Tom Schneider Reflection

Sometimes it can be hard for me to fathom the reality of situations that are discussed in movies, but Tom Schneider’s talk with us really put the movie “Moneyball” into perspective for me. Tom and his partners were not only able to take advantage of Moneyball, but they were able to create a system that effectively displayed Peter Brand’s notorious sabermetrics. As I sat and listened to Tom explain this accomplishment, I couldn’t help but think how they could even think of such an idea. To make such a complex system so convenient is genius, but I could not imagine the behind the scenes work that went into creating those simplicities. What I did appreciate about Tom and Bloomberg’s creations was that, as a non-statistical person myself, the visuals were very dummy-friendly. Personally, I too would have a much easier time interpreting data if it was situated in pie charts rather than lengthy data sets. I would assume baseball scouts and other higher-ups felt the same way, so I could see how many individuals and teams welcomed the technology with open arms. It was interesting, though, to hear him admit how much travel it took in order to successfully install the systems for varying ball clubs. Similar to Tom and Ellen, my Dad has always worked in sports and too has traveled a lot to meet different teams’ and leagues’ needs. It takes a lot of sacrifice from the entire family unit, so I can understand how the Schneider family was feeling in the beginning stages of implementing the Bloomberg systems within baseball. But, it did make me smile seeing the family videos and pictures that Tom showed at the end because it reminded me of the cool events that I have been exposed to by my Dad. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that both Ellen and I have ended up pursuing a job in sports like our Dad’s, as they have shown us how many cool opportunities this industry holds.