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The
Nitty-Gritty
The beauty of analytics, former Dodgers’
GM Fred Claire says, is that “unlike
scouting, analytics is not someone’s
opinion, it is fact based.”
The need to be able to think outside the
box is
imperative
if you want to be involved
in analytics.
Case Studies
To look at how analytics impacts sports, here
are some examples of data in action.
During the 2011 NFLDraft, the Atlanta Falcons traded two
first-round draft picks, one second-round pick, and two fourth-
round choices to move up and select wide receiver Julio Jones
(pictured at left) with the sixth overall pick. It was amove that was
questioned by many, but the Falcons had used analytics to help
determine the value of the draft picks they traded. The Falcons
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CHAPTER
4
T
he
N
itty
-G
ritty