How did Theo Epstein become GM?

[Vincent]

I don't know anything about this guy. He's the GM (or baseball's equivalent) of the Bosox, and he's really young. How does someone so young get that job? Was he a former player who got injured? What are his credentials and connections that assisted him into landing that job?

I'm curious because I have dreams of being GM of an NBA team like every other sports fan out there.

[Edge34]

From what I've heard before, he had some kind of connection and has been working for the BoSox since he was 16 years old. This seems like the type of thing you might be able to Google, but if not that's the best I can do.

So in summary:
Get some mad connections.
Start at the very bottom, very very young.
Work very very very very very hard.
Pray (or your preferred equivalent).

EDIT: Upon further investigation, this wiki link should tell you all you need to know.

Theo Epstein

Started with the Orioles, graduated from Yale, worked 70-hour weeks for the Padres. Also passed the bar exam in California after getting his JD from University of San Diego. So again, you'll need to work very very very very hard starting about 5 years ago.

[Rubeskies]

I believe he's a Harvard Grad, law degree or something like that. Maybe business, I don' remember exactly. But basically because of being extremely intelligent and knowing some people, he got a very small job in the Padres System (again all from memory, I believe it was the Padres), some sort of assitent for the assitent to the scouting director or something like that.

And from there he just moved up rapidly because he had a great eye for talent and Like all the other new young succesful GMs, favor stats like OBP and OPS over Ave. and SLUG. It's like any other job. Prove your proficiency and you'll move up quickly once you have your foot in the door.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

He's a Yale grad, according to this Wikipedia article.

[roundmound]

He went to college at yale, internered for the Orioles while he was there. He met Larry Luchino while there and after graduating from yale moved to San Diego with Larry. He worked for the Padres while going to law school, after getting his law degree he ended up going with Luchino to the Red Sox. After being the assistant gm with the red sox he took over as gm while Larry moved up.

Basically, go to a good school, intern with teams, work 80 hours a week, do a good job.

[Jack of Arcades]

[ QUOTE ]
Like all the other new young succesful GMs, favor stats like OBP and OPS over Ave. and SLUG.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh... huh? you have no idea what you're talking about.

[Rubeskies]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Like all the other new young succesful GMs, favor stats like OBP and OPS over Ave. and SLUG.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh... huh? you have no idea what you're talking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've read interviews with the newer GMs and it seems the newer guys are very much into these new statistics that give a more complete picture of a hitter's and pitcher's ability such on base percentage, pitches per AB and OPS along with K/9, HR/9, and WHIP.

I'm not saying they don't use Ave. and Slug % but they put a lot more emphasis on the other stat stuff than other GMs used to.

What part of this don't you agree with?

[Dudd]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Like all the other new young succesful GMs, favor stats like OBP and OPS over Ave. and SLUG.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh... huh? you have no idea what you're talking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've read interviews with the newer GMs and it seems the newer guys are very much into these new statistics that give a more complete picture of a hitter's and pitcher's ability such on base percentage, pitches per AB and OPS along with K/9, HR/9, and WHIP.

I'm not saying they don't use Ave. and Slug % but they put a lot more emphasis on the other stat stuff than other GMs used to.

What part of this don't you agree with?

[/ QUOTE ]

Just so you know, OPS is OBP plus Slugging percentage, so to say on one hand that slugging is outdated and OPS is now in really doesn't make any sense, not to mention that while OPS is better than just looking at batting average, I'm sure these GMs look at a lot more than just that.

[Rubeskies]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Like all the other new young succesful GMs, favor stats like OBP and OPS over Ave. and SLUG.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh... huh? you have no idea what you're talking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've read interviews with the newer GMs and it seems the newer guys are very much into these new statistics that give a more complete picture of a hitter's and pitcher's ability such on base percentage, pitches per AB and OPS along with K/9, HR/9, and WHIP.

I'm not saying they don't use Ave. and Slug % but they put a lot more emphasis on the other stat stuff than other GMs used to.

What part of this don't you agree with?

[/ QUOTE ]

Just so you know, OPS is OBP plus Slugging percentage, so to say on one hand that slugging is outdated and OPS is now in really doesn't make any sense, not to mention that while OPS is better than just looking at batting average, I'm sure these GMs look at a lot more than just that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right, I didn't say Slugging and Ave. were outdated. I'm sure they look at those too. All I said was that these newer GM's seem to get more into the other statistics as well.

[Jack of Arcades]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Like all the other new young succesful GMs, favor stats like OBP and OPS over Ave. and SLUG.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh... huh? you have no idea what you're talking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've read interviews with the newer GMs and it seems the newer guys are very much into these new statistics that give a more complete picture of a hitter's and pitcher's ability such on base percentage, pitches per AB and OPS along with K/9, HR/9, and WHIP.

I'm not saying they don't use Ave. and Slug % but they put a lot more emphasis on the other stat stuff than other GMs used to.

What part of this don't you agree with?

[/ QUOTE ]

The stats you cited. "OBP and OPS" over Ave. and SLUG?"