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Boston Globe
11 hours ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
The Red Sox caught heat for using an AI screener in job interviews. Applicants explain what the ‘really impersonal' process was like.
Advertisement 'This is one of several steps in the hiring process and is just one factor that helps determine which candidates should advance to an in-person interview,' the statement continued. 'This tool is in no way a replacement for in-person interviews, simply one of many steps that helps the club screen the many candidates who apply for each job posting.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Of course, the simple fact that the Sox' hiring efforts aren't being led by AI bots doesn't mean that their process is beyond reproach. Multiple individuals who interviewed with the Sox as well as other clubs last year described the Sox' process as discouragingly impersonal, with infrequent human interaction relative to other teams. That view isn't universally held, but it's sufficiently widespread — and most recently, caricatured as robotic — that it's worth examining. Advertisement The Sox post positions widely across a number of job boards such as Fangraphs and Baseball Prospectus, an approach meant to draw a broad candidate pool but that also yields massive responses to posted positions. According to the team, baseball operations listings solicit from 500 to 3,000 submissions of online résumés and cover letters. Typically, someone in human resources screens the applications to highlight strong candidates. That narrowed pool of applications will then be directed to a small group of employees in the relevant sub-department in baseball operations (development, acquisitions, baseball sciences, etc.) for further résumé screening. Once a list of strong candidates has been identified for a baseball operations position — say, 50 to 100 — the HR representative will reach out to that group to invite them to continue in the process. A form letter invites candidates both to conduct a HireVue interview and to complete a 'problem set' of multiple exercises. HireVue is a software program through which candidates take part in an automated, standardized, 10- to 15-minute interview. The Sox have used it to varying degrees since 2012, when Ben Cherington was general manager. Candidates are given a series of a few questions. After each, they're afforded a brief window to contemplate a response, and a few minutes to speak. People across the Sox organization can then review the video at any time. A form letter sent by a team HR representative to an applicant last fall explained that HireVue is used to standardize the interview process (all applicants receive the same questions), to increase the convenience of setting up and scheduling remote interviews, and to make it easier for a number of people throughout the organization to see the candidate's interview. Advertisement Views on its use are mixed. One person who'd encountered HireVue in other industries thought it was a logical early step in an application process. 'I actually think HireVue is a pretty good screening process,' said one person who applied for a Red Sox job last year, and who has interviewed with other clubs. 'I would say [the Red Sox hiring process] was pretty run-of-the-mill for interviewing for a baseball ops job with an MLB club.' Others found it less than ideal, and preferred the approach of other clubs that conduct anywhere from one to several phone or Zoom interviews near the outset of the process. 'I didn't leave the [HireVue] interview thinking to myself, 'Oh, that was an AI interview. That was bad,' ' said one candidate. 'But was it my preferred method to interview? Absolutely not. It's really impersonal. You can't really develop that personal and human-to-human connection.' 'It's just very awkward and cold,' said another. The problem sets, meanwhile, examine how candidates evaluate players through both video and data, and how they communicate their findings. For example, past problem sets included choosing between Atlanta pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach and Nationals outfielder James Wood as extension candidates and formulating a realistic extension proposal; explaining how an individual — using a series of spreadsheets — balanced both surface-level performance data and ball-tracking data to identify prospects; and critiquing a predictive model for player performance. Problem sets have become common in applications for MLB teams, but the Sox' is viewed as more exhaustive (and exhausting) than most. Candidates required anywhere from 5-10 hours to 50-60 hours to formulate responses to the problem sets. Advertisement 'They're time-consuming, is the biggest thing,' said one person who took part in problem sets for the Sox and at least one other team last year. Moreover, the lack of direct interaction with Sox employees through that stage of the process left some applicants confused about whether the team was more interested in seeing candidates come up with a 'correct' answer or a logical process. According to sources familiar with the team's hiring practices, both the HireVue interview and problem sets are reviewed by team employees, who then winnow the candidate pool to roughly a half-dozen candidates for Zoom or phone interviews, usually with a goal of identifying two final candidates for any given position. Finalists can interview with multiple assistant GMs and directors. One applicant who had three remote interviews with multiple higher-ups in the organization called the process both well-organized and efficient — ranking it in the middle of the six interviews across five organizations he'd experienced. That individual also expressed appreciation for a follow-up call with a member of the Sox offering feedback about why his candidacy had fallen short. 'I see what they're trying to do,' he said of the process. Others who didn't make it to that end stage had less favorable experiences given the lack of human contact with members of the Sox. The sense of the team's impersonal approach to hiring was amplified last year by the fact that multiple applicants, after completing the problem set and HireVue interview, received the same emailed form letter, with the same unfortunate top-level sentence: 'Thank you for your interest in working for the Boston Red Sox and applying for the {{insert job title}}.' Advertisement 'I didn't go further than that line. I kind of laughed and closed out the email,' said one applicant. 'That was the part that upset me in the moment. I still look back and laugh on it.' Alex Speier can be reached at
Newsweek
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Red Sox 'Possible' to Promote Top Prospect: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Boston Red Sox are turning to the No. 1 prospect in baseball to stem the bleeding on a disappointing season. Roman Anthony, the top prospect in MLB according to MLB Pipeline and Baseball Prospectus, is a possibility to be called up from Triple-A Worcester, according to Chris Cotillo of It's possible Roman Anthony joins the Red Sox today, I'm told. — Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 9, 2025 Anthony, 21, is slashing .288/.423/.491 for Boston's top farm team in Worcester. Kyle Hudson #84 of the Boston Red Sox runs alongside Roman Anthony #48 of the Boston Red Sox before a game against the Monterrey Sultanes on March 24, 2025 at Estadio Mobil Super in Monterrey,... Kyle Hudson #84 of the Boston Red Sox runs alongside Roman Anthony #48 of the Boston Red Sox before a game against the Monterrey Sultanes on March 24, 2025 at Estadio Mobil Super in Monterrey, Mexico. More Maddie Malhotra/BostonMore to come on this story from Newsweek Sports.
New York Times
08-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Astros DFA Forrest Whitley, former top pitching prospect in baseball
HOUSTON — The Houston Astros designated right-hander Forrest Whitley for assignment on Sunday, putting their tumultuous, nine-year partnership with the pitcher in peril. Once touted as the top starting pitching prospect in baseball, Whitley had withered into a mop-up reliever incapable of procuring outs during lopsided games. He had a 12.27 ERA and six walks across 7 ⅓ major-league innings this season. Advertisement Each of the last three games Whitley entered featured at least a 10-run separation between the two teams. Whitley still surrendered seven earned runs across the 4 ⅔ innings he threw. Houston now has seven days to either trade Whitley or pass him through outright waivers, where all 29 teams will have a chance to claim him. Whitley is still just 27 years old and still wields tantalizing stuff, but his lack of minor-league options may give teams pause when deciding whether to pursue him. Because Whitley has fewer than three years of major-league service time, he would not be able to elect free agency if he clears waivers. If Whitley does clear waivers, Houston would then outright him off the 40-man roster and to Triple-A Sugar Land. The Astros selected Whitley with the 17th overall pick in the 2016 draft and paid him a $3.148 million signing bonus. Before the 2019 season, Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America and MLB Pipeline all labeled Whitley as the sport's best pitching prospect. A freefall ensued, first due to a 50-game drug suspension Whitley incurred before the 2018 season. A slew of injuries followed, including Tommy John surgery in 2020, a lat strain in 2023 and this season, left knee problems that caused two trips to the injured list. 'I told (manager Joe Espada) this, I told the pitching coaches this: I honestly feel embarrassed every time I have to go on the IL or something pops up,' Whitley told The Athletic last month. 'I don't want it to be a reflection of my work ethic. I feel I do everything I can to stay on the field, and it just hasn't worked out lately. 'I feel like I have a certain level of responsibility to give back to the people that have supported me that I don't.' Whitley has thrown just 174 ⅔ innings since 2019. Lesser-touted prospects passed him within Houston's organizational hierarchy and his hold on a 40-man roster spot became more tenuous with each lost season. He entered spring training in February cognizant of his situation, calling this season his 'last chance.' Advertisement 'Every day I throw the baseball, it reminds me of why I keep doing this stuff,' Whitley said last month. 'I know when I go out there, I'm going to be competitive. I know exactly what to do. I have the stuff to get the best big leaguers out. I just have to go out there and do it and make sure I'm out there every time.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: 5 hitters ready to give your lineup a boost this week
The Braves started this season in a ditch, losing seven straight and 11 of their first 15 games. But things have turned around the last few weeks, and after taking two of three in Boston on the weekend, Atlanta stands a respectable 24-23 on the year. The Fangraphs playoff calculator says this club is just under 70% to make the playoffs. Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin has been a big part of the turnaround. Baldwin, 24, entered the season with some prospect juice. The three main ranking clipboards had him inside their respective top 65s, with a high of 37th (Baseball Prospectus). He's shown a decent average and eye in the minors, with some pop. Atlanta, of course, already has a good catcher in Sean Murphy. And there's been nothing wrong with Murphy's offense this year — eight homers, an OPS+ of 133 (where 100 is average). But Baldwin has beaten Murphy in every slash column this year — .357 average, .400 OBP, .583 slugging. That hashes out to a 170 OPS+. Baldwin has started five of Atlanta's past eight games, with Murphy picking up the other three. It's easy to sit Baldwin against left-handed starters — he's a lefty swinger, Murphy bats right-handed — but this isn't a strict platoon. The Braves are simply leaning into their best hitter so far. Baldwin doesn't have enough at-bats yet to qualify for MLB leaderboards, but all of his Baseball Savant hard-hit sliders are pinned to the right. When the kid connects, you can hear the ball screaming. Baldwin's lineup profile has risen in recent games — he batted fifth most of last week, with one day in the No. 2 slot. I understand why Baldwin was the most added Yahoo catcher over the weekend, though he's still ready to grab in over 80% of leagues. The Braves face a righty starter in eight of their next 11 games; figure on Baldwin to start the majority of those nights. We've had some fantasy fun with Benson before — he was a .275/.365/.498 stick in 2023, with 11 homers and 19 steals over 108 games. That had us excited for the following season, when the bottom dropped out — .187 average, 76 OPS+. But player development is not always linear. Benson didn't make the Reds out of camp but he's been a smash since his recall — five homers in nine games, .367/.424/.933 slash. All of those homers came in the last four games, which quickly jumped Benson's roster percentage. There's still plenty of time to get on board, ride the hot hand. Even if Benson's inevitable regression lands somewhere in his 2023 production range, that's still a useful fantasy player. Everyone knows the Rockies are easily the worst team in baseball, but we still have to keep their offense on speed dial for home games. And Beck has become a key part of that offense, slotting in the top three of the order for three straight weeks. Beck is slashing .287/.348/.653 since his mid-April recall, with eight homers and a couple of steals. That makes him a top 12 offensive player during that span, offering plus value in four different categories. The thin air is your friend this week, with Colorado at home against the Phillies and Yankees. The Rockies don't have an A-to-Z lineup, but good things can happen at the top. I'm surprised it's taken so long for Beck to graduate from this column, but this should be the week that happens. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Vargas often caught my eye in his days with the Dodgers, where he showed excellent plate discipline but didn't do that much when he actually made contact. You respect the approach. Maybe things are starting to turn with the results, because he's coming off a three-homer weekend at Wrigley Field, pushing his slash up to .245/.328/.421 (with an OPS+ of 114). His pitch-recognition metrics are all above board, it's just a matter of doing more damage when he gets his pitch. Given the shallow nature of third base these days, Vargas is worth consideration in medium and deeper pools. Larnach has become an every-day staple for the Twins, and he was especially central to the team's recent 13-game winning streak — Larnach slashed .278/.328/.537 over that span, with 9 runs, 3 homers and 9 RBI. You'll usually find Larnach locked into the second slot in the lineup, though he did bat first this past weekend. He's capable of giving you a neutral average, sneaky pop and decent run-production stats, given his position in the order. He'll steal the occasional base, too. Larnach's production is best against opposing righties, so the week's RHP-only schedule is perfect for him.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: 5 hitters ready to give your lineup a boost this week
The Braves started this season in a ditch, losing seven straight and 11 of their first 15 games. But things have turned around the last few weeks, and after taking two of three in Boston on the weekend, Atlanta stands a respectable 24-23 on the year. The Fangraphs playoff calculator says this club is just under 70% to make the playoffs. Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin has been a big part of the turnaround. Advertisement Baldwin, 24, entered the season with some prospect juice. The three main ranking clipboards had him inside their respective top 65s, with a high of 37th (Baseball Prospectus). He's shown a decent average and eye in the minors, with some pop. Atlanta, of course, already has a good catcher in Sean Murphy. And there's been nothing wrong with Murphy's offense this year — eight homers, an OPS+ of 133 (where 100 is average). But Baldwin has beaten Murphy in every slash column this year — .357 average, .400 OBP, .583 slugging. That hashes out to a 170 OPS+. Baldwin has started five of Atlanta's last eight games, with Murphy picking up the other three. It's easy to sit Baldwin against left-handed starters — he's a lefty swinger, Murphy bats right-handed — but this isn't a strict platoon. The Braves are simply leaning into their best hitter so far. Baldwin doesn't have enough at-bats yet to qualify for MLB leaderboards, but all of his Baseball Savant hard-hit sliders are pinned to the right. When the kid connects, you can hear the ball screaming. Advertisement Baldwin's lineup profile has risen in recent games — he batted fifth most of last week, with one day in the No. 2 slot. I understand why Baldwin was the most added Yahoo catcher over the weekend, though he's still ready to grab in over 80% of leagues. The Braves face a righty starter in eight of their next 11 games; figure on Baldwin to start the majority of those nights. OF Will Benson, Reds (25%) We've had some fantasy fun with Benson before — he was a .275/.365/.498 stick in 2023, with 11 homers and 19 steals over 108 games. That had us excited for the following season, when the bottom dropped out — .187 average, 76 OPS+. But player development is not always linear. Advertisement Benson didn't make the Reds out of camp but he's been a smash since his recall — five homers in nine games, .367/.424/.933 slash. All of those homers came in the last four games, which quickly jumped Benson's roster percentage. There's still plenty of time to get on board, ride the hot hand. Even if Benson's inevitable regression lands somewhere in his 2023 production range, that's still a useful fantasy player. OF Jordan Beck, Rockies (26%) Everyone knows the Rockies are easily the worst team in baseball, but we still have to keep their offense on speed dial for home games. And Beck has become a key part of that offense, slotting in the top three of the order for three straight weeks. Beck is slashing .287/.348/.653 since his mid-April recall, with eight homers and a couple of steals. That makes him a top 12 offensive player during that span, offering plus value in four different categories. Advertisement The thin air is your friend this week, with Colorado at home against the Phillies and Yankees. The Rockies don't have an A to Z lineup, but good things can happen at the top. I'm surprised it's taken so long for Beck to graduate from this column, but this should be the week that happens. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] 3B/OF Miguel Vargas, White Sox (12%) Vargas often caught my eye in his days with the Dodgers, where he showed excellent plate discipline but didn't do that much when he actually made contact. You respect the approach. Maybe things are starting to turn with the results, because he's coming off a three-homer weekend at Wrigley Field, pushing his slash up to .245/.328/.421 (with an OPS+ of 114). His pitch-recognition metrics are all above board, it's just a matter of doing more damage when he gets his pitch. Given the shallow nature of third base these days, Vargas is worth consideration in medium and deeper pools. Advertisement OF Trevor Larnach, Twins (15%) Larnach has become an every-day staple for the Twins, and he was especially central to the team's recent 13-game winning streak — Larnach slashed .278/.328/.537 over that span, with 9 runs, 3 homers and 9 RBI. You'll usually find Larnach locked into the second slot in the lineup, though he did bat first this past weekend. He's capable of giving you a neutral average, sneaky pop and decent run-production stats, given his position in the order. He'll steal the occasional base, too. Larnach's production is best against opposing righties, so the week's RHP-only schedule is perfect for him.
