MLB Expansion Team Project

What would happen if a Data Scientist owned a Major League Baseball expansion team?

I've always been a big baseball fan, particularly of the Mets. However, as many know, this is one of the hardest teams to be a fan of, because all we do is lose, and when we win, we somehow still lose. So, I decided it would be fun to become a fan of a new team-- my very own MLB expansion team.

Background

There have been six expansions in Major League Baseball's history, 1961, 1962 (my Mets!), 1969, 1977, 1993, and 1998. Therefore, it's been 25 years since the league last expanded. Seems about time they do!

With every league expansion, the new team starts with 0 players. You might ask, "how do they field a they field a team if they have no players?". Well, you'd be right to ask that, and the answer is relatively simple. Every team an expansion team joins MLB, an expansion draft with unique rules occurs such that the team can fill out a roster and compete immediately. It's really quite interesting!

In this project, I will be playing the role of General Manager of my expansion team, The New Jersey Jackals. I will use my statistical skills to draft a roster according to the rules of the expansion that I predict through data science will bring the highest level of success to the franchise over it's first five years. We want to win immediately after all!

For the purpose of this project, I will be obliging by the rules of the most recent expansion-- the 1997 MLB Expansion Draft. This draft saw two franchises, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks enter the league and draft at the same time. In this scenario, I will be the lone expansion team, but following the same restrictions.

Expansion Draft Rules:

1. Expansion teams select 35 players to fill out their rosters
2. The draft is divided into three rounds:
   • 1st round: 14 players selected
   • 2nd round: 14 players selected
   • 3rd round: 7 players selected
3. Expansion teams may select any player ~ NOT ~ on the protected-player lists of each pre-established team
4. Pre-established teams may have 15 players on their protected-player lists prior to the draft
   • players with ten years of major league service, five consecutive with the same team and players with no-trade clauses MUST be on the protected list unless they waive those rights
5. Prior to the 2nd round, pre-established teams may protect an additional three players.
6. Prior to the 3rd round, pre-established teams may protect a further three players.