This Week in SABR: March 20, 2020
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 March 20, 2020:
Check out stories, photos, and highlights from the 2020 SABR Analytics Conference
Couldn’t make it to Arizona for the SABR Analytics Conference? Visit SABR.org/analytics for full coverage of this exciting “virtual” event that brought together the top minds in the baseball analytics community in 2020. Find stories and multimedia clips from our panel discussions and research presentations, photo galleries, and much more.
In an effort to ensure the health and safety of our attendees during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, all SABR Analytics Conference panels and presentations are available to view online through a livestream at our YouTube channel and at SABR.org/analytics.
Click on a link below for more multimedia highlights from the 2020 SABR Analytics Conference:
- Watch highlights from Brian Kenny’s “The State of Analytics” talk
- Watch highlights from the Changing Baseball panel with Rob Arthur, Meredith Wills, Jay Jaffe, and Mike Ferrin
- Listen to highlights from the 15 research presentations delivered at the 2020 SABR Analytics Conference
- Rachael McDaniel, Emily Waldon, Meredith Wills win 2020 SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards
- Sean Forman honored with 2020 SABR Analytics Conference Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2020 Diamond Dollars Case Competition winners announced
- Check out a photo gallery from each day at the 2020 SABR Analytics Conference
- More stories and highlights coming soon!
For more coverage of the 2020 SABR Analytics Conference, visit SABR.org/analytics.
McDaniel, Waldon, Wills win 2020 SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards
Rachael McDaniel, Emily Waldon, and Meredith Wills were announced as the winners of 2020 SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards on Saturday, March 14 at the ninth annual SABR Analytics Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
McDaniel was voted as the winner of the Historical Baseball Analysis/Commentary Award for her article, “The Meaning of Ichiro,” published at FanGraphs on March 21, 2019.
Waldon was voted as the winner of the Contemporary Baseball Commentary Award for her article “I Can’t Afford to Play This Game: Minor Leaguers Open Up About the Realities of Their Pay and the Impact on Their Lives,” published at The Athletic on March 15, 2019.
Wills was voted as the winner of the Contemporary Baseball Analysis Award for her article “Yes, the Baseball is Different — Again. An Astrophysicist Examines This Year’s Baseballs and Breaks Down the Changes,” published at The Athletic on June 25, 2019.
The SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards recognize baseball researchers who have completed the best work of original analysis or commentary during the preceding calendar year.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Sean Forman honored with 2020 SABR Analytics Conference Lifetime Achievement Award
Sports Reference LLC president Sean Forman was honored with the SABR Analytics Conference Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, March 14 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Forman launched Baseball-Reference.com, now baseball’s premier statistical website, in 2000. Forman recognized a need for an easy-to-use comprehensive baseball player database and almost single-handedly created and engineered what has become the best site to look up almost any statistic for any baseball player or team.
He has also expanded the scope of the Sports Reference websites to include football and basketball (pro and college), hockey, international soccer, and the Olympics.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Maggie Walker teams win Diamond Dollars Case Competition
The 2020 Diamond Dollars Case Competition winners were announced Friday, March 13 during the SABR Analytics Conference at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown in Phoenix, Arizona.
The winning teams selected were from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Syracuse University, and Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School.
The Virginia Tech team — which was picked to deliver an encore presentation in front of the full SABR Analytics Conference on Saturday — included Jack Byrne, Matthew Dorris, Ieuan Isreal, Jack Silk, and Harman Takhar (pictured above with SABR CEO Scott Bush).
Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School sent six teams to participate in this year’s Case Competition; the winning team consisted of Tom Blue, Nicolas Ferree, Dominic Gammino, and David Winters.
Syracuse University teams sent five teams to participate; the Team 1 winners were Ben Ayers, Joey Deaton, Steven DiMaria, Cam Mitchell, and Hughston Preston. Syracuse University’s Team 3 winners included Sean Kenney, Brendan McKeown, Drake Mills, Joe Pickering, Cooper Shawver.
In this year’s case, students were asked to prepare an organizational philosophy on dealing with the “third time through the order” problem.
Visit SABR.org/analytics/case to read the full announcement.
SABR Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference rescheduled for 2021
Due to rising concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the 2020 SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference has been rescheduled to April 23-24, 2021, at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library in Cooperstown, New York.
Peter Mancuso, chair of SABR’s Nineteenth Century Research Committee and the event organizer, said he hopes the same panelists and presenters who were scheduled to be on this year’s program will be available to participate next spring in Cooperstown.
“It’s an unpleasant but not too difficult decision, given the circumstances,” said Mancuso, who has organized “The Fred” annually since 2009.
Anyone who has registered for the 2020 conference can have their registration fees roll over to the 2021 conference. If you are unable to attend and would like to request a full refund, please contact Peter Mancuso at peterplus4@earthlink.net.
For more information about “The Fred,” visit SABR.org/ivor-campbell19c.
SABR office continuing to work remotely
The SABR office, housed at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix, Arizona, has been closed indefinitely due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. Staff members will work remotely until it is advisable to resume normal operations on-site.
On Monday, March 16, ASU announced that all in-person classes would transition to online instruction for the rest of the spring semester through the end of April. A reassessment of the situation will take place at that time. Please contact a member of the SABR staff by email or phone with any questions.
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, SABR is dedicated to fostering research and disseminating the history and record of baseball, with thousands of articles, interviews, and research resources available online at SABR.org. SABR features 75 regional chapters and 30 research committees, producing three annual publications — two editions of The Baseball Research Journal and The National Pastime — in addition to other print and e-books throughout the year.
Thanks to all SABR members, supporters, and partners for your patience and understanding.
Deadline extended! Students, apply now for a SABR Negro Leagues Committee scholarship in 2020
SABR’s Negro Leagues Committee will award $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors in its 12th annual Thomas R. Garrett Scholarship essay contest in 2020. Students must write a 1,200-word essay answering a question related to one of the Negro League figures who are the namesakes of the scholarships.
Visit SABR.org/malloy to learn more about each scholarship or to download an application. All applications must be sent or postmarked no later than May 4, 2020, and emailed to Dr. Leslie Heaphy at Lheaphy@kent.edu.
Eligible applicants must be 1) a current high school senior, 2) anticipating completion of high school diploma at the time of application, 3) planning to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution, and 4) carrying a minimum 2.5 GPA at the end of their junior year of high school.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR Digital Library: Green Cathedrals, Fifth Edition
Add a majestic book on baseball palaces to your collection from the SABR Digital Library:
Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebration of All Major League and Negro League Ballparks, Fifth Edition
Author: Philip J. Lowry
Editor-In-Chief: Ron Selter
Associate Editor, Negro Leagues: Kevin Johnson
Associate Photo Editor: Paul Healey
ISBN (e-book) 978-1-9438-1656-9, $9.95
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-9438-1657-6, $29.95
8.5″ x 11″, 332 pages
Click here to read a full description of this book at SABR.org.
SABR members, get this e-book for FREE!
- E-book: Click here to download the e-book version of Green Cathedrals for FREE from the SABR Store. Available in PDF, Kindle/MOBI and EPUB formats.
- Paperback: Get a 50% discount on Green Cathedrals paperback edition from the SABR Store ($17.99 includes shipping/tax; delivery via Kindle Direct Publishing can take up to 4-6 weeks.)
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 members will get discounted rates for all Digital Library publications, including e-books for free and 50% discounts on paperback editions. For more titles, visit SABR.org/ebooks.
Early registration now open for SABR 50 in Baltimore
Join us in Baltimore to celebrate a special occasion this summer: SABR’s 50th annual convention! Conference and hotel registration for SABR 50 — scheduled for July 15-19, 2020, at the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor in Baltimore — is now available at SABR.org/convention.
Click here for complete details on the SABR 50 All-Inclusive Package, Early-Bird Registration, and optional sessions. Or click here to register for SABR 50.
Attendees at our SABR 50 convention this summer in Baltimore will have a special opportunity to visit Camden Yards for an exclusive Day at the Ballpark session on the morning of Thursday, July 16 to hear from Baltimore Orioles executives and players. Guest speakers and more details will be announced later this spring. Access to the Day at the Ballpark session at Camden Yards is included in your registration for SABR 50. We’ll return to Camden Yards on Friday night for a game between the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays.
Our featured speakers for SABR 50 are expected to include:
- Tim Kurkjian, ESPN analyst, author of three baseball books, and Maryland native
- Janet Marie Smith, who oversaw the building of Camden Yards and the revitalization of Baltimore’s waterfront
- Sig Mejdal, Baltimore Orioles Vice President and Assistant GM
Click on a link below for more information about SABR 50.
- Registration: Click here for complete information on the SABR 50 All-Inclusive Package, Early-Bird Registration, and optional sessions. Or click here to register for SABR 50!
- Hotel: The special SABR group rate at the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor of $199/night plus tax (single/double occupancy) is only available to registered convention attendees. After you register for the SABR 50 convention, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with details on how to book your hotel room at the SABR group rate. There are a limited number of rooms in our group block, so be sure to register for SABR 50 early!
- Yoseloff Scholarship: Students, click here to learn more about a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend SABR 50 in Baltimore. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 29, 2020.
Visit SABR.org/convention to learn more.
Students, 10 days left to apply for a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend SABR 50 in Baltimore
With generous funding from The Anthony A. Yoseloff Foundation, Inc., SABR will award up to four scholarships to high school or college students to attend SABR 50 on July 15-19, 2020, in Baltimore. This scholarship will pay for registration, transportation and lodging (double occupancy) up to a total value of $1,250.
The objective of this scholarship fund is to encourage high school and college-level student engagement with baseball research and to engender an active interest in baseball and SABR.
- Download an application form: Click here to download a Yoseloff Scholarship form to attend SABR 50 in Baltimore
All applications must be postmarked or e-mailed to Leslie Heaphy at Lheaphy@kent.edu no later than Friday, March 29, 2020.
Click here for complete details and submission criteria.
SABR 50: Call for presentation reviewers
Reviewers are needed to evaluate abstracts submitted as potential presentations at the SABR 50 convention this summer in Baltimore. You can help decide which ones make the cut! If interested, volunteer by contacting Neal Traven at beisbol@alumni.pitt.edu.
Click here to learn more about the submission guidelines for SABR 50 presentations.
To learn more about SABR 50, or to register, visit SABR.org/convention.
SABRcast with Rob Neyer: Listen to an interview with John Dewan of Baseball Info Solutions
Listen to a new episode of SABRcast with Rob Neyer, a new weekly podcast hosted by award-winning author and longtime SABR member Rob Neyer.
Visit SABR.org/sabrcast to listen to Episode #51 — our guest this week is John Dewan, the principal owner of Baseball Info Solutions, who has spent his four-decade career bringing sports statistics to baseball fans and analysts starved for information, first as the executive director of Project Scoresheet, then as a co-founder and CEO of STATS, Inc. In 2002 he started Baseball Info Solutions, which has become an industry leader in tracking defensive stats through its Plus-Minus system and Defensive Runs Saved.
Subscribe to SABRcast on your favorite podcast networks, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play, and listen to each episode as soon as it’s released on Mondays. To learn more, visit SABR.org/sabrcast.
7 new SABR biographies published
Seven new biographies were posted this week as part of the SABR Baseball Biography Project, which brings us to a total of 5,109 published biographies. Here are the new bios published this week:
- Walter Beall, by David Krell
- Ernie Beam, by Chris Rainey
- Herb Juul, by Bill Lamb
- Andy Lotshaw, by Stephen V. Rice
- Joe McEwing, by Steve Sisto
- Frank McManus, by Bill Lamb
- John Michaelson, by Terry Bohn
All new biographies can be found here: SABR.org/bioproj/recent
- Search for any SABR biography: You can now visit sabr.org/bioproj_search to search for any player — or manager, executive, scout, spouse, broadcaster, or umpire — who appears in the SABR BioProject. You can also browse all of these BioProject categories and a lot more, including 300-game winners, Hall of Famers, 1960s All-Stars, or Negro Leaguers, at our Browse page: sabr.org/bioproj/browse.
6 new stories published by the SABR Games Project
Three new game stories were posted this week as part of the SABR Games Project. Here are the new game stories:
- April 18, 1958: Dodgers make Los Angeles debut in win over rival Giants, by Kevin Larkin
- April 6, 1977: Angels debut their first free-agent class, by Paul Hensler
- April 2, 1984: Angels’ Forsch slows down Red Sox in a hurry on Opening Day, by Paul Hensler
- April 4, 1988: Brewers blast Baltimore on Opening Day, by Rick Schabowski
- April 5, 2005: Marlins exceed high expectations on Opening Day, by Louis H. Schiff and Zach Kleiman
- April 1, 2013: Kershaw’s bat decides Opening Day pitchers’ duel at Dodger Stadium, by Greg King
New Games Project stories can be found at SABR.org/gamesproject/recent. Find all published Games Project articles 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.
- Read all stories from Wrigley Field greatest games book online: In Wrigley Field: The Friendly Confines at Clark and Addison, edited by Gregory H. Wolf and published in 2019, we delivered an ode to that storied ballpark, evoking its history through detailed retellings of 100 games played there, including not only historic triumphs and defeats of the Chicago Cubs (and the Federal League Whales), but also Negro Leagues matchups, youth championships, and even games by the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. You can read all of the game stories from our Wrigley Field book online now at the SABR Games Project. Click here to download your free Wrigley Field e-book or get 50% off the paperback edition at SABR.org.
Listen to recent episodes of Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM on Saturdays
Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM, a radio show hosted by former SABR Board President Vince Gennaro, is back for the Hot Stove offseason at a new time! Listen to a new episode 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. Click here to learn more.
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
We’ve heard your feedback: Some of you have said you look forward to “This Week in SABR” every Friday, but sometimes there are just too many compelling articles and announcements to read every week. We’re not complaining — hey, keep up the great work! — but we know the feeling. So in an effort to make the length of this newsletter more manageable to read, we’ll summarize some of the repeating/recurring announcements in a special “In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)” section of “This Week in SABR”.
Here are some major headlines from recent weeks that we don’t want you to miss:
- SABR announces 2020 Henry Chadwick Award recipients
- Jeremy Beer receives 2020 Seymour Medal at NINE Conference banquet
- Check out stories, photos, and highlights from the 11th annual SABR Day
- Michael Aronstein selected as winner of 2020 SABR Jefferson Burdick Award
- The SABR Bookshelf: Winter 2020
- SABR member and Expos broadcaster Jacques Doucet elected to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
- 2020 Larry Ritter Book Award nominees announced
- Submit your creative writing for SABR’s Turnstyle baseball arts journal
- SABR Digital Library: The Glorious Beaneaters of the 1890s
- The Sporting News Baseball Player Contract Cards Collection is now online
- SABR to expand Diamond Dollars Case Competition in 2020
- Get a gift for baseball fan in your life with the new SABR Store @ CafePress
- All e-books in SABR Digital Library available for free to members
All previous editions of This Week in SABR can be found here: https://sabr.org/content/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 (SABR.org/directory).
| Name | Hometown | Name | Hometown | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Antone | Greenwood, IN | Ryan Reinsel | Gilbert, AZ | ||
| Chris Atkins | Coventry, ENG | Marty Resnick | Woodstock, GA | ||
| Buddy Bear | Port Angeles, WA | Mark Rosenberg | Northbrook, IL | ||
| Dave Eli | Kent, OH | Matt Scribbins | Scottsdale, AZ | ||
| Louis Guimont | Quebec City, QC | Michael Stewart | Greenville, SC | ||
| John Iachetta | Richardson, TX | Chad Wilkes | Lamar, SC | ||
| Kodi Jahfetson | Baraga, MI | Randy Woolley | La Grange Park, IL | ||
| Graham Llivina | Birmingham, AL | Howard Zelaznik | W. Lafayette, IN |
Research Committee news
There are no new research committee updates this week.
Find all SABR research committee newsletters at SABR.org/research.
Regional Chapter news
Here are the new regional chapter updates this week:
- Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter: March 4 meeting recap (Tallahassee, FL)
- Hanlan’s Point Chapter: March 7 meeting recap (St. Marys, ON)
- Rogers Hornsby Chapter: March 15 meeting recap (Austin, TX)
Visit SABR.org/chapters for more information on SABR regional chapters.
SABR Events Calendar
Here is a list of upcoming events on the SABR calendar:
- March 23: SABR Board of Directors conference call
We strongly recommend that all SABR chapters consider postponing or canceling any large meetings planned through May 1 as a precautionary effort to keep everyone safe and healthy. We encourage SABR chapters to meet “virtually” during this time to talk baseball together using Skype, Zoom, or other online platforms, in order to maintain a sense of community while still observing the CDC’s social distancing guidelines for events and gatherings. For more information, check out the SABR Events Calendar at SABR.org/events.
Around the Web
Here are some recent articles published by and about SABR members:
- David Kagan: There’s lots of physics to do now that Hawk-Eye is up and running (The Hardball Times)
- Rob Arthur: The next frontier in baseball data Is biomechanics (Baseball Prospectus)
- Jay Jaffe: JAWS and the Baseball-Reference WAR update (FanGraphs)
- Craig Edwards: What might 2019 have looked like with a shortened season? (FanGraphs)
- Brendan Gawlowski: COVID-19 adds obstacles for minor-league players (FanGraphs)
- Rachael McDaniel: Un-Opening Day (The Hardball Times)
- Steven Goldman: When the lights go on again (all over the world) (Baseball Prospectus)
- Jim Margalus: Scarcity is suddenly baseball’s problem, and maybe opportunity (Sox Machine)
- Bill Shea: Pandemic is a threat for independent baseball leagues where margins are thinnest (The Athletic)
- Daniel R. Epstein: MLB’s Decision to not pay employees will prove disastrous (Baseball Prospectus)
- Meg Rowley: Saturday, in the park, at the Boras Classic (FanGraphs)
- Here’s a homemade version of the Codebreaker algorithm — and how to break it (The Athletic)
- Rob Mains: 100,000 leagues under the PECOTA (Baseball Prospectus)
- Vince Guerrieri: The many megaprojects of Sunnyside Yard (CityLab)
- Glenn Miller: A conversation with Baseball Hall of Fame executive John Schuerholz (Florida Weekly)
- Frank Jackson: 1942 AL All-Stars do double duty (The Hardball Times)
- John Nolan: Fort Wayne’s black baseball history (MiLB.com)
- Ryan Whirty: New book examines black baseball in Richmond, Indiana (Home Plate Don’t Move)
- David Laurila: A conversation with former Red Sox and Angels outfielder Rick Miller (FanGraphs)
- Michael Clair: Dick Groat could have been another 2-sport star until Branch Rickey intervened (MLB.com)
- Bruce Markusen: Ted Simmons and the bizarre brawl (The Hardball Times)
- Alan Reifman: Topps “Bunt 20” E-Cards Are Here (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
- Jason Schwartz: The funnest dumb way to collect (almost) the whole set! (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
- Andrew Aronstein: 50 years ago today… (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
- Jeff Katz: Take Comfort (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
- Nick Vossbrink: Metacards (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
Read these articles and more at SABR.org/latest.
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: March 20, 2020. Last Updated: June 17, 2020.