This Week in SABR: March 8, 2019

Live from the eighth annual SABR Analytics Conference, 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 8, 2019:


Check out early highlights from the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference

Can’t make it to Arizona for the SABR Analytics Conference? Visit SABR.org/analytics for full coverage of this exciting event that brings together the top minds in the baseball analytics community in 2019. You’ll feel like you’re wandering through the Hyatt Regency Phoenix with stories and multimedia clips from the great panel discussions and research presentations on our schedule, photo galleries, and much more.

Complete coverage of the SABR Analytics Conference, including a full schedule, can be found at SABR.org/analytics. We’ll be posting stories, photos, and multimedia clips online today and throughout the weekend. You can also follow along live on Twitter by searching for the hashtag #SABRanalytics during the conference.

Once again, we’re bringing together the top minds of the baseball analytic community under one roof to discuss, debate and share insightful ways to analyze and examine the great game of baseball. The SABR Analytics Conference consists of a combination of Guest Speakers, Panels, and Research Presentations — plus the unique Diamond Dollars Case Competition, in which undergraduate, graduate, and law school students from across the country analyze and present a real baseball operations decision.

Find more information on the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference below:

Visit SABR.org/analytics for more information.


Check out our featured panels at the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference

Join us for the eighth annual SABR Analytics Conference, presented by MLB and KinaTrax, on Friday, March 8 to Sunday, March 10, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix.

Here is some more information about our featured panels:

  • The State of Analytics, with ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez, Baseball Info Solutions founder John Dewan, author and SABRcast host Rob Neyer, and SABR Board President Vince Gennaro (1:10 p.m., Friday, March 8)
  • Liquid Analytics, with MLB Network analyst and former All-Star first baseman Carlos Peña (2:45 p.m., Friday, March 8)
  • Keeping Data Flowing, with Kyle Boddy of Driveline Baseball, Joe Rosales of Baseball Info Solutions, and broadcaster Mike Ferrin (8:30 a.m., Saturday, March 9)
  • Training Pitchers, with Dr. Steven Cadavid of KinaTrax, Seth Daniels of Rapsodo, former major-league pitcher and coach Scott Radinsky, Eno Sarris of The Athletic, moderated by Arizona Diamondbacks broadcaster Steve Berthiaume (11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 9)
  • Statcast Year Five: Where Are We Now?, with MLB’s Greg Cain, Travis Petersen, Cory Schwartz, and Daren Willman  (12:00 p.m., Saturday, March 9)
  • Lidar and Ground Truth Testing, with MLB Baseball Scientist Clay Nunnally (3:45 p.m., Saturday, March 9)
  • Game Within a Game, with Emilee Fragapane of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dr. Lee Picariello of Mindful Athlete Training, Julian Volyn of TrinityVR, moderated by Rob Neyer (9:30 a.m., Sunday, March 10)
  • Use of Analytics in Broadcast Media, with Eduardo Perez of ESPN, Mike Petriello of MLB.com, and Mike Ferrin (12:45 p.m., Sunday, March 10)

For more information on the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference, visit SABR.org/analytics.


2019 SABR Analytics Conference: Networking Reception

SABR is once again teaming up with the Baseball Industry Network for the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference Networking Reception, presented by KinaTrax, which will feature food, drinks and great opportunities to network with baseball professionals and other attendees from the conference.

The reception will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 9 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix, 122 N. 2nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85004.

Admission to the welcome reception is included with your 2019 SABR Analytics Conference registration.

Members of the Baseball Industry Network can attend the reception separately for $32. To sign up for the Networking Reception at EventBrite, click here.


Diamond Dollars Case Competition participating schools

The SABR Analytics Conference is pleased to host the unique Diamond Dollars Case Competition beginning at 5:00 p.m. tonight, Friday, March 8 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix in Arizona.

Here is a list of participating schools for the 2019 Diamond Dollars Case Competition at the SABR Analytics Conference:

  • Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)
  • Elon University (Elon, NC)
  • Kenyon College (Gambier, OH)
  • Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School (Richmond, VA)
  • NYU-Tisch Institute for Global Sport (New York, NY)
  • Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK)
  • St. John Fisher College (Rochester, NY)
  • St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
  • University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ)
  • Washington State University (Pullman, WA)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)

The full presentation schedule can be found online at SABR.org/analytics/case.

More than 70 alumni from the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Diamond Dollars Case Competitions have secured internships or permanent positions within Major League Baseball.

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


Jane Leavy to receive 2019 Seymour Medal at NINE Conference banquet on Saturday

2019 Seymour Medal winner Jane Leavy will receive her award at the banquet of the 26th annual NINE Spring Training Conference on Saturday, March 9 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Tempe, Arizona.

The banquet includes the Seymour Medal ceremony, dinner, and the NINE keynote address by SABR member Curt Smith, the author of many baseball books, including most recently The Presidents and the Pastime: The History of Baseball and the White House, and a former speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush.

To learn more about the NINE conference, or to view the full schedule, visit nineconference.com.

Leavy won the Seymour Medal — which honors the best book of baseball history or biography published during the preceding calendar year — for The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created, published by HarperCollins.

The Seymour Medal, named in honor of Dr. Harold Seymour and Mrs. Dorothy (Seymour) Mills, was first awarded by SABR in 1996. To be considered for the medal, a work must be the product of original research or analysis. The winning book shall significantly advance our knowledge of baseball and shall be characterized by understanding, factual accuracy, profound insight and distinguished writing.

To see a list of previous Seymour Medal winners, click here.


John Zinn’s Charles Ebbets wins 2019 SABR Ron Gabriel Award

SABR is pleased to announce that John G. Zinn’s Charles Ebbets: The Man Behind the Dodgers and Brooklyn’s Beloved Ballpark, published by McFarland & Co., has been selected as the winner of the Ron Gabriel Award in 2019.

Zinn, from Verona, New Jersey, is the chairman of the board of the New Jersey Historical Society. He also won the Gabriel Award in 2014 with Paul G. Zinn for Ebbets Field: Essays and Memories of Brooklyn’s Historic Ballpark, 1913-1960. He will be honored at the SABR 49 convention, June 26-30, 2019, in San Diego.

The Ron Gabriel Award annually honors the author(s) of the best research, published or unpublished, on the subject of the Brooklyn Dodgers completed during the preceding calendar year. Eligible works include but are not limited to magazine and journal articles, previously unpublished chapters or articles in anthologies or other books with multiple authors, unpublished research papers, written versions of oral presentations, books, databases and websites.

Honorable mention was given to the following:

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


Announcing nominees for 2019 Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award

SABR’s Women in Baseball Committee established the Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award — “The Dorothy” — named in honor of Dorothy Seymour Mills and her lifetime of contributions to promoting women’s baseball.

Here are the nominees for the 2019 award, which will be presented at the committee’s annual meeting at the SABR 49 convention this summer in San Diego:

  • Ila Borders
  • Amanda Clement
  • Lillian Hopkins
  • Effa Manley
  • Penny Marshall
  • Rachel Robinson
  • Justine Siegal
  • Janet Marie Smith
  • Connie Wisniewski

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

For more information on the award, click here. To learn more about baseball historian Dorothy Seymour Mills’s life and career, click here.


SABR Digital Library: The Team that Couldn’t Hit: The 1972 Texas Rangers

Add a brand-new baseball book from the SABR Digital Library to your collection this season:

The Team that Couldn’t Hit: The 1972 Texas Rangers
Edited by Steve West and Bill Nowlin
Associate editors: Len Levin and Carl Riechers

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-9438-1693-4
, $29.95
ISBN (e-book): 978-1-9438-1692-7,
$9.99
414 pages, 8.5″ x 11″

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.


Early registration is now open for SABR 49 in San Diego

We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a spectacular SABR 49 convention this summer in San Diego. Conference and hotel registration is now available at SABR.org/convention.

Click here for more information on the SABR 49 All-Inclusive Package, Early-Bird Registration, and optional sessions. Click here to register for SABR 49.

  • Registration: Click here for complete information on the SABR 49 All-Inclusive Package, Early-Bird Registration, and optional sessions. Or click here to register for SABR 49! We’re again offering a special All-Inclusive Package for the annual SABR convention. For the $369 all-inclusive rate, SABR members can get:
    — Full registration to SABR 49 in San Diego (early-bird: $289; regular rate: $319)
    — 1 ticket in the Upper Infield Reserved (1B) section to the Padres vs. Cardinals game on Friday, June 28 at Petco Park ($24 value)
    — 1 ticket to the Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 28 ($70 value)
    — 1 exclusive SABR 49 convention logo lapel pin
    — 2 complimentary Continental breakfasts on Thursday and Friday mornings*
    *The Continental breakfast benefit is only available when you register for the All-Inclusive Package.
    Non-members can pay $399 for the All-Inclusive Package; the deadline to register is Monday, May 6, 2019.
  • Hotel: The special SABR group rate at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego of $224/night (single rate) or $254/night (double rate) is only available to registered convention attendees. After you register for the SABR 49 convention, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with details on how to book your hotel room at the SABR group rate. If you do not receive your confirmation email after registering, please contact Deb Jayne at djayne@sabr.org. There are a limited number of rooms in our group block, so be sure to register for SABR 49 early!
  • Awards Luncheon: SABR will host a special Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 28 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. The Awards Luncheon, which includes a meal, will feature the announcement of SABR’s annual awards — including the Bob Davids Award, our highest honor. One ticket to the Awards Luncheon is included in the all-inclusive package or guest tickets are available for $70 when you register for SABR 49.
  • Research presentations: SABR invites all members to present their research findings to their colleagues attending SABR 49. The deadline to submit your abstract was Sunday, February 24, 2019. Click here for complete details and application form.
  • Yoseloff Scholarship: Students, click here to learn more about a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend SABR 49 in San Diego. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 29, 2019.

Visit SABR.org/convention to learn more or to register for the SABR 49 convention.


Students, apply now for a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend SABR 49 in San Diego

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 49 on June 26-30, 2019, in San Diego. 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.

All applications must be postmarked or e-mailed to Jeff Schatzki at jschatzki@sabr.org no later than Friday, March 29, 2019.

Click here for complete details and submission criteria.


SABR to launch new baseball podcast in 2019: SABRcast with Rob Neyer

Baseball fans, tune in this season to SABRcast with Rob Neyer, a new weekly podcast hosted by award-winning author and longtime SABR member Rob Neyer.

SABRcast, which will launch around Opening Day in the spring of 2019, will feature insights and analysis of what’s happening in modern baseball on and off the field, plus compelling interviews with figures from around the game — and music from The Baseball Project.

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


2 new SABR biographies published

Two new biographies were posted this week as part of the SABR Baseball Biography Project, which brings us to a total of 4,837 published biographies. Here are the new bios published this week:

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


5 new stories published by the SABR Games Project

Five new game stories were posted this week as part of the SABR Games Project. Here are the new game stories:

New Games Project stories can be found at SABR.org/gamesproject/recent. Find all published Games Project articles at SABR.org/GamesProject.


Listen to an archived episode of Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM

Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM, a radio show hosted by SABR President Vince Gennaro, is back for the Hot Stove League offseason at a new time, 4:00-5:00 p.m. ET on Sundays, on MLB Network Radio.

There is no new show this week, but you can 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.


Listen to a new episode of the SABR Media Committee’s Baseball Buffet podcast

SABR’s Baseball and the Media Committee welcomes you to The Baseball Buffet, our monthly roundtable podcast focusing on recent baseball events, the media’s coverage of the national pastime, and more.

Our buffet of baseball commentators include Andie Giafaglione, Thom Henninger, Chuck Hildebrandt, Stuart Shea, and host Jim Walker. Each podcast runs about 20-25 minutes, a length which fits quite nicely as a quick listen into your own lunch schedule.

  • Listen now to the February 2019 episode: Our buffet of baseball commentators share some Spring Training reflections; look at possible changes to the national pastime to help it pass the time more quickly; and conclude, as always, with our last bites. (25:07)

You can now listen to Baseball Buffet on your favorite podcast apps! Have every episode delivered each month fresh, hot and spicy, just the way you like it, on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, and such popular aftermarket apps as The Podcast App (Android & iOS); and Overcast, Castro, and RSSRadio (all iOS only). Just open your preferred app, search for “Baseball Buffet”, and subscribe today to listen. Each new monthly episode will be delivered to your podcast app the second it’s released. Plus, every previous episode of Baseball Buffet will always be there for you whenever the hunger for hardball talk strikes. And you can always enjoy the show on your computer by visiting SoundCloud.com and searching for Baseball Buffet.


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:

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
Sophia Maria Andricopulos Chapel Hill, NC     Juan Lopez Miramar, FL
Gene Baccaglini Columbia, MD     Yoshiki Masaki Tokyo, JPN
Robert Bergeson Sherman Oaks, CA     Joe Mayer Easton, PA
Walter Biskupski Indianapolis, IN     James McEneany Sayville, NY
Taylor Figliozzi Garden City, NY     Mac McKinnie La Jolla, CA
Vincent Gutierrez Carson, CA     Mike Monson El Cerrito, CA
Eli Hays Phoenix, AZ     Dean Neubauer Horseheads, NY
Jason Henry Cedar Rapids, IA     Terrance Shivers Columbus, OH
Thomas Holmes Hudson, FL     Richard Shouse Athens, GA
Aaron Hutchison Minneapolis, MN     Creg Stephenson Theodore, AL
Thomas Johnston Englewood, OH     David Tofani Whitehall, PA
Wayne Kermode Amityville, NY     Navneet Vishwanathan Washington, DC
Stephen Kerr Austin, TX     Brandon Weaver Grand Bay, AL
Chaehyun Lim Busan, JPN     David Zack Henderson, NV

 


Research Committee news

Here are the 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:

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:

All SABR meetings and events are open to the public. Feel free to bring a baseball-loving friend … and make many new ones! Check out the SABR Events Calendar at SABR.org/events.


Around the Web

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

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.

Have trouble reading this e-mail? Click here to view this week’s newsletter on the web.

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Originally published: March 8, 2019. Last Updated: April 3, 2020.