Press Release — 2.25.19
My name is Andrew Defante and I’m excited to join the Sportslynx team as the Director of Research and Content.
I graduated from the University of California Irvine with a B.S in Public Health Sciences in 2019, and am from Chula Vista, CA. I played baseball up to the collegiate level.
After my playing career ended, I took an interest in data science and analytics. I’m captivated by the ways you can tell stories through data. I think it provides such unique insights and provides answers to questions you might not otherwise arrive to.
Outside from my regular course curriculum, I’ve learned how to become proficient in programing languages such as R, SQL, and Python. I’ve utilized my passion for baseball and sports to implement computational and analytical techniques into my own independent research (found here).
I’ve always loved baseball, and I love thinking about and talking about sports in general. I think a big part of analytics is the ability to be curious and creative. I enjoy coming up with questions, trying to find different angles, and then using data to try and find answers. With the information that’s out there now, accompanied by the technology that has emerged, I think it’s an exciting time to be in this field.
I’m excited to take on the numerous responsibilities with Sportslynx, but most prominently will be producing published content regarding players in the database. I’ll also be writing articles about current baseball news and providing input on current sabermetrics concepts and practices.
When Edgar (Gonzalez) first told me about the idea behind Sportslynx, I was immediately interested. I thought it was such a unique and impactful idea that could help a lot of players and teams. I’m really bought into the concept and the principles of Sportslynx, and can’t wait to help bridge the gap between teams and the talented players across the world.
My other interests pertain to biking, hiking, and golfing. I’m very invested in the Marvel movies and looking forward to the big movies coming out this summer. I love my dog Mia. I’m also passionate about volunteering, and have worked with organizations such as the Center for Behavioral Sciences helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
