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How to Play Baseball (If You Don’t Play Baseball)
If baseball had cargo shorts, how different would it be? (via M.S. Burton) Once every year or so, when the calendar smiles on me, I put together a softball game for the writers and readers of the...
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MLB Umpires: 2016 Review, World Series Preview
John Hirschbeck is the crew chief in his final World Series as an umpire. (via Keith Allison) As part of the MLB-watching general public, one fault I believe we have is forgetting how exceptionally...
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How Umpires’ Ejection Rates Change with Age and Experience
No one ever said being an MLB umpire was easy. (via Keith Allison) A few years ago, I did an extended dive into the statistics of manager ejections in the major leagues. One of the strongest...
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There is No Juiced Ball, No Steroid Era
Unearned runs have been on the decline. Baseball does not change. Yes, the rules change; the bats change; the fields, the uniforms and the broadcasts change. The pitchers throw differently, and the...
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The Physics of RoboUmp
Are human umpires likely to make fewer mistakes than RoboUmps? (via Keith Allison) “It ain’t nothin’ ‘til I call it.” Bill Klem thus defined the role of the umpire. He would know, since he officiated...
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The 2017 Strike Zone
The strike zone saw its fair share of changes in 2017. (via Arturo Pardavila III) Spring training is wrapping up, and actual major league games are beginning Thursday for our viewing pleasure. Before...
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An Exploration of MLB Umpires’ Strike Zones
Bill Miller’s strike zone is this wide. (via Eric Enfermero) During Game Five of the 2017 World Series, home plate umpire Bill Miller became somewhat of a household name by calling strikes on several...
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Building a Robot Umpire with Deep Learning Video Analysis (Part Two)
How might robot umpires fare compared to their human counterparts? (via Eric Enfermero) This article is a continuation of this previous piece. We will attempt to improve our robot umpire by:...
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Umpires Ejections and Player Ethnicity: An Analysis
Nonwhite players are at disproportionately ejected compared to white players. (via Buck Davidson) Editor’s Note: This piece was adapted from a presentation at SaberSeminar 2018. The Nationals beat the...
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Building a Robot Umpire with Deep Learning HD Video Analysis (Part Three)
Anything that can be done to improve umpires is a good thing. (via Mark Mauno) This article is a continuation of my previous articles here and here. In this article, I will discuss additional...
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