NFL-Browns hire DePodesta of 'Moneyball' fame to end woes

Jan 5 (Reuters) - The Cleveland Browns hired Major League Baseball executive Paul DePodesta of "Moneyball" fame as their chief strategy officer on Tuesday, taking an unconventional route to fix their NFL woes. DePodesta, 43, had served as the vice president of player development and scouting for the New York Mets since 2010 and helped the franchise reach the World Series this past season. DePodesta previously had front office roles with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. He gained further exposure as a key figure of "Moneyball", a book-turned-movie that chronicled the Oakland Athletics and their method of using sabermetrics to target players. "We are fortunate to bring in Paul, an extremely talented, highly respected sports executive who will add a critical dimension to our front office," Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said in a release. "His approach and ambition to find the best pathways for organizational success transcend one specific sport." The Browns recently fired coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer after finishing 3-13 and have yet to fill those vacancies. They appointed Sashi Brown as their executive vice president of football operations and now have brought on DePodesta to reverse their fortunes. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)