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This Week in SABR: February 18, 2022

This Week in SABR: February 18, 2022

Welcome to “This Week in SABR!” Click here to view this week’s newsletter on the web. Here’s what we’ve been up to as of February 18, 2022:


2022 SABR Virtual Analytics Conference: The Technical Side of Being an Analyst

2022 SABR Analytics: The Technical Side of Being an Analyst panelSABR is excited to announce a new panel for the 2022 SABR Virtual Analytics Conference, presented by Major League Baseball and Rawlings. The conference, which is open to all baseball fans, is scheduled for March 17-20, 2022. Register today to join us!

The Technical Side of Being an Analyst panel, which will be held on Friday, March 18, is expected to include:

  • Karim Kassam, Director of Product and Strategy, Zelus Analytics
  • Maggie O’Hara, Senior Analyst in Baseball Operations, Detroit Tigers
  • Nick Wan, Director of Analytics, Cincinnati Reds
  • Moderator: Dan Aucoin, Chief Research Officer, Driveline Baseball

Please note: All speakers are subject to change depending on availability.

The Virtual Analytics Conference schedule consists of research presentations and guest speakers from throughout the baseball analytics community, career development sessions led by experienced sports professionals, and industry networking opportunities — all available online for any aspiring front office executive or baseball fan to attend from the comfort of home. Students will have opportunities for skill acquisition and development, including sessions on how to work with baseball-related data sets as well as databasing and SQL.

  • Registration: Click here to register for the 2022 SABR Virtual Analytics Conference. Registration is $100 for SABR members, $125 for non-members, and $50 for currently enrolled high school or college students (includes one-year SABR membership). Please note: The early-bird registration discount is no longer available.
  • 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.

Stay tuned for more information on speakers, panelists, and presenters soon! Visit SABR.org/analytics to learn more or to register.


2022 SABR Virtual Analytics Conference: Student Programming

SABR Virtual Analytics ConferenceWe’re excited to announce initial student programming for the SABR Virtual Analytics Conference, presented by Major League Baseball and Rawlings. Available to currently enrolled high school or college students, panel, this slate of student-specific presentations is geared toward those looking to gain an edge in breaking into the ultra-competitive baseball industry. Student programming is expected to include:

  • Introduction to Baseball Databases: Sean Lahman, SABR
  • Working with Baseball-Reference Data: Jonah Gardner, Sports Reference
  • Working with Baseball Savant and R: Josh Keen, Baseball Operations Analyst, MLB
  • SLICED with SABR: Nick Wan, Director of Analytics, Cincinnati Reds

Please note: All speakers are subject to change depending on availability.

In addition to these presentations, student attendees also have access to all general Analytics Conference programming, as well as student-only networking and job opportunity sessions during the event.

Currently enrolled high school or college students are eligible to attend for a special $50 registration fee laden with benefits. Student registration includes a one-year SABR membership ($25 value), a complimentary Rapsodo certification course ($395 value), and a live webinar with Rapsodo staff available exclusively to Analytics Conference student attendees.

Visit SABR.org/analytics to learn more or to register.


Call for nominations: 2022 SABR Board of Directors election

SABR logoThe SABR Nominating Committee is now seeking nominations for candidates for the 2022 elections. To be eligible for the Board of Directors, candidates must have been members of the Society for at least the preceding four years. The deadline for nominations is March 18, 2022.

The offices to be filled:

  • Vice President (2-year term; currently Leslie Heaphy)
  • Director (3-year term; currently Bill Nowlin)
  • Director (3-year term; currently Allison Levin)

Nominees must prepare a Candidate Statement Form following guidelines that will be available from any Nominating Committee member and must be received by the Nominating Committee chair no later than April 15, 2022. Self-nominations are welcome. If you would like to nominate yourself or another candidate or suggest a question for the candidates, contact Nominating Committee chair Anthony Salazar at salazar8017@yahoo.com.


Sign up now for SABR Analytics Certification online course

Watch on YouTube: SABR Analytics Certification previewIt’s time to get SABR Certified! The first course in the new SABR Analytics Certification program — Conversational Analytics and Critical Thinking in Baseball — is available online now.

The SABR Analytics Certification program is an online, on-demand curriculum offering professional development and learning opportunities for those interested in elevating their skills and knowledge relating to baseball analytics. The curriculum was developed by current baseball professionals, including employees of Major League Baseball and its clubs.

SABR members get a significant discount on this Analytics Certification course registration, saving $55 off the regular price.

Visit SABR.org/analytics/certification to sign up today or learn more.


Pre-register now for Ballpark Figures with author Jessica Luther

Ballpark Figures with Shakeia Taylor and Jessica LutherJoin us each month for SABR’s Ballpark Figures, a new interview series hosted by award-winning writer Shakeia Taylor. The virtual Zoom event is free and open to all active SABR members.

At 8:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 3, we’ll hear from Jessica Luther, an investigative journalist who has written extensively on the intersection of sports and gendered violence. Her work has appeared at Texas Monthly, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and many other publications. She is the author of Loving Sports When They Don’t Love You Back: Dilemmas of the Modern Sports Fan (with Kavitha Davidson) and Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape. She also co-hosts a weekly feminist sports podcast, Burn It All Down.

Taylor is a Chicago-based baseball historian and freelance writer whose work has appeared at SB Nation, FanGraphs, Baseball Prospectus, MLB.com, Yahoo! Sports, and other outlets. She was a recipient of the 2021 SABR Analytics Conference Research Award for historical baseball analysis/commentary.

Visit SABR.org/ballpark-figures to learn more.


SABR 50: Call for Presentations

SABR 50 logoSABR invites all members to present their research findings to their colleagues attending SABR 50, the 2022 annual convention in Baltimore.

  • Click here to submit abstracts for SABR 50: http://bit.ly/sabr50-submissions
    The submission deadline for SABR 50 abstracts is midnight PST on Friday, March 4, 2022.

SABR 50 is scheduled to be held August 17-21, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor in Baltimore. Early registration rates and hotel information will be available soon at SABR.org/convention.

Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.


Register now for 2022 Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference in Birmingham

2022 SABR Jerry Malloy Negro League ConferenceEarly registration is now open for SABR’s annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference, which will be held on June 2-4, 2022, at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel in Birmingham, Alabama. All baseball fans are welcome to attend.

Hosted by SABR’s Negro Leagues Committee, the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference promotes activities to enhance scholarly, educational, and literary objectives. Since 1998, the event has been the only symposium dedicated exclusively to the examination and promotion of Black baseball history. The conference is open to baseball and history fans of all ages.

  • Register: Click here to register online for the 2022 Malloy Conference. Full registration is $175 before April 29, $195 afterward. Students: $125 before April 29, $140 afterward. Single-day registration is also available for $75 for Friday or Saturday. Extra tickets can be purchased for the Rickwood Field bus tours, Thursday’s “meet and greet” reception, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Tour, or the awards banquet on Saturday night. All of these sessions are included in the full registration package.
  • Hotel: Click here to book your room online at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel at the special group rate of $155/night (plus tax). Our host hotel is located at 2101 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd., North Birmingham, AL 35203. Call (205) 324-5000 for questions about your hotel reservation.
  • Call for papers: We welcome proposals for oral and poster presentations from all research fields. Presentations may focus on any topic related to the Negro League centennial, black baseball in Birmingham, or other related topics, especially the Negro Southern League. Please email your proposal as a Word attachment to Dr. Leslie Heaphy at Lheaphy@kent.edu before March 1, 2022. Click here for more details.
  • COVID-19 policy: All attendees must supply proof of a negative test. Those who can provide proof of vaccination are exempt from this requirement. Attendees will be required to follow any additional local public health declarations, including mask mandates. Click here to learn more.
  • Contact: For questions, email Larry Lester or Leslie Heaphy.

Visit SABR.org/malloy to learn more.


Apply now to participate in the 2022 Diamond Dollars Virtual Case Competition

2020 Diamond Dollars Case Competition winners: Virginia TechThe 2022 Diamond Dollars Case Competition will be held online beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET on Friday, March 18, 2022, as part of the SABR Virtual Analytics Conference. Four- to five-person student teams are asked to evaluate a baseball operations case problem. The student team presents their analysis and recommendations to a panel of judges that includes MLB front office executives.

Visit SABR.org/analytics/case to learn more.


Download your free copy of The Negro Leagues are Major Leagues book from SABR, Sports Reference

The Negro Leagues Are Major Leagues book coverWe hope you enjoy this significant collection of essays on the Negro Leagues, produced by SABR and Sports Reference:

The Negro Leagues are Major Leagues: Essays and Research for Overdue Recognition
Edited by Sean Forman and Cecilia M. Tan
Associate Editors: Scott Bush, Adam Darowski, Caitlin Moyer, Jacob Pomrenke
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-970159-62-2, $9.99
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-970159-63-9, $19.99
8.5″ x 11″, 176 pages

Click here to read the full description of this book at SABR.org.

SABR members, get this e-book for FREE!

Having trouble downloading our e-books? To view PDF files on your computer, click here to download the free Adobe Reader software. Having trouble downloading e-books to your Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader or iPad? Click here for additional help.


Register now for the 2022 SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Conference

SABR Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference (ERIC MIKLICH)Registration is now open for the 13th annual SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference, which will be held on April 29-30, 2022, at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. All baseball fans are welcome to register for this special event.

The 2022 conference will be highlighted by a keynote address from author Thomas Gilbert, along with a panel discussion on owner Chris Von Der Ahe with Tom Hetrick, Dennis Thiessen, Paul Browne, and moderator Bill Ryczek; a special presentation by Jonathan Popovich on “A Game of Ball: Reconstructing The Elysian Fields, 1845-1865”; a Member Spotlight interview of Dixie Tourangeau by Bob Bailey; plus research presentations.

To learn more about the conference, visit SABR.org/ivor-campbell19c.


Dr. James Beckett selected as winner of 2022 SABR Jefferson Burdick Award

Dr. James Beckett (TRADING CARD DB)Dr. James Beckett was selected as the winner of the 2022 Jefferson Burdick Award, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the baseball card hobby, by SABR’s Baseball Cards Research Committee.

For an entire generation of collectors beginning in 1984, cracking open the latest Beckett Monthly was a ritual as exciting if not more than ripping actual packs of cards. Which new players made the Hot List? How much did the year’s most expensive rookie cards go up? Instant access to the latest prices, which almost always went up, rarely down, surely had its drawbacks. What collector of a certain age doesn’t regret trading away a prized Sandy Koufax or Henry Aaron for high numbers Todd Zeile or Donruss Eric Davis rookie?

After nearly four decades as the CEO of Beckett Inc., Dr. James Beckett built what can rightly be called a multisport hobby empire, one that today includes publications, grading services, livestreams, a marketplace, and a large, vibrant collecting community.

Click here to read more about Beckett’s career and legacy at the SABR Baseball Cards Blog.


Check out nominees for 2022 SABR Overlooked 19th Century Legend election

John "Bud" Fowler, SABR's 2020 Overlooked 19th Century Legend who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2022 (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)Each year, SABR’s Nineteenth Century Research Committee selects its Overlooked 19th Century Base Ball Legend — a 19th century player, manager, executive or other baseball personality not yet inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

The winner is typically announced at the Nineteenth Century Committee’s annual meeting at the SABR convention. The Hall of Fame’s Early Baseball Committee, which votes on eligible candidates for induction whose greatest contributions to the game were realized prior to 1950, is next scheduled to vote in 2030.

Click here to learn more about the Overlooked Legends project at SABR.org.


Join us for more Stay Home With SABR virtual events

SABR Day 2022: Ila Borders, Jasmine Dunston, Sara SanchezSABR chapters and committees are encouraged to set up virtual meetings to stay engaged with our members throughout the world at SABR.org, as part of our Stay Home With SABR initiative to assist in limiting the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

  • Can’t-Miss Event: SABR’s Ken Keltner and Emil Rothe Chapters will hold a virtual SABR Day meeting on Saturday, February 19, at 2:00 PM Central Time. All baseball fans are invited to attend this free Zoom event. Our special guests include Ila Borders, author of Making My Pitch: A Woman’s Baseball Odyssey; Jasmine Dunston, Chicago White Sox Director of Minor League Operations; and Sara Sanchez of Bleed Cubbie Blue and FanGraphs. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion of their baseball experiences. Click here to register in advance for this Zoom meeting.
  • Video Replays: This week, we posted more highlights from SABR Day events around the globe, and also heard from author Rob Neyer and the Hank Gowdy (Columbus) Chapter held a book club meeting. Click here to view more video replays of virtual SABR events.

Here are some more upcoming virtual events you can attend online; check the Events Calendar for complete details:

  • February 19: Larry Lester: Black Baseball’s National Showcase: The East-West All-Star Game (12:00 p.m. EST)
  • February 19: San Diego Ted Williams Chapter meeting with Jack Bales (10:00 a.m. PST)
  • February 19: Ken Keltner/Emil Rothe Chapter SABR Day meeting with Ila Borders, Jasmine Dunston and Sara Sanchez (2:00 p.m. CST)
  • February 21: Elysian Fields (NJ) Chapter meeting with Paul Hensler and Bill Ryczek (7:30 p.m. EST)
  • February 21: Halsey Hall (MN) Chapter research committee meeting (7:00 p.m. CST)
  • February 21: Juan Marichal (DOM) Chapter meeting with Julio Rodriguez (8:00 p.m. EST)
  • February 22: The Negro Leagues are Major Leagues panel discussion with Ray Doswell, Larry Lester, Adrian Burgos Jr., Gary Ashwill, and Adam Darowski (8:00 p.m. EST)
  • February 23: Cliff Kachline-Cooperstown Chapter meeting with Joyce Thomas (8:00 p.m. EST)
  • February 27: Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter meeting (7:00 p.m. EST)
  • February 28: Northwest Ohio Chapter book club meeting (6:00 p.m. EST)
  • February 28: Elysian Fields (NJ) Chapter meeting (7:30 p.m. EST)

In addition, the following events will be held in person:

  • February 19: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
  • February 19: Connie Mack-Dick Allen Chapter meeting (Philadelphia, PA)
  • February 19: Monarchs Chapter meeting (Kansas City, MO)
  • February 21: Larry Dierker Chapter meeting (Houston, TX)
  • February 26: Pee Wee Reese Chapter meeting (Louisville, KY)

Find more upcoming SABR meetings on our Events Calendar page.


SABRcast with Rob Neyer: Listen to an interview with author Allen Barra

SABRcast #149: Allen BarraBaseball fans, tune in this season to SABRcast with Rob Neyer, a weekly podcast hosted by award-winning author and longtime SABR member Rob Neyer.

Episode #149 on Monday, February 14 featured Allen Barra, the author of several acclaimed sports books, including Mickey and Willie: The Parallel Lives of the Golden Age of Baseball, which was nominated for a PEN/ESPN award for literary sportswriting. He has also written Rickwood Field: A Century in America’s Oldest Ballpark, Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee, and Clearing the Bases. He has written about sports for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Sports Illustrated, and about books and film for The Daily Beast, The Atlantic, Salon, and the New Republic.

Visit SABR.org/sabrcast to listen to the full episode.

Subscribe to SABRcast on your favorite podcast networks, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, or Stitcher, and listen to each episode as soon as it’s released on Mondays. To learn more, visit SABR.org/sabrcast.


9 new biographies posted at SABR BioProject

Ichiro Suzuki (SEATTLE MARINERS)Nine new biographies were posted this week as part of the SABR Baseball Biography Project. Here are the new bios published this week:

All new biographies can be found here: SABR.org/bioproject


18 new stories published at the SABR Games Project

Elston Howard (TRADING CARD DB)Eighteen new game stories were posted this week as part of the SABR Games Project, including a selection from our SABR Digital Library book, Jackie: Perspectives on 42. Here are the new game stories:

New Games Project stories can be found at SABR.org/gamesproject.

  • Get involved: Have memories of a game you attended? Or a game you watched that caught your interest? Write about it! Writing for the Games Project is an easy way to get involved as a SABR member. Find out how by reading the Games Project FAQs section or checking out the Authors’ Guidelines. We have editors and fact checkers who are willing to help you write your first article.
  • Social media: Follow the SABR Games Project on Twitter or Facebook to keep up with new stories and updates.

Listen to a new episode of Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM on Saturdays

Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM with Vince GennaroBehind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM, a radio show hosted by former SABR Board President Vince Gennaro, is back at a new time. Listen to new episodes at 4:00-5:00 p.m. ET on Saturdays on MLB Network Radio.

You can also listen to archives of recent episodes on-demand on the SiriusXM Internet Radio app.

Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM focuses on examining and interpreting the statistical analysis that plays a critical role in baseball today. It airs weekly throughout the year on MLB Network Radio, available to subscribers nationwide on XM channel 89, Sirius channel 209, and on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App.


January 12 Board minutes posted

Minutes from the Board of Directors virtual meeting on January 12, 2022, have now been posted on the SABR website.

You can view all past minutes of SABR Board meetings by clicking on the link below:

https://profile.sabr.org/board-minutes

Or you can go to the Members’ Info page and click on “Org. files”, then “Board Minutes” to view the minutes.


ICYMI: Highlights from last week’s This Week in SABR

Here are some major headlines from recent weeks that we don’t want you to miss:

All previous editions of This Week in SABR can be found here: SABR.org/this-week-in-sabr-archives.


Welcome, new members!

We’d like to welcome all of our new SABR members who have joined this week. You can find all Members-Only resources at members.sabr.org and the Membership Handbook can be downloaded here.

Please give these new members a warm welcome and help them make the most of their membership by giving them the opportunity to get involved in their local chapter or a research committee.

You can find contact information for any SABR member in the online Membership Directory.

Name Hometown     Name Hometown
Owen Althouse Chapel Hill, NC     Don Kennedy Higginsville, MO
Nick Anderson Kirkland, WA     Donovan Nelson Albany, MO
Geoff Cochran Sacramento, CA     Davis Page Fountain Valley, CA
Scott Cowan Wenatchee, WA     Tom Parker Kernersville, NC
Justin Daugherty Clarendon Hills, IL     Oreidis Pimentel Perez Camaguey, CUB
Reginald Green Cedar Falls, IA     Anthony Spencer Columbus, OH
Colin Hardy Syracuse, NY     Phillip Tutor Anniston, AL

Research Committee news

Here are the new research committee updates this week:

Find all SABR research committee newsletters at SABR.org/research/committees.


Regional Chapter news

Here are the new regional chapter and chartered community updates this week:

Visit SABR.org/chapters for more information on SABR regional chapters.


Around the Web

Here are some recent articles published by and about SABR members:

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.

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Originally published: February 18, 2022. Last Updated: February 23, 2022.