Analytics Stole Baseball's Soul, But It Can Be Restored

Resources

Books

• "The Big Fella" by Jane Leavy - Biography of Babe Ruth, mentioned as a previous work by the author.
• "The Last Boy" by Jane Leavy - Biography of Mickey Mantle, mentioned as a previous work by the author.
• "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy" by Jane Leavy - Biography of Sandy Koufax, mentioned as a previous work by the author.
• "Make Me Commissioner: What's Wrong with Baseball and How to Fix It" by Jane Leavy - The author's most recent book, which is the primary focus of the discussion.

Articles & Papers

• "The Big Fella about Babe Ruth" - Mentioned as a previous book by Jane Leavy.
• "The Last Boy about Mickey Mantle" - Mentioned as a previous book by Jane Leavy.
• "Sandy Koufax a Lefty's Legacy" - Mentioned as a previous book by Jane Leavy.

People Mentioned

• Jane Leavy (Author) - Guest on the show, author of "Make Me Commissioner."
• Teddy Roosevelt - Mentioned in the context of how the game of baseball has changed since his era.
• Stephen Curry - Mentioned in the context of basketball three-point shooting statistics.
• Michael Jordan - Discussed as a candidate for the best basketball player of all time.
• LeBron James - Discussed as a candidate for the best basketball player of all time.
• Professor Adi Winer (Wharton School's Department of Statistics and Data Science) - Host of the podcast.
• Eric Bradlow (Professor of Marketing and Statistics) - Host of the podcast.
• Shane Jensen (Professor of Statistics) - Host of the podcast.
• Cade Massie (Regular Host) - Mentioned as the regular host who was trying to join the discussion.
• Alex Rodriguez - Mentioned for his comment that home runs are boring.
• Ohtani (Shohei Ohtani) - Mentioned in the context of pitching injuries and double surgeries.
• Kernowski - Mentioned in the context of relief pitchers in the 1963 World Series.
• Hodge - Mentioned in the context of relief pitchers in the 1963 World Series.
• Jacob Young (Outfielder for the Nationals) - Mentioned for a specific play where he retrieved a home run.
• Mookie Betts - Mentioned for his ability to think and use instincts, referencing the "wheel play."
• Buck Showalter (Manager) - Mentioned in the context of managing pitching staffs.
• Kevin Cash (Manager) - Mentioned in the context of managing pitching staffs.
• Dusty Baker (Manager) - Mentioned in the context of managing pitching staffs.
• Theo Epstein - Mentioned for recommending lowering the number of pitchers on a roster.
• Mariano Rivera - Mentioned as an example of an interesting and memorable relief pitcher.
• Dave Roberts (Manager) - Mentioned for pulling pitchers out of games, including Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill.
• Clayton Kershaw - Mentioned for being pulled from a game despite pitching well.
• Rich Hill - Mentioned as a pitcher pulled by Dave Roberts.
• Tony Gonsolin - Mentioned as a pitcher pulled by Dave Roberts.
• Stripling - Mentioned as a pitcher pulled by Dave Roberts.
• Blake Snell - Mentioned for pitching eight innings in a game due to a lack of available relievers.
• John Smoltz - Mentioned as having been on the show to discuss pitcher training.
• Muzzltoff - Mentioned in relation to a gift from the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
• Paul Molitor - Mentioned as a special advisor at Twins spring training.
• Rod Carew - Mentioned as a special advisor at Twins spring training.
• Jim Cutt - Mentioned in relation to conversations with Rod Carew.
• Bill "The Spaceman" Lee - Mentioned for his emotional reaction to Clayton Kershaw being pulled from a perfect game.
• Mike Rizzo - Mentioned for a private analysis of pitchers who had Tommy John surgery.
• James Andrews - Mentioned in the context of pitcher injuries and the effectiveness of current practices.
• Strasburg (Stephen Strasburg) - Mentioned as a Nationals star pitcher who was pulled from a game.
• Peccho - Mentioned as the head of the MIT Analytics Lab.
• Sam Andre Cohen - Mentioned as a former student who works for a team and believes in optimizing within existing rules.
• Rob Manfred (MLB Commissioner) - Mentioned in the context of making baseball more accessible.
• Pete Rose - Mentioned in contrast to Bowie Kuhn regarding baseball's response to competition.
• Bowie Kuhn - Mentioned in contrast to Pete Rose regarding baseball's response to competition.
• Aaron Judge - Mentioned in the context of crashing into a plexiglass wall and hitting home runs.
• Bobby Bonds - Mentioned as the father of Barry Bonds and someone who signed the speaker's scorecard.
• George Springer - Mentioned for his ranking in postseason home runs.
• Patrick Mahomes - Discussed in the context of comparing athletes across eras.
• Ichiro Suzuki - Mentioned for holding the record for most hits in a season.

Organizations & Institutions

• Wharton School - The institution where the hosts are professors.
• Los Angeles Dodgers - Mentioned in relation to Ohtani's potential signing.
• Nationals - Mentioned in relation to Jacob Young.
• MLB (Major League Baseball) - The professional baseball league discussed throughout the episode.
• National Baseball Hall of Fame - Mentioned in relation to a lifetime membership.
• Twins - Mentioned in relation to spring training and special advisors.
• MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) - Mentioned for its analytics lab and sports tech initiatives.
• Yankees - Mentioned in relation to their analytic decisions and Monument Park.
• Phillies - Mentioned in relation to their playoff exit.
• Mariners - Mentioned in relation to playoff home runs.
• Jays (Toronto Blue Jays) - Mentioned in relation to playoff home runs.
• Bananas - Mentioned for their idea of putting QR codes on jerseys.
• Red Sox - Mentioned in relation to winning the World Series.
• ESPN - Mentioned in relation to a baseball broadcast.
• The Atlantic - Not explicitly mentioned, but implied as a publication where articles are written.
• The New York Times - Not explicitly mentioned, but implied as a publication where articles are written.

Courses & Educational Resources

• MIT Analytics Lab - Mentioned as a place where Peccho heads and where a student developed an app.

Websites & Online Resources

• Fangraphs - Mentioned for calculating a WAR for Shohei Ohtani's game.
• Wharton Moneyball - The name of the podcast.

Other Resources

• Moneyball - The concept that heavily influenced the discussion on analytics in baseball.
• Three True Outcomes - A concept in baseball (home run, walk, strikeout) that has become prevalent due to analytics.
• Bat Path Research - A technological aspect of analytics that has changed the game.
• High-Speed Cameras - A technological aspect of analytics that has changed the game.
• Training Programs - Mentioned as a technological aspect of analytics that has changed the game.
• The Shift - A defensive strategy that has been impacted by analytics.
• Bunting - Mentioned as a strategy that has been reduced due to analytics.
• Stealing - Mentioned as a strategy that has been reduced due to analytics.
• Pitching Staff Reconfiguration - A suggestion made in Jane Leavy's book.
• NHL Style Healthy Scratch List - A proposed rule change for baseball pitching staffs.
• Electronic Umpires - Mentioned as something Shane Jensen is a fan of and that should be tested in minor leagues.
• CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) - Discussed in relation to the risks of tackle football.
• Flag Football - Mentioned as a sport supported by the NFL, indicating a shift away from tackle football.
• Ghost Runner - A rule in extra innings that is disliked by the hosts.
• Path Dependence - An economic concept used to explain why baseball teams are slow to change.
• Plexiglass Wall (in outfield) - A suggestion from Jane Leavy's book to create more doubles and triples.
• Green Monster (Fenway Park) - Mentioned as an example of a wall in the outfield that affects the game.
• Monument Park (Yankee Stadium) - Mentioned as a feature that had a slope in center field.
• Traject Machine - A training machine mentioned in the context of player development.
• CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) - Mentioned in relation to union negotiations for rule changes.
• Beat the Bot - An app developed by MIT students that allows kids to predict game outcomes.
• QR Codes on Jerseys - An idea discussed by "The Bananas" to enhance fan interaction.
• The "Wheel" Play - A strategic play mentioned in relation to Mookie Betts.
• The "Wheel Call" - A strategic play mentioned in relation to Mookie Betts.
• Picnic Areas - Mentioned as a feature at ballparks where fans can bring their own food.
• CTI Diagnosis in 14-year-olds - A concern raised about the safety of tackle football for young children.
• Event-Driven Interest - Discussed in relation to the popularity of sports like football.
• Player Interaction on Field - Discussed as a lost element of the fan experience.
• Signed Autographs - Mentioned as a past fan experience that is no longer readily available.
• Scorecards - Mentioned in the context of fan engagement and getting autographs.
• Handheld Game on Mom's Phone - An idea for engaging kids at ballparks.
• Objective Function - A concept in data analysis and AI, related to what teams try to optimize.
• Principle Agent Problem - Discussed in relation to why teams optimize for winning rather than fan entertainment.
• Fan Engagement - Discussed as an area where baseball lags behind other sports.
• Viewing Product from a Screen - Discussed as a key factor in modern sports consumption.
• Pace of Play Changes - Discussed as a productive change for the viewing product.
• Singles, Doubles, and Triples - Mentioned as offensive outcomes that the league should promote over home runs.
• Game Seven (AL) - A recent playoff game discussed in the context of home runs.
• Grand Slam - Mentioned in relation to Shohei Ohtani's performance.
• Last Play of the Philly Season - Mentioned as a memorable, albeit messy, event.
• Walk Issued Earlier in Game Leading to a Run - Mentioned as a contributing factor to a playoff loss.
• Bad Call - Mentioned in relation to a specific playoff game.
• Wharton Podcast Network - The production company for the podcast.