a stretch

[Guest USAFChief]

Would you say you spend more time and/or effort evaluating Twins players, or players from around the league?

 

Do you spend much time evaluating minor leaguers?

[Jack Goin]

Would you say you spend more time and/or effort evaluating Twins players, or players from around the league?

 

Do you spend much time evaluating minor leaguers?

 

Define evaluate.

[ashbury]

Define evaluate.

 

Your move, Chief.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Jack, thanks for spending time with us and answering questions.

 

SSS but have you noticed that you have the highest "Liked" to "Number of Posts" ratio on Twins Daily? Do you think you've earned a promotion from Single A as a result?

 

I do, I like to ride the hot hand and challenge the minor leaguers.

 

Also a serious question. In what ways has game day evolved with the ever increasing availability of information. We all see the defensive shifts, and some platoons, but does it get into identifying other trends, or even possibly identifying injury or improper mechanics or shifts in mechanics?

[Badsmerf]

I missed all the fun! I got a few for you Jack.

 

First, do you consider WAR, especially combining WAR from year to year, a good way of evaluating a player's worth?

 

Second, do you do any type of work with players/coaches on the Twins to help improve current players? Like a type of internal scouting?

 

Going to bed, I'll post some better ones in the morning.

[snepp]

I'm not familiar with Out of The Park baseball.

 

You're missing out. It's all the rage amongst us basement-dwelling baseball nerds.

[ashbury]

You're missing out. It's all the rage amongst us basement-dwelling baseball nerds.

 

I do expect the trading AI you go up against, even on the difficult setting, would have a baseball insider saying, "uh, no, you couldn't get away with that".

[Riverbrian]

Standard requirement for all job postings. That, along with ability to lift 55 lbs.

 

I don't understand why you need to lift Ben Revere!

[Jack Goin]

[in response to a joke since deleted...]

 

Always has to be one guy who ruins it for everyone else.

That is the only joke you could come up with ?

[Jack Goin]

You guys are allowed to go out in public? I thought you couldn't leave your mom's basement?

[Brock Beauchamp]

You guys are allowed to go out in public? I thought you couldn't leave your mom's basement?

 

When the moon is just right and the parents are sleeping, I slip out the basement window and run naked to the nearest SABR convention.

[Brock Beauchamp]

It's a legitimate debate for the taxpaying public to be considering, but I wouldn't expect Jack to comment given his position. But maybe he would want to bring back the trees!

 

I think I can safely say that Jack, despite his friendly and open nature with the posters on this board, is not going to publicly comment on whether his boss should be fired.

[AlwaysinModeration]

I think I can safely say that Jack, despite his friendly and open nature with the posters on this board, is not going to publicly comment on whether his boss should be fired.

 

For his sake, I hope not. Seems like he is savvy enough to persevere.

 

But speaking of the trees (Brock, were you the "owner" who would bring them back?), here is some in-depth statistical analysis:

 

Twins record with trees: 94-68

Twins record without trees: 195-291 (or 236-340 as of today)

 

Now that is some fun with numbers. I rest my case...bring back the trees!