This Week in SABR: January 16, 2026
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, January 16, 2026.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
Announcing more featured speakers at SABR Analytics Conference
Fourth course in SABR Analytics Certification program now available
Applications now open for new Research Grants program
Join us for SABR Day events this weekend
Subscribe to the Baseball Research Journal in 2026
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2026 SABR Analytics Conference: Career Paths in Baseball Biomechanics Panel
We’re just a few weeks away from the SABR Analytics Conference on February 27-March 1, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona! Early registration discounts end on February 10, so sign up today to hear from top speakers in the baseball industry.
Our Career Paths in Baseball Biomechanics Panel will include:
- Franky Mulloy, Biomechanics Manager, Cincinnati Reds
- Hillary Plummer, Quality Assurance Specialist, Player Health and Performance, San Diego Padres
- Megan Stewart, Lead Strategist of Movement Solutions, Milwaukee Brewers
- Will Vandenberg, Research Scientist, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Moderator: Will Carroll, Under the Knife columnist
Click here to learn more about our featured speakers and panelists.
Please note: All speakers are subject to change depending on availability.
Register now to join us at SABR Analytics Conference
Early registration is now open for the SABR Analytics Conference, which will be held in person from February 27-March 1, 2026, at the Beus Center for Law and Society on Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix Campus in Phoenix, Arizona.
We’ll bring together the top minds in the baseball analytics community to discuss, debate, and share insightful ways to analyze and examine the great game of baseball. Register today to join us!
- Registration: Click here to register for the 2026 SABR Analytics Conference. Early-bird registration is $395 for SABR members, $495 for non-members, and $150 for currently enrolled high school or college students. Student-only virtual registration is $50. Students should email Scott Carter with a photo of their student ID to receive the discounted registration link.
- Student Registration: Students should email Scott Carter with a photo of their student ID to receive a special link to register at a discounted rate. Students have the option of choosing virtual ($50) or in-person ($150) registration. Both include access to General Session panels and presentations on Friday, February 27 through Sunday, March 1, and a student-only virtual session on Thursday, February 26. All student registrations also include a one-year SABR membership ($25 value) and a complimentary Rapsodo Certified Course ($395 value). SABR membership will be fulfilled after event sign-up and access to Rapsodo course will be delivered after the conference.
- Speakers: Click here to learn more about our featured speakers and panelists.
- Diamond Dollars Case Competition: Click here to register your team for the 2026 Diamond Dollars Case Competition. Registration is $1,750 per team, which includes admission to all SABR Analytics Conference sessions and a one-year SABR membership for each participant. Chaperones and advisors looking to attend the conference should register themselves separately here.
- Research Presentations, presented by Teamworks Intelligence: Stay tuned for more details on the 2026 schedule of research presentations.
- Certification Courses: The first three courses in the online, on-demand SABR Analytics Certification program, including the newest offering Level Three – Introduction to Baseball Programming, are available now. Click here to learn more or to sign up.
Fourth course in SABR Analytics Certification program is now available
We’re excited to announce that the highly anticipated fourth course in the SABR Analytics Certification program is now available.
Level Four – Applied Statistics for Baseball introduces learners to the statistical foundations most relevant to baseball analytics and shows how to apply them using basic programming skills. The course builds the statistical intuition needed for data-driven decision-making in a career in data science and baseball analytics. Topics include probability, distributions, correlations, paired testing, regression analysis, model evaluation, and tree-based modeling, along with discussions of overfitting and bias. The course concludes with a final assignment in which learners create their own Stuff+ pitching model, an applied project suitable for comparison with industry approaches and inclusion in a professional portfolio. The new course is instructed by Rob Arthur, SABR member and data scientist who has consulted for three MLB teams, nonprofits, law firms, and a Fortune 500 company.
SABR’s first three certification courses, Level One – Conversational Analytics and Critical Thinking in Baseball; Level Two – Advanced Analytics in Baseball; and Level Three – Introduction to Baseball Programming; are also available online now.
To sign up, or to learn more about the Analytics Certification program, visit SABR.org/analytics/certification.
Join us for upcoming SABR Day events
Please mark your calendars for Saturday, January 31, 2026, when we will hold our annual SABR Day celebration! SABR Day is a way for all baseball fans to come together, regardless of where they live, and talk about the game we all love. Regional chapters are also encouraged to plan their own SABR Day events (virtually or in person) throughout the months of January or February to celebrate the start of a new baseball season.
On Saturday, January 31, we have SABR Day events scheduled for Boston, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Detroit, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Louisville, Naples (FL), Nashville, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland (OR), Rochester (NY), St. Louis, San Diego, San Francisco/Sacramento, Seattle, Toronto, Tulsa (OK), and Victoria (BC).
Chapter leaders, please email Jacob Pomrenke as you finalize your SABR Day plans so we can update our comprehensive schedule of events at SABR.org/sabrday.
- SABR Day this weekend in Atlanta and Baltimore: On Saturday, January 17, the Magnolia Chapter in Georgia will host its annual SABR Day event from 1:00-4:30 p.m. at the Dunwoody Public Library with Babe Ruth’s great-grandson, Brent Stevens, plus presentations by Sean Corcoran and Roby Barrow. On Monday, January 19, the Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter has an all-day SABR Day event from 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Peabody Heights Brewery featuring MLB’s Tyrone Brooks, Orioles executives Don Rovak and Sig Mejdal, writers Jane Leavy, Rich Dubroff, and Tom Hanrahan, and Canopy architectural project manager Benjamin Weingarten. Cost: $49 (includes lunch). All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Visit SABR.org/sabrday for complete details.
Subscribe to the Baseball Research Journal in 2026
In 2026, all SABR members exclusively receive the Baseball Research Journal electronically twice a year. The Spring 2026 issue will be sent out in April. However, if you are interested in a paperback copy of BRJ for your personal library, we have rolled out a subscription option at a significantly discounted rate: $7 per issue for members, compared to $19.95 at retail.
- To subscribe and receive a printed edition of BRJ, visit SABR.org/subscribe
(If you have any questions about your subscription, please email brjsubscribe@sabr.org.)
Click here for a short video on how to subscribe to printed copies of BRJ.
Registration now open for 2026 Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Conference
Registration is now open for the 17th annual SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference, which will be held on April 24-25, 2026, at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. All baseball fans are welcome to register for this special event.
- Registration: Click here to register online.
- Schedule: Click here to view the complete schedule for the 2026 Ivor-Campbell Conference.
- Research Presentations: Click here for research presentation abstracts.
The 2026 conference will be highlighted by a keynote address from author Bruce Allardice, along with a panel discussion on the evolution of early playing fields with Irwin Chusid, Thomas Gilbert, Jonathan Popovich, and moderator Bill Ryczek; a 19th-century artifact session with Robert Mayer, Gary Passamonte, and Jonathan Popovich; a Member Spotlight interview of Herm Krabbenhoft by Dave Newman; plus research presentations.
Visit SABR.org/ivor-campbell19c for more information.
Call for papers: 2026 SABR Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
SABR’s Negro Leagues Research Committee will host the 26th annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference on June 18-21, 2026, in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to two days of research presentations and player/author panels, attendees will also enjoy special presentations connected to our theme of “Black Baseball in the Land of the Delta Blues” and the city of Memphis.
This interdisciplinary conference welcomes proposals for oral and poster presentations from all research fields. Previous presenters have included college faculty, public school teachers, graduate students, and independent scholars. Presentations may focus on any topic related to the theme, or other Black baseball topics.
Please email your proposal as a Word attachment to Dr. Leslie Heaphy before March 2, 2026.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Apply for a SABR Local Grant in 2026
The SABR Local Grants program provides an opportunity for chapters, research committees, and chartered communities to apply for funding for their projects under SABR’s Four Pillars: Research, Scholarship, Preservation, and Future of the Game. Applications are now open for a 2026 SABR Local Grant at SABR.org/local-grants. Submissions will be accepted until February 20, 2026.
All SABR chapters, chartered communities, and research committees are eligible to apply. Individual SABR members and non-SABR groups are not eligible, so if you have an individual idea for a program grant, please follow up with your local chapter leadership or appropriate research committee to discuss an application.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
- Related link: Check out a new video by Jon Leonoudakis on the restoration of Lefty O’Doul’s grave marker in California, a 2025 Local Grant recipient
Negro Leagues executives added to SABR MLB Team Employee Database
SABR’s historical database of Major League Baseball team employees has been recently updated to include entries from the 2025 season and to add new entries for more than 250 people employed by major and independent Negro Leagues teams. The SABR MLB Team Employee Database, published through SABR’s Business of Baseball Committee, offers a unique lens into major league front and back offices, from team owners to ticket sales.
The MLB Team Employee Database is available for viewing to all SABR members on the Research Resources page. Browse or search by person, team, or season to learn more about the scope of baseball and business operations. All Negro Leagues information was provided by Seamheads.com.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Applications now open for new Research Grants program
In 2026, SABR will award a total of $10,000 in support of up to two research projects through its new SABR Research Grant initiative.
Research Grants are intended to support original scholarly work that aligns with our organization’s core mission: fostering the study, discussion, and understanding of all aspects of baseball. We invite proposals that deepen our knowledge of baseball from various disciplines, including (but not limited to) history and the broader humanities, analytics, data science, business, law, biomechanics, and kinesiology. Applications that support the completion of a lasting outcome, such as a peer-reviewed publication or public exhibit, are highly encouraged.
The deadline to apply is 8:00 p.m. Eastern on March 1, 2026. All researchers are welcome to apply.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
5 new stories published at SABR BioProject
- Ron Cey, by Joseph Wancho
- Jeremy Hellickson, by David Porter
- Bert Griffith, by Greg King
- Roy Hughes, by Bill Lamb
- Rube Vickers, by Stephen V. Rice
Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR Biography Project or to get involved.
6 new stories published at SABR Games Project
- August 15, 1941: Red Sox win game (by forfeit) despite Nationals scoring twice as many runs, by Bill Nowlin
- May 30, 1951: Ted Williams and Vern Stephens both have their ‘greatest day’ against Yankees in 15-inning Red Sox win, by Bill Nowlin
- September 17, 1953: Ted Williams gets pitch he wanted, wins game for the Red Sox, by Bill Nowlin
- June 5, 1987: Freshman Paul Carey’s walk-off grand slam propels Stanford toward College World Series championship, by Jake Bell
- June 10, 2005: Orioles beat Reds in first matchup of three members of 500-homer club, by Barry Sears (first-time author)
- May 16, 2008: Jayson Werth’s three-homer game powers Phillies’ win over Blue Jays, by Steve Ginader
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
Native American Major Leaguers
Edited by Rob Daugherty and Bill Nowlin
Visit SABR.org to download the free e-book edition or save 50% off the paperback edition of all Digital Library books.
Here are some SABR headlines from recent weeks that we don’t want you to miss:
- Save the date! SABR 54 will be in Cleveland in 2026
- SABR appoints Pat Filippone as Treasurer of Board of Directors
- Read articles from the Fall 2025 Baseball Research Journal online
- Gary, Vicki Gillette make gift to support Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference through 2030
- Dan Levitt appointed as President of Board of Directors
- SABR welcomes new Town Ball research committee
- Learn more about new SABR Institutional Memberships
- Negro Leagues statistics added to SABR Lahman Baseball Database
- Read SABR biographies of 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame candidates
- View a collection of nearly 100,000 player surveys in the new Weiss Baseball Questionnaires collection
- SABR Digital Library: Stan Musial
- Hundreds of ProQuest US newspapers added to SABR Research Resources
- Find complete collection of SABR-Rucker Archive baseball images online
- Get a gift for baseball fan in your life with the SABR Store @ CafePress
Please give a warm welcome to all new SABR members who joined this week! View more Members-Only resources at members.sabr.org or click here to download the Membership Handbook. Find contact information for any SABR member in the online Membership Directory.
| NAME | HOMETOWN | NAME | HOMETOWN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Aber | Brookline, MA | Daesung Jung | Seoul, KOR | ||
| John Ahrens | Overland Park, KS | Kyle Kinney | Columbus, OH | ||
| Christopher Amistadi | Portland, OR | Jim Kolsky | Modesto, CA | ||
| Alexandria Barajas | Jurupa Valley, CA | Don Lavalette | Claremont, NH | ||
| Michael Berry | Baltimore, MD | Todd Martin | Cockeysville, MD | ||
| Brayden Burks | Santa Maria, CA | Beth Mays | Atlanta, GA | ||
| Logan Burwell | Madison, WI | Erin McCarthy | Wilmette, IL | ||
| Gerard Costantian | Las Vegas, NV | Joseph Morgan | Davenport, FL | ||
| Jennifer Cronkright | Hadley, MI | Gavin Pastreich | Glen Mills, PA | ||
| Kylah Davenport | Norfolk, VA | Theron Roe | Eugene, OR | ||
| John Dawson | Iowa City, IA | Gerry Roe | Forest Grove, OR | ||
| Megan Dignam | Mays Landing, NJ | Ally Schwartz | Ithaca, NY | ||
| Ryan Dooley | Loveland, OH | Thomas Seagull | Tokyo, JPN | ||
| Michael Eggleton | White Hall, AR | Micah Seliger | Columbia, MD | ||
| Sam Falkoff | Lowell, MA | Dana Tritz | Ann Arbor, MI | ||
| Benjamin Gross | Olean, NY | Bill Van Alstyne | Middle Grove, NY | ||
| Aurora Holland | Durham, NH | Nava Wolfish | Toronto, ON | ||
| Adam Hopps | Escondido, CA | Kathryn Yalch | Gainesville, FL |
- Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from Jack Bales (“The Original Mr. Cub: Jimmy Wood”); Steve Rennie (“Baseball on Ice in the 19th Century Arctic”); and David Firstman (“Khris Davis: Mr. .247”). Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- January 18: Town Ball Research Committee meeting (3:00 p.m. CST)
- January 19: Clyde Sukeforth (NH/ME) Chapter meeting with Eric Vickrey (7:00 p.m. EST)
- January 19: Larry Dierker (TX) Chapter meeting with Kevin Hurd (7:00 p.m. CST)
- January 22: Games and Simulations Committee meeting with Brian Davis (8:00 p.m. EST)
- January 22: Southwest Florida Chapter meeting with Louis Schiff (8:00 p.m. EST)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- January 17: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
- January 17: Magnolia Chapter SABR Day event (Dunwoody, GA)
- January 19: Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter: SABR Day event (Baltimore, MD)
- January 22: Boston Chapter meeting (Boston, MA)
- January 24: Bob Davids Chapter SABR Day event (Falls Church, VA)
- January 24: Schott-Pelican Chapter SABR Day meeting (New Orleans, LA)
- January 24: Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter lunch meeting (Glen Ellyn, IL)
- January 24: Monarchs Chapter SABR Day meeting (Kansas City, MO)
- January 24: Rob Fitts author event (Rhinebeck, NY)
- January 25: Baseball Mensch: The Marty Lurie Story film screening (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Biographical Research: December 2025 newsletter
- Games and Simulations: All SABR members are invited to participate in a weekly transaction Fantasy Baseball 5×5 league in 2026. Click here to learn more, including league rules and additional information. Limited availability. Contact Derek Bain or Jack Snyder if you are interested.
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter: Winter 2026 newsletter (Baltimore, MD)
- Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter: Winter 2026 newsletter (Chicago, IL)
- Rogers Hornsby Chapter: January 2026 newsletter (Austin, TX)
Sign up for SABR chapter announcements at SABR.org/chapters.
Click here to learn more about SABR chartered communities.
Here are some recent articles published by and about SABR members:
- Mark Simon: Which Franchise Can Put Out The Best Defensive 9-Man Group? (Sports Info Solutions)
- Davy Andrews: How Steven Kwan Keeps Earning Gold Gloves (FanGraphs)
- Ben Lindbergh: The Dodgers Are ‘Breaking Baseball’ Again (The Ringer)
- Manny Randhawa: Luisangel Acuña’s 4-homer game unprecedented in Venezuela (MLB.com)
- Daniel R. Epstein: Goodbye Options, Hello Opportunities—Hitters (Baseball Prospectus)
- Derrick Goold: Once certain he’d retire a Cardinal, Nolan Arenado felt ‘in the way’ as team took detour (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- Tyler Kepner: There won’t be a new pitcher in Cooperstown in 2026. But King Félix and Cole Hamels are warming up (The Athletic)
- Jayson Stark: My 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot — change is coming to Cooperstown (The Athletic)
- Jay Jaffe: JAWS and the 2026 Hall of Fame Ballot: Howie Kendrick (FanGraphs)
- David Laurila: For Nationals Prospect Seaver King, Discipline Is the Key to His Ceiling (FanGraphs)
- Eno Sarris: The Royals are bringing in the walls. What does that mean for their hitters and pitchers? (The Athletic)
- Michael Rosen: Reliever Contracts Make Plenty of Sense (FanGraphs)
- Gary Cieradkowski: Carl Mays: An unpleasant man and his unpleasant pitch (Infinite Baseball Card Set)
- Steven Goldman: Baseball Teams Are Very Small Countries (Baseball Prospectus)
- Peter Hartlaub: Is there a future for S.F.’s dead mall on Market? An 1800s ballpark offers hope (San Francisco Chronicle)
- Gary Ashwill: The Other Silvio García (Agate Type)
- Katie Bartlett: Donna Roberts: A League of Her Own (Flathead Beacon)
- Jeff Cohen/Len Aberman: Baseball and BBQ interview with with Ray Negron (Baseball and BBQ)
- Jason Schwartz: Overanalyzing the 1909-1913 Sporting News (M101-2) Supplements (SABR Baseball Cards)
- Steven Wisensale: The Cold War, a Red Scare, and the New York Giants’ Historic Tour of Japan in 1953 (SABR Asian Baseball)
- Thomas Love Seagull: Japan’s Favorite Former Ballplayers: Alex Ramirez (SABR Asian Baseball)
- Tae-in Chun: From Dongdaemun Alleyways to the KBO Official Ball: The Present of Korean Baseball Brands (SABR Asian Baseball)
Please note: Some articles may require a separate subscription to view online. SABR does not endorse, and is not responsible or liable for, any content that appears on a third-party website.
This Week in SABR is compiled by Jacob Pomrenke. If you would like us to include an upcoming event, article, or any other information in “This Week in SABR,” e-mail jpomrenke@sabr.org. To find past editions of TWIS, click here.
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Originally published: January 16, 2026. Last Updated: January 16, 2026.