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This Week in SABR: February 25, 2022

This Week in SABR: February 25, 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 25, 2022:


Seven baseball projects to receive SABR Local Grants in 2022

SABR logoSABR is pleased to announce the recipients of Local Grants in 2022:

  • Central Florida Chapter (Tampa, FL): Kelly Field Historical Marker
  • Cliff Kachline Chapter (Cooperstown, NY): Glovers Park Museum Display
  • Forbes Field Chapter (Pittsburgh, PA): Three Rivers Stadium Second Base Marker
  • Halsey Hall Chapter (Minneapolis, MN): Minnesota History Day Award
  • Jack Graney Chapter (Cleveland, OH): Capturing and Visiting Cleveland’s Baseball History
  • Rickwood Field Chapter (Birmingham, AL): Rickwood Field Outfield Wall Repainting
  • Southern Michigan Chapter (Detroit, MI): Southern Michigan Baseball Passport

Click here to learn more about each of these projects at SABR.org.

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. In total, more than $10,000 in SABR Local Grants will be awarded in 2022.

“It is inspiring to see the energy and ideas brought forth by our chapters and research committees,” SABR CEO Scott Bush said. “While we were not able to fund each project that was submitted this year, it is clear that our members want to expand their engagement with their local communities. We will find ways to increase Local Grants funding in future years.”

To learn more about the Local Grants program, visit SABR.org/local-grants.


2022 SABR Virtual Analytics Conference: MLB FieldVision Demo and Deep Dive

2022 SABR Analytics: MLB FieldVision 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 MLB FieldVision Demo and Deep Dive panel, which will be held on Saturday, March 19, is expected to include:

  • Joel Feinberg, Senior Product Manager, Major League Baseball
  • Josh Frost, Vice President of Product Management, Baseball Data, MLB
  • Sid Sethupathi, Software Engineer, MLB
  • Moderator: Ben Jedlovec, Senior Director, Baseball Data Platform Product, MLB

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.

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: Research Presentations

2022 SABR Virtual Analytics ConferenceSABR and Sports Info Solutions are pleased to announce the list of research presentations for the SABR Virtual Analytics Conference on March 17-20, 2022. All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Register today to join us!

Abstracts and presenter bios for each research presentation will be available soon.

  • Scott Brave, Andrew Butters, Kevin Roberts, “Rebuilding Competitive Balance in MLB A Multi-dimensional Perspective”
  • Ryan Crotin, Jonathan Swolik, Gene Brewer, Glenn Fleisig, “Biomechanical Predictors of Pitch Efficiency in Professional and Collegiate Pitchers”
  • Glenn Fleisig, “Emerging Technologies in Biomechanics are Changing Baseball”
  • David Hyland, “Rounding Second – A probabilistic Investigation of the MLB Modified Extra innings Rule”
  • Jeremy Losak, Andy Weinbach, Rodney Paul, “Behavioral Biases in Daily Fantasy Baseball: The Case of the Hot Hand”
  • Rob Mains, “The Third-Time-Through-The-Order Penalty Is Worse Than You Thought”
  • Alan Nathan, “How Do Drag and Spin Affect the Flight of a Baseball?”
  • Kristen Nicholson, “Machine Learning and Statistical Prediction of Fastball Velocity with Biomechanical Predictors”
  • Hillary Plummer, “Hip Abductor Strength Asymmetry: Relationship to Upper Extremity Injury in Professional Baseball Players”
  • David Schmerfeld, “Measuring the 6%: Using Generalized Linear Mixed Models to Compare DRS, UZR, FRAA, and Statcast Team Season Fielding Metrics”
  • Megan Stewart, “Biomechanical Effects of Foot Placement During Pitching”
  • Jason Themanson, “Neuroscience at the Plate: Neural Activity during Computerized Task is Related with In-Game Hitting Performance”

Student Track

  • Joshua Mould and David Anderson, “Quantifying Hitter Plate Discipline in Major League Baseball”
  • Xander Schwartz, “Improving Batter-Pitcher At-Bat Modeling Using K-Means Clustering and Mixture Models”
  • Sean Sullivan, “Exit Velocity Over Expected: An Evaluation of MLB Batted Ball Data”
  • Julia Wapner, Charlie Young, David Dalpiaz, Daniel Eck, “SEAM Methodology for Context-Rich Player Matchup Evaluations in Baseball”

To register for the conference, or for more information, visit SABR.org/analytics.


Call for nominations: 2022 SABR Board of Directors election

The 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.


SABR Digital Library: Dominicans in the Major Leagues

SABR Digital Library: Dominicans in the Major LeaguesAdd a new baseball book to your collection from the SABR Digital Library:

Dominicans in the Major Leagues
Dominicanos en las Ligas Mayores
Edited by Bill Nowlin and Julio M. Rodriguez

Associate Editors: Len Levin and Carl Riechers
Spanish translations by Reynaldo Cruz
8.5″ x 11″, 432 pages
Available in English and in Spanish language editions

Any fan of present-day Major League Baseball recognizes that the Dominican Republic is well-represented by many key players throughout the sport. Around 800 natives of the Dominican Republic have played in the majors—a full 300 more than any other country, aside from the United States.

The first was Pedro Alejandro San, who pitched in the Eastern Colored League in 1926 for the Cuban Stars East. He was joined on the team the following year by Tetelo Vargas. A few years later, shortstop Horacio “Rabbit” Martinez joined the New York Cubans in 1935. Martinez took part in five Negro League All-Star Games.

The first Dominican to play in either the National or American League was Osvaldo “Ozzie” Virgil, in 1956 with the New York Giants, beginning a nine-year career.

In 1983, Juan Marichal — like Virgil, coming from Montecristi — became the first Dominican inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. He has since been joined by Pedro Martinez and Vladimir Guerrero, and no one doubts that many more will follow, as Dominican stars continue to shine in the major leagues.

This book was created through the combined efforts of 41 members of the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) and gathers biographies of 54 Dominican players, including not only the aforementioned players, but also David Ortiz, Felipe, Jesús, and Matty Alou, Sammy Sosa, Raul Mondesi, and Fernando Tatis. Also included is a recap of the Dominican team’s passionate, action-packed sweep of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

SABR members, get this e-book for FREE!

En español!

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.


SABR welcomes Podcasters Clubhouse as new chartered community

SABR is pleased to welcome the Podcasters Clubhouse as a new online chartered community. All SABR members are invited to sign up for email announcements or participate in the group discussion forum.

The Podcasters Clubhouse, led by Nicholas Guarna, is a collaborative platform for sports podcasters to share information and ideas, provide advice and mentorship, and leverage SABR resources to create baseball content. Our goal is to build and grow a community that supports and recognizes those who host and produce baseball podcasts — similar to long-standing associations of writers and broadcasters. We believe that a diverse, inclusive membership strengthens our cause.

To learn more about SABR’s chartered communities, click here.


SABR welcomes new regional chapter in Central Illinois

University of Illinois baseball (Photo: Joel Dinda / Flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0)SABR’s Board of Directors has approved the formation of a new regional chapter. The Central Illinois Chapter serves members in Urbana-Champaign and surrounding areas; the chapter leaders are Chad Kahl and Ryan Van Der Karr.

To sign up for chapter email announcements and receive instant notification of upcoming SABR events in your area, click here to select from the list of chapters, then click “Join Group” () at the top of the chapter page. All SABR members are eligible to sign up for announcements from any chapter or committee.

SABR’s 82 regional chapters cover 39 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.; plus international chapters in Canada (Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia), Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Latin America (Venezuela, Dominican Republic), the United Kingdom, Europe (Netherlands), and Italy. For a list of all SABR chapters, visit SABR.org/chapters.


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.


Submit your questions for Ballpark Figures next week with author Jessica Luther

Ballpark Figures with Shakeia Taylor and Jessica LutherJoin us next week 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.

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.


1 week left to submit SABR 50 research presentation abstracts

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.


Last call to register 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.


Join us for more Stay Home With SABR virtual events

Kiona Sinks, Negro Leagues Baseball MuseumSABR 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 Pacific Northwest Chapter will hold a virtual Zoom meeting at 6:00 p.m. PST on Tuesday, March 1. All baseball fans are invited to attend. We’ll be joined by Kiona Sinks, Community Engagement & Digital Strategy Manager at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. She will share with us what’s in store at the NLBM in 2022, update us on major projects/exhibits, and field our questions. 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 Joyce Thomas (on her father Clifford S. Kachline, SABR founding member), author Jack Bales (The Chicago Cub Shot For Love), pitching pioneer Ila Borders (Making My Pitch: A Woman’s Baseball Odyssey), Jasmine Dunston of the Chicago White Sox; and Sara Sanchez of Bleed Cubbie Blue. 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 27: Baltimore Babe Ruth (MD) Chapter meeting (7:00 p.m. EST)
  • February 27: Robinson-Kell (AR) Chapter meeting with Caleb Hardwick and Larry Lester (7:00 p.m. CST)
  • 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)
  • March 1: Pacific Northwest (WA) Chapter meeting with Kiona Sinks (6:00 p.m. PST)
  • March 2: Baltimore Babe Ruth (MD) Chapter meeting with Mike Gimbel (7:00 p.m. EST)
  • March 3: Ballpark Figures with Shakeia Taylor and Jessica Luther (8:00 p.m. EST)
  • March 5: Talkin’ Baseball with Clayton Trutor (9:00 a.m. EST)
  • March 5: Quebec Chapter meeting with Jean Allard, Marc Griffin, and Éric Cyr (1:00 p.m. EST)

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

  • February 26: Pee Wee Reese Chapter meeting (Louisville, KY)
  • March 2: Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter fellowship meeting (St. Louis, MO)
  • March 2: Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter meeting (Tallahassee, FL)
  • March 2-5: NINE Spring Training Conference (Tempe, AZ)

Find more upcoming SABR meetings on our Events Calendar page.


SABRcast with Rob Neyer: Listen to an interview with artist Gary Cieradkowski

SABRcast #150: Gary CieradkowskiBaseball 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 #150 on Monday, February 21 featured Gary Cieradkowski, an award-winning graphic artist and creator of the new 21: Illustrated Journal of Outsider Baseball. He is also the author of The League of Outsider Baseball: An Illustrated History of Baseball’s Forgotten Heroes and posts new stories and illustrations online regularly as part of The Infinite Baseball Card Set. His designs and illustrations can also be found at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Wrigley Field, Ebbets Field Flannels, and the Federal League-themed Smoke Justis bar and restaurant in Northern Kentucky, where he lives with his wife Andrea.

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.


4 new biographies posted at SABR BioProject

Pascual Pérez (TRADING CARD DB)Four 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


13 new stories published at the SABR Games Project

Juan Uribe (Derral Chen / Flickr.com (CC BY-SA 2.0))Thirteen new game stories were posted this week as part of the SABR Games Project, including more selections 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.


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
William Abrams Seattle, WA     Ivan Medina Molina Miami, FL
Ed Denta Seminole, FL     Ben Naylor Suffern, NY
Walter Farnum Bakersfield, CA     Jacob Neukirch Concord, NH
Adam Freudberg Framingham, MA     Eli Ong Chicago, IL
Curtis Goss Bloomington, IN     Anthony M. Parker Rochester, IL
Francisco Hernandez Micheli Santo Domingo, DOM     Quinn Smith Montgomery, TX
Harold Jones Meriden, NH     Greg Smith Berwyn, IL
Ruth Kapelus Toronto, ON     Sean Sullivan Chicago, IL
James Kouzmanoff Danville, IL     Steve Taddei Alameda, CA
Greg Kriesel Huntington Beach, CA     Nicholas Taylor Brownsburg, IN
Jimmy Lasswell Spokane, WA     Benjamin Vachon Ashland, NH
DeWayne Mason Santa Cruz, CA     Patrick Vance Mankato, MN
Richard B. McKee Dover, DE        

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:

Click here for more information on SABR regional chapters. Click here to learn more about SABR chartered communities.


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 25, 2022. Last Updated: February 25, 2022.