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An optimization approach to designing a baseball scout network

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  • Özlü, Oğuzhan
  • Sokol, Joel

Abstract

We study the problem of assigning and scheduling minor league scouts for Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. There are multiple objectives in this problem. We formulate the problem as an integer program, use decomposition and both column-generation-based and problem-specific heuristics to solve it, and evaluate policies on multiple objective dimensions based on 100 bootstrapped season schedules. Our approach can allow teams to improve operationally by finding better scout schedules, to understand quantitatively the strategic tradeoffs inherent in scout assignment policies, and to select the assignment policy whose strategic and operational performance best meets their needs.

Suggested Citation

  • Özlü, Oğuzhan & Sokol, Joel, 2016. "An optimization approach to designing a baseball scout network," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 255(3), pages 948-960.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:255:y:2016:i:3:p:948-960
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2016.05.060
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Toffolo, Túlio A.M. & Wauters, Tony & Van Malderen, Sam & Vanden Berghe, Greet, 2016. "Branch-and-bound with decomposition-based lower bounds for the Traveling Umpire Problem," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 250(3), pages 737-744.
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    5. de Oliveira, Lucas & de Souza, Cid C. & Yunes, Tallys, 2014. "Improved bounds for the traveling umpire problem: A stronger formulation and a relax-and-fix heuristic," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 236(2), pages 592-600.
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