Comments on: Stop calling strikes, I wanna go home! http://blog.stealingfirst.com/2008/04/16/stop-calling-strikes-i-wanna-go-home/ Stats, stories and stuff Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:36:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Dan Turkenkopf http://blog.stealingfirst.com/2008/04/16/stop-calling-strikes-i-wanna-go-home/#comment-58 Dan Turkenkopf Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:52:10 +0000 http://blog.stealingfirst.com/?p=42#comment-58 Remember, this is just "mis-called" pitches. In other words - pitches that within the empirically defined strike zone that are called balls, or those outside the zone that are called strikes. Since the zone is by no means hard and fast, you expect umpires to make calls that appear to be wrong. I'm not considering the calls wrong, but I would expect them to average out if they were just random chance. And since we're only looking at called pitches, and variation from the expected zone, the ultimate decision maker on that is the umpire. I'm just trying to look at what might influence that decision. 150 called pitches is roughly one game (actually slightly more), so that's 16 per inning - so the difference is slight in terms of effect per game (.02 runs per inning), but there does appear to be a slight bias towards the batter (and therefore ending the game) in extra innings. Remember, this is just “mis-called” pitches. In other words - pitches that within the empirically defined strike zone that are called balls, or those outside the zone that are called strikes.

Since the zone is by no means hard and fast, you expect umpires to make calls that appear to be wrong. I’m not considering the calls wrong, but I would expect them to average out if they were just random chance.

And since we’re only looking at called pitches, and variation from the expected zone, the ultimate decision maker on that is the umpire. I’m just trying to look at what might influence that decision.

150 called pitches is roughly one game (actually slightly more), so that’s 16 per inning - so the difference is slight in terms of effect per game (.02 runs per inning), but there does appear to be a slight bias towards the batter (and therefore ending the game) in extra innings.

]]> By: Jay http://blog.stealingfirst.com/2008/04/16/stop-calling-strikes-i-wanna-go-home/#comment-55 Jay Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:21:01 +0000 http://blog.stealingfirst.com/?p=42#comment-55 Haha, You don't seem to think it has anything to do with batters learning pitchers before they're pulled, or perhaps pitchers getting tired? Perhaps the crackerjacks during the 7th inning stretch really help pitchers out? (caramel ball anyone?). Maybe that last minute heroism of the batters (8th inning) or the closers (9th)? You know I'm not a stats guy so I'm sure those probably got aggregated out... per 150 pitches though... how many is typical in an inning? Haha,
You don’t seem to think it has anything to do with batters learning pitchers before they’re pulled, or perhaps pitchers getting tired?

Perhaps the crackerjacks during the 7th inning stretch really help pitchers out? (caramel ball anyone?).

Maybe that last minute heroism of the batters (8th inning) or the closers (9th)?

You know I’m not a stats guy so I’m sure those probably got aggregated out… per 150 pitches though… how many is typical in an inning?

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