Reasoning with Sabermetrics : Applying Statistical Science to Baseball's Tough Questions

by Costa, Gabriel B.; Huber, Michael R.; Saccoman, John T.

• ISBN13: 9780786460717
• ISBN10: 0786460717
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-07-31
• Publisher: McFarland & Co Inc Pub

Summary

Sabermetrics, the specialized analysis of baseball through empirical evidence, provides an impartial perspective from which to explore the game. In this work, the third in a series, three mathematicians employ statistical science in an attempt to answer some of baseball's toughest questions. For instance, how good were the 1961 New York Yankees? How bad were the 1962 Mets? Which team was the best of the Deadball Era? They also strive to determine baseball's greatest player at various positions. Throughout, the objective evidence allows for debate devoid of emotion and personal biases, providing a fresh, balanced evaluation of these and many other challenging questions.

Author Biography

Gabriel B. Costa is a Catholic priest and a professor of mathematical sciences at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he is also an associate chaplain. Michael R. Huber is the dean of academic life and a professor of mathematics at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. John T. Saccoman is a professor and the chairman of the department of mathematics and computer science at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 1
One Way of Looking at the Issues	p. 5
The Best Team of the Deadball Era	p. 5
How Good Were the 1927 New York Yankees?	p. 8
How Good Were the 1929-1931 Philadelphia Athletics?	p. 12
How Bad Were the St. Louis Browns?	p. 15
Four Consecutive Championships: The New York Yankees of 1936 Through 1939	p. 18
Five Consecutive Championships: The New York Yankees of 1949 Through 1953	p. 21
The Great Brooklyn Dodger Teams of the 1940s and 1950s	p. 25
How Good Were the 1961 New York Yankees?	p. 28
How Bad Were the 1962 Mets?	p. 32
How Good Were the Los Angeles Dodgers Teams of the 1960s?	p. 34
How Good Were the St. Louis Cardinals Teams of the 1960s?	p. 37
How Good Were the 1969 New York Mets?	p. 40
How Good Were the Baltimore Orioles Teams of the 1960s and 1970s?	p. 43
Three Consecutive Championships: The Oakland Athletics of 1972 Through 1974	p. 45
How Good Was the Big Red Machine of 1975 and 1976?	p. 48
Were the 1986 New York Mets Better Than Their 1969 Counterpart?	p. 51
How Good Were the Toronto Blue Jays of 1992 and 1993?	p. 56
Three Consecutive Championships: The New York Yankees of 1998 Through 2000	p. 59
How Good Were the 2004 and 2007 Versions of the Boston Red Sox?	p. 62
Let's Debate the Issues	p. 67
Is On-Base-Plus-Slugging the Best Offensive Statistical Measure?	p. 67
What Is the Best Way to Measure the Efficiency of a Pitcher?	p. 69
Baseball's Second Greatest Player	p. 71
Baseball's Greatest Hitter	p. 73
Baseball's Greatest Base Stealer	p. 78
Baseball's Greatest Offensive First Baseman (After Lou Gehrig)	p. 83
Baseball's Greatest Defensive First Baseman	p. 85
Baseball's Greatest Offensive Second Baseman	p. 89
Baseball's Greatest Defensive Second Baseman	p. 92
Baseball's Greatest Offensive Shortstop	p. 94
Baseball's Greatest Defensive Shortstop	p. 97
Baseball's Greatest Offensive Third Baseman	p. 100
Baseball's Greatest Defensive Third Baseman	p. 104
Baseball's Greatest Offensive Outfielder	p. 106
Baseball's Greatest Defensive Outfielder	p. 110
Baseball's Greatest Offensive Catcher	p. 113
Baseball's Greatest Defensive Catcher	p. 116
Baseball's Greatest Starting Pitcher	p. 120
Baseball's Greatest Relief Pitcher	p. 123
Baseball's Greatest Fielding Pitcher	p. 126
Baseball's Greatest Designated Hitter	p. 129
Baseball's Greatest Manager	p. 132
Who Should Have Won the American League MVP Award in 1941?	p. 135
Was Cal Ripken, Jr., More Valuable as a Shortstop or a Third Baseman?	p. 139
Who Would You Rather Have on Your Team, Alex Rodriguez or Albert Pujols?	p. 142
If You Had to Win a Game, Who Would You Pitch?	p. 145
If You Needed a Hit to Win a Game, Who Would You Want at Bat?	p. 150
Who Was the Better Lead-Off Hitter: Rickey Henderson or Ichiro Suzuki?	p. 156
Comparing Four Top Rookie Position Players	p. 159
Comparing Four Top Rookie Pitchers	p. 163
Quantifying the Impossible?	p. 171
What About Steroids?	p. 171
Who Are the Most Underrated Players in the Hall of Fame?	p. 174
Should Pete Rose Be in the Hall of Fame?	p. 177
Why Wasn't Joe DiMaggio a First-Ballot Hall of Famer?	p. 181
Who Are the Best Position Players Not in the Hall of Fame?	p. 184
Who Was the Best Athlete Ever to Play Major League Baseball?	p. 188
Who Was the Best Nineteenth Century Ballplayer?	p. 191
Who Were the Best Players of the Negro Leagues?	p. 193
In the Final Analysis, Does Sabermetrics Make a Difference?	p. 195
Appendix: Abbreviations and Formulas	p. 199
References	p. 203
Index	p. 205
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