The Mets are promoting Ben Zauzmer to assistant general manager, reports Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (on Twitter). He becomes the Mets third assistant general manager, joining Ian Levin and Bryn Alderson.
It’s a fairly rapid promotion for Zauzmer, who joined the organization in January as director of baseball analytics. Before his stint in Queens, the Harvard graduate spent six seasons in the Dodgers baseball operations department. (Jon Morosi of MLB.com spoke with Zauzmer in February about his hobby of using data models to predict Oscars results).
During his first year in Queens, Zauzmer apparently made a strong impression on Mets brass. Club president Sandy Alderson remains on hand after stepping into the role last offseason. He’ll work alongside first-year GM Billy Eppler at the top of the New York front office.
What’s the over/under on how long before he’s accused of human trafficking or some other heinous crime?
Maybe they’re finally weeding out the bad eggs and maybe it’s their time to not be a joke.
Who am I kidding? I’m a Mets fan and I’ve lived through too many lolmets points.
He has built the most extensive database on how to more efficiently implement human trafficking.
He’s the absolute last human being anyone who knows him would ever expect to see getting tied up in that kind of stupidity. He’s a no-risk character.
Seriously, the guy looks like Jerry Lewis as “The Nutty Professor” ? Look at his picture mate you will die laughing.. The most serious crime he could be facing is trying to stop the guy from working on weekends ! The guy is a total geek.
Excellent choice by the Metropolitan’s!
According to The NY Post this guy uses analytics to predict the Oscar winners. Yeah, sounds qualified.
Pirates countered by signing some guy named Ben Dover.
Shocker, silver spoon Ivy League stooge gets good job.
Why didn’t you apply if you think you can do better
I think he was too busy eating Subway sandwiches on mountain tops. Seems like a legit reason.
The fact that you call him a silver spoon tells me that you don’t know him. He’s well raised by kind brilliant people and he’s earned everything he’s gotten.
Stevenam:
So say Randolph and Mortimer Duke. I am sure this guy is brilliant, but his earning everything he has gotten is not the same as if he grew up in poverty and worked as a janitor every evening during high school to help out his single parent with the care of his five siblings. But the Mets front office is getting an upgrade to be sure.
Silver spoon yes, stooge No way.
Being raised by kind brilliant parents is a large part of what a silver spoon is. My parents both have a master’s degree so I would apply the silver spoon label to me as well.
Wow, I read the linked article about his Oscar predictions and this one sharp kid! I’m guessing even as Assistant GM, he’ll be in charge of the Mets’ analytics staff. While Cohen loves to spout off on social media, he’s putting his money where his mouth is. Not only is he paying for quality players, he’s following through on his commitment to build the best analytics team in the industry. Hiring this kid is a great start to fulfilling that pledge. Could it be that the Mets are actually going to put together a top notch front office along with a championship-caliber, on field product as well? If so, we’ll finally have to retire the “LOL Mets” monicker. The NL East is getting stronger and stronger every day, and this is coming from a non-Mets fan to say the least!
Most businesses have short, intermediate, and long term objectives.
I see Mr. Cohen implementing just that. He’s already made comments about how important the farm system will be long-term. Brilliant man.
Agree with Dorothy & Samuel. Cohen’s a brilliant man and his wanting brilliant men to run his team will pay off in a big way over the next 5-10 years.
If he can land Stearns, his genius will turn that organization into a monster superteam, and without the $285MM payroll.
By surrounding himself with brainiacs, Alderson included, he will invest & spend incredible sums of money on FO personnel, scouting, analytics, coaching, pitching labs, international logistics, nutrition programs, on and on, putting the Dodgers to shame.
Cohen will single-handedly help bring about the eventual changes baseball needs to limit what trillionaire type owners with mammoth ego’s and no regard for fellow owners can do to competitive balance.
I’m guessing owners would sure like a re-do with their votes in approving Cohen’s purchase of the Mets.
Glad to see MLB continuing to hire more diverse candidates from a variety of backgrounds, not just another white guy from an Ivy League school. Oh, wait…
Maybe he was more qualified than his competiton? What a novel concept that would be.
My remark has little to do with this guy. It’s about MLB saying one thing and then consistently doing another.
He’s the best possible candidate and he’s going to continue to make the Mets better for a long time.
@LordD99 – I am so sick of this narrative. Do some research before declaring this was just another Ivy League hiring by an MLB franchise. This kid is brilliant. He applied for an internship with the Dodgers after his Junior year in college. By the time the Dodgers contacted him, he had already accepted an internship at Fandango which was ending 30 days before he needed to go back for his senior year. The Dodgers were still interested so they offered him a 30-day internship. They were so impressed by him that they made him a full time job offer upon graduation, all based on a 30 day ‘tryout’. Next thing you know, he’s running the Dodgers Baseball Operations department. The kid worked his tail off and really impressed Friedman & Co. It’s very rare to see someone that young running a Baseball Ops team, especially for an elite franchise like the Dodgers. Then the Mets hire him away to run their Analytics department and within less than a year, he is promoted to Assistant GM. He’s done all of this in his career so far and he’s only 28 years old! It’s quite obvious that this kid is not only brilliant but he has worked extremely hard to get where he is. His hiring had nothing to do with family connections, Ivy League connection’s or his overall pedigree in general. He is a wunderkid with analytics and must have excellent leadership qualities as well to get promoted that fast. Who else should they have hired over him? This guy is on a fast track to becoming a General Manager and eventually a POBO. Excellent hire by the Mets and a very poor take on your part!
To put it in perspective, I know someone who is also really good at predicting the Oscars. She has been interviewed on FiveThirtyEight, the same sight that had Ben Zauzmer on the podcast “Can Math Predict the Oscars?”. She is on his level.
The Mets made a great hire bringing Ben Zauzmer on board and they’re being very smart by promoting him as soon as he’s ready for the next job. You don’t keep people like that without constantly challenging them to grow.
Agree!
@Dorothy, and to paraphrase your words, I am so sick of reactionary comments.
I’ll give you a second chance. Where did I argue against him specifically? The narrative is not against the individual; it’s against MLB’s hiring practices that they insist they’ll change but their words and actions don’t match. Do some research of your own, or at minimum take a step back and read my two comments and attempt to understand the real narrative and the bigger picture before you react.
The problem goes much deeper than MLB hiring practices. And it does have to do with what people are looking to work in baseball. If opportunities are being denied, then that’s a huge problem. Recruiting diversity in many fields is a challenge, BUT, it is doable for those who invest themselves in it.
@LordD99, there can be two-truths. In fact, I often find that to be the case with many things in life. Yes, your point about MLB not following through on its promise to broaden its hires and being more diverse is spot on. Dorothy_Mantooth’s point that he’s a good hire is also correct, although his response missed your point. Pretty much anything to do with politics, diversity, Covid and DV will cause outrage and the site moderators to shut down threads.
I mean, heavens. Who’d have thought comments would be misinterpreted on a sports blog?! 🙂
Anyone who’s ever read one.
Yes, what Rob said. Great hire of this kid, A-plus.
But over time, MLB still fails to have executives and field managers reflect the diversity of the players.
Dorothy, as a Mets fan, I didn’t know much about this guy, but you have made me excited. Thanks for the informative post!
At least now when the Mets are the best comedy for their “LOL Mets” show, they now have a guy to predict they’ll be the best comedy.
As far as his ability to predict the Oscars, I do well in that department. I also remember the Marlins former owner’s lucky sperm stepson, Dave Samson, would predict the Oscars as well. Hmmmm….
Thoughts & prayers for a speedy recovery, Ben. Being promoted by the Mets is no laughing matter.
The first few comments in the thread do at least show Mets fans have a sense of humor when it comes to their history, or maybe they’re dealing with PTSD.
Title inflation to ward off poachers? Same responsibilities but now can’t be offered the assistant general manager title as a “promotion.”
Marc:
In a technical sense, I think you are right. For many teams (NOT just the Mets) the assistant GMs seem to merely be highly talented specialists rather than a true executive who manages other supervisors.
Yes, you have to ask:
does he have authority to hire staff;
does he have authority to fire staff;
how many people does he supervise (who directly report to him) who are themselves supervisors and does he draft their annual reviews;
does he have authority to grant modest pay raises subject to only nominal review;
which people if any receive their work assignments from him.
An org structure is Manager above assistant manager and assistant manager above supervisors, so how many supervisors report to him
It is not just about having a corner office and a good parking space!