"You realize quickly that you take it a lot more personally at this level," DePodesta says of both the on-field action and the behind-the-scenes transactions. "It's not like when you're a fan sitting at home."

DePodesta's age may raise eyebrows, but another surprise is his high status in baseball having never played for a varsity team in college. He pitched on the JV squad for a season before disaster struck at the end of his freshman year.

"I blew out my shoulder," DePodesta remembers. "I never had surgery on it, but I was pretty much done. I was able to play recreationally, and it didn't stop me from playing football."

DePodesta did letter in football while at Harvard for three years before stress fractures in his legs shut down his football career as well.

"I played under Coach [Tim] Murphy and really enjoyed it, but my first love was always baseball. I knew that I wanted to be involved in the game somehow."

He attended the general managers' winter meetings and began to float his resume around, and he remembers the hardship of trying to find work in the business.

"Baseball was on strike when I graduated," DePodesta recalls. "It's always tough to find work in baseball, but that made it even more difficult."

Eventually, DePodesta came across an opportunity in the Cleveland Indians' organization. The available internship in Player Development would have him chart the Major League games for scouting purposes. DePodesta jumped at the chance, and he soon was on his way to the Indians.