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Apple has hired Jay Sartori, the current assistant general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, to manage the sports and entertainment section of the App Store, reports SportsNet (via MG Siegler).

satoriapple.jpg
Sartori is taking over as the tech titan's manager of the App Store's sports and entertainment category, a departure from the arbitration, contract and collective bargaining agreement interpretation work he handled for the Blue Jays.

He's been in the position since September, 2010, when he was lured over from the Washington Nationals after a season as director of baseball operations there. Before that he worked for Major League Baseball's labour department, helping negotiate the 2006 CBA.
While it is unclear exactly what job duties Sartori will be expected to take on, Apple has always preferred for its App Store and iTunes Store selections to have a human touch, suggesting that part of his role will perhaps involve overseeing and improving the content selections featured in the Sports section of the App Store.

Apple's App Store staff are responsible for hand selecting apps that are featured in a multitude of App Store categories, including Staff Favorites and Editor's Choice. Currently, the Sports section of the App Store features "Essentials" and "Fantasy Football Apps", also highlighting a number of individual apps such as Yahoo! Sports, ESPN College Football, and MLB.com At Bat.

Sartori is expected to leave his current position with the Toronto Blue Jays in October.

Article Link: Apple Hires Toronto Blue Jays Assistant General Manager for App Store Sports Section
 
Gotta love that "human touch" of Apple's. One of many reasons why the iOS/Mac ecosystem is awesome.
 
Interesting... Maybe he is more skilled @ picking apps than players. Otherwise odd choice.
 
The Jays were my favourite team as a kid! Then the strike happened and I lost interest in baseball.
 
As Asst Mgr /= Asst Gen Mgr, I think article's title text should trade "Asst Mgr" for "Asst GM" and a title to be named later.
 
I wonder if he had a connection to the tech world or Apple. I'm also wondering if he applied for the job or was recruited.

Sounds like he's abandoning a career in baseball. This is a major career change. Interesting move.
 
There are 3 people in that photo and no caption explaining who or where we are suppose to look. Amateur hour.
 
The Jays were terrible this year, but it has nothing to do with this guy. They acquired all the right players, but they were total duds on field.

Next year should be interesting!
 
Can't blame him for leaving Blue Jays and Toronto.

Blue Jays is simply a profit-making machine, and has not tried to win the title for ages.

And Toronto is a rough, rude, passive aggressive, provincial and relatively backward, slum-like town.

Best of luck to him at Apple!
 
Can't blame him for leaving Blue Jays and Toronto.

Blue Jays is simply a profit-making machine, and has not tried to win the title for ages.

And Toronto is a rough, rude, passive aggressive, provincial and relatively backward, slum-like town.

Best of luck to him at Apple!

Signing a free agent pitcher that just won the Cy Young award the prior year is "trying to win" in my book. It didn't work out, but it was worth a try. The same can be said for signing Melky Cabrera.
 
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