Knightly News represents Central Penn College at Philadelphia Phillies #CollegeSeries
Story and photos by Paul Miller
Knightly News Co-Adviser
The Knightly News Media Club had the opportunity to attend the recent #CollegeSeries at the Philadelphia Phillies last week, representing Central Penn College with the MLB organization.
According to the Phillies website, “College students, recent graduates, professors and interested parents are invited to go behind the scenes in the business of baseball with Phillies executives and major league guests at these exclusive #CollegeSeries pregame events at Citizens Bank Park.”
The event, which took place on April 2, preceded the Phillies “Opening Night,” the team’s first night home game of the season. Members of the Phillies’ business analytics team participated in a moderated Q&A session held in the Media Room at Citizens Bank Park. The panel offered valuable insight into the disciplines and technologies the organization uses to solve business challenges through data analysis, statistical modeling and other quantitative methods.
In addition to discussing their day-to-day roles, the speakers shared career advice and reflected on their experiences by highlighting what it was like to contribute to the Phillies’ recent postseason run.
Speakers included:
- Josh Barbieri, Director, Business Analytics, Phillies
- Blake Summerfield, Director, Business Analytics-Strategy, Phillies
- Angela Ditri, Senior Business Analyst, Data Science, Phillies
- Joe Dementri, Senior Business Data Specialist, Phillies
- Moderator: Kenny Johnson, Manager, Community Engagement, Phillies
Josh Barbieri, Blake Summerfield, Angela Ditri and Joe Dementri.
During the networking session, students and faculty had the opportunity to speak with dozens of front office members from the Phillies. These individuals came from areas of human resources, advertising, technology services and more.
During the panel sessions, students attending the event had an opportunity to send questions for the panelists ahead of time or raise their hand and ask in person. Several key questions were addressed for individuals interested in working in sports.
One of the most interesting things that came out from the panel was that three of the members started with the organization as interns, while the other (Dementri) attended a #CollegeSeries event prior to being hired with the team.
A common theme around the questions surrounded things students could do to help break into Major League Baseball. Summerfield addressed that question by saying, “Get to the finish line creatively. Anything you can do to work in sports can be a resume builder, even if it is not a paid position.” Summerfield also suggested volunteering in sports, saying that developing a passion for sports in any capacity would be beneficial.
Because the theme of the evening was business analytics, much of the conversation centered around the business of baseball and data utilized to improve fan experience and drive revenue. Barbieri discussed the evolution of his position over the years, emphasizing that there is a great deal of data, but in year’s past, not everyone had access to or knew how to utilize data that was available. His job is to ensure that no department ever does not have the information they need to be successful.
Two of the attendees took a considerable amount away from the event. Their reflections are below.
Bret Saveleski, Knightly News Co-President
“The Phillies #CollegeSeries was an eye-opening experience. I was given the opportunity to discuss all things business with the people at the forefront of the world class organization that is the Philadelphia Phillies. The most interesting thing I took from the seminar was the reliance the front office has on data. Their business analytics team examines everything from ticket sales to merchandising to advertising campaigns to maximize the fan experience at the ballpark. I feel this event will help me immensely with my future career endeavors. Thanks to the speakers at the event, I now understand the types of things a professional sports team look for in potential employees and I have a template for how best to set myself up for a career in sports.”
Steve Hassinger, Career Services Director
“As Director of the Center for Career Services & Development, I am always looking to expand my network and learn about career opportunities for our students and alumni. The Philles #CollegeSeries proved to be a valuable way to do both. During the networking time, I was able to speak with several Phillies employees, most notable Human Resources and Accounting.
One of the interesting things I learned from Human Resources is that they provide a pension for all their employees. There are very few companies who still offer this valuable benefit. Accounting Manager for the Phillies Mark Pyne, a native of Harrisburg, told me about a 12-month internship that they offer to students shortly after they graduate. The interns are paid to work 40 hours a week for the length of the internship. He was hired for the internship in 2014 after graduating from West Chester University and has been with the organization ever since. Pyne asked for my business card so he can notify me when they next open the application period.
We then learned from a panel of presenters who discussed everything from resume and interview tips to how artificial intelligence is and may impact their work. I would highly recommend that any student who is interested in working in sports take advantage of the opportunity to attend one of these #CollegeSeries events in the future!”
Thoughts on AI
As the #CollegeSeries panel came to a close, a question focused on the impact of artificial intelligence in the analytics of the team. Barbieri commented that the organization does not want to replace the human element of developing analytics and that the Phillies focus on how they share information with AI services like ChatGPT.
Ditri noted that AI services that people are familiar with are used extremely sparingly within the Phillies organization, sharing that many of these sites use their data to train their systems and that the team’s information has immense value. Therefore, it is crucial that everyone understand how a reliance on AI could have dire and expensive consequences.
Summerfield added that there is a continued need for “soft and transferable” skills in college students, who also take the time to learn their craft while using AI ethically.
In the end, the group seemed extremely engaged and were able to make some lasting connections at the event. Not only did the panel offer kind words of encouragement, they consistently discussed the need to get involved, learn your craft, and develop the soft skills that are needed to be successful in the current and future job market.
Phillies vs. Rockies
After the event, the Phillies hosted attendees for the “Opening Night” game versus the Colorado Rockies.
On a chilly April evening, the Phillies sent ace pitcher Zack Wheeler to the mound, and he did not disappoint, allowing only one run on three hits while striking out ten. The Rockies countered with their own ace, Kyle Freeland, who pitched 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball, keeping the Rockies close.
But the Phillies proved to be too much. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the home team got on the board with RBI singles from Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, giving them a 2-0 lead. The Rockies finally broke through on Wheeler in the seventh inning with a Hunter Goodman solo home run, making the score 2-1.
The Phillies answered in the bottom of the seventh with a Trea Turner RBI single, and gave the bullpen some breathing room with an Edmundo Sosa double with the bases loaded, plating two runs. The Phillies were victorious by a score of 5-1. You can see the box score here.
