Bayesball: A Bayesian hierarchical model for evaluating fielding in major league baseball

DOI10.1214/08-AOAS228zbMATH Open1166.62385arXiv0802.4317MaRDI QIDQ2270656FDOQ2270656

Abraham J. Wyner, Kenneth E. Shirley, Shane T. Jensen

Publication date: 29 July 2009

Published in: The Annals of Applied Statistics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: The use of statistical modeling in baseball has received substantial attention recently in both the media and academic community. We focus on a relatively under-explored topic: the use of statistical models for the analysis of fielding based on high-resolution data consisting of on-field location of batted balls. We combine spatial modeling with a hierarchical Bayesian structure in order to evaluate the performance of individual fielders while sharing information between fielders at each position. We present results across four seasons of MLB data (2002--2005) and compare our approach to other fielding evaluation procedures.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/0802.4317

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zbMATH Keywords

spatial modelsBayesian shrinkagebaseball fielding

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Bayesian inference (62F15) Applications of statistics (62P99)

Cites Work

• Bayesian data analysis.
• Bayesian Analysis of Binary and Polychotomous Response Data
• Stochastic Relaxation, Gibbs Distributions, and the Bayesian Restoration of Images
• Prior distributions for variance parameters in hierarchical models (Comment on article by Browne and Draper)
• Bayesball: A Bayesian hierarchical model for evaluating fielding in major league baseball
• A State-Space Model for National Football League Scores

Cited In (7)

• A Markov Chain Approach to Baseball
• Moneybarl: exploiting pitcher decision-making using reinforcement learning
• Lessons From Between the White Lines for Isolated Data Scientists
• A Bayesian hierarchical model for estimating the cost of postponing the cyclo-cross national championships
• Bayesball: A Bayesian hierarchical model for evaluating fielding in major league baseball
• Hierarchical Bayes modelling of penalty conversion rates of bundesliga players
• Modelling the Evolution of Distributions: An Application to Major League Baseball

Uses Software

• BayesDA

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