Major League Research Articles

The Major League Baseball Pitch Clock: one year position player injury analysis

ABSTRACT Background In 2023, Major League Baseball (MLB)implemented the pitch clock. The effects of the pitch clock on player injuryrates is largely unknown, and some, including the major league baseball playersassociation, have suggested that pitchers may be at an increased risk of injurywith its implementation. Position players have received little attention inthese discussions, even though they may be at the same theorized risk ofinjuries. The aim of this study is to determine if implementation of the 2023MLB pitch clock influenced the incidence of injuries in position players. It ishypothesized that implementation of the MLB pitch clock will lead to a rise ininjuries due to a reduction of time for the primary biological energy systemused by baseball to restore to normal levels. Methods Injury data was collected from thefangraphs.com injury database, the most comprehensive MLB data and statisticaldatabase website, for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 MLB seasons. The incidence rateratio was calculated and used to compare the injury rate for the 2023 season tothe 2021 and 2022 seasons for both major anatomical categories and anatomicalsubcategories. A z-test for proportions was used to determine significance. Results Incidence rate ratio comparison of the2023 MLB pitch clock season versus the 2021 MLB season showed a decrease in thetotal incidence of injuries (p < .001), lower extremity injuries (p < .001),and hamstring injuries (p = .032). Incidence rate ratio comparison of the 2023MLB pitch clock season versus the 2022 MLB season showed a decrease in thetotal incidence of injuries (p = .010), undisclosed injuries (p < .001), andknee injuries (p = .035). Conclusions Following the implementation of thepitch clock during the 2023 MLB season, the total number of injuries andseveral lower extremity injury categories decreased. Due to a decrease in theoverall time spent on the field in a single game and over a season, it could behypothesized that the pitch clock decreased the workload for position players,leading to this drop in injuries. Further longitudinal investigation must bedone to investigate if this influence of the MLB pitch clock persists overtime.

Predicting Team Advancement in Major League Baseball Postseason Using Borda Count

The prediction of sports competition outcomes has long been a topic of interest in academia and among sports enthusiasts. This study focuses on Major League Baseball (MLB) as its research subject, encompassing the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. By employing a set of established evaluation criteria, comprising five pitching and five hitting indicators from previous literature, the regular-season performance of the 30 MLB teams across both leagues (National League and American League) over the three-year period was compiled. Subsequently, a data normalization technique combined with the Borda count concept was proposed to develop a model for forecasting team advancement in the postseason. The predictive accuracy of the model presented in this study for determining MLB postseason qualifiers from 2020 to 2022 fell within the range of 55.6% to 66.7%, akin to models utilizing extensive datasets. Notably, the proposed model is more comprehensible and user-friendly, offering ease of understanding and application for sports enthusiasts and facilitating its potential utilization and dissemination in the sporting community.

Soft matter mechanics of baseball’s Rubbing Mud

Researchers looking for sustainable materials with optimal mechanical properties may draw inspiration from a baseball tradition. For nearly 100 y, a mysterious mud harvested from an undisclosed river site in New Jersey (USA) has been the agent of choice in the USA's Major League Baseball for "de-glossing" new baseballs. It is unclear, however, what makes this "Rubbing Mud" work. Here, we perform a multiscale investigation of the rheology and tribology of this mud material under baseball-relevant conditions and identify three mechanisms by which the mud alters the surface properties of the baseball. First, the mud creates a more uniform baseball surface by filling in pores in the leather; this is possible because of its relatively high cohesion (clays and organics) making the material remarkably shear thinning. Second, the residue of cohesive particles coating the baseball effectively doubles contact adhesion. Third, a sparse population of angular sand grains are bonded to the baseball by clay-sized particles, leaving a studded surface that enhances friction. The proportions of cohesive, frictional, and viscous elements in Rubbing Mud conspire to create a soft material with an unusual mix of properties, that could find other applications in the development of sustainable geomaterials. Our improved understanding of the flow and friction of natural muds may also find use in modeling natural hazards such as mudslides and for locomotion in muddy environments.

Abdominal Oblique and Rectus Muscle Injuries in Major and Minor League Baseball Players: An Updated Epidemiological Review

Background: Abdominal musculature injuries comprise the third most prevalent time-loss injury across professional baseball. Despite increased awareness and prevention attempts in the recent decade, the trends of these abdominal injury numbers in Major League Baseball (MLB) are not fully understood. Purposes: To update the trends in oblique and intercostal injuries, analyze the impact of these injuries based on time out of play, and identify factors that correlate with increased injury severity to help with recovery time prognostication for the sports medicine community. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Using the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System, the authors identified all abdominal and core musculature injuries that resulted in time out of play in MLB and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) between the 2011 and 2021 seasons. These were filtered for injuries that resulted in ≥1 days missed (DM) during spring training, the regular season, and postseason. A Student t test was utilized to assess for significant differences for all normally distributed values. Regression analysis was utilized for determining change over time. For all statistical comparisons, the threshold for alpha was set to P &lt; .05. Results: During the study period between 2011 and 2021, there were 4560 total abdominal injuries among 3401 athletes. When filtered for in-season, time-loss injuries defined as spring training, regular season, and postseason, there were 2890 injuries. Of these, 1928 were oblique injuries, 453 were intercostal injuries, and 115 were rectus injuries. The number of oblique injuries each season increased for all of baseball ( P &lt; .001), as well as for MLB ( P = .009) and MiLB ( P = .012) individually. Of the 1928 oblique injuries, 498 (26%) oblique injuries occurred at the MLB level and 1430 (74%) occurred at the MiLB level. Batting and pitching-related injuries comprised 860 (45%) and 729 (38%) oblique injuries, with a total of 18,455 DM and 20,891 DM, respectively. This corresponded to a mean of 22 DM for batting injuries and 29 DM for pitching injuries (mean difference, 7.2; 95% CI, 5.27-9.13; P &lt; .001). Conclusion: This decade-long study on professional baseball revealed a significant increase in abdominal oblique injuries across MLB and MiLB, with the largest number of injuries observed in the 2021 season. Meanwhile, there was a significant decrease in intercostal injuries across professional baseball during these years. Such injuries continue to pose challenges, leading to substantial DM per injury and affecting players from various positions.

Home-Court Advantage and Home Win Percentage in the NBA: An In-Depth Investigation by Conference and Team Ability

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the major professional basketball league in the United States. Home-court advantage (HA) and home win percentage (HW) have been identified as decisive factors in determining the final outcome of a game. This study analyzes a total of 24 regular seasons, with two main objectives: (i) comparing HA and HW within the two conferences and (ii) examining the influence of team ability on HA and HW. HA (%) was calculated as (total home wins/total wins) × 100, and HW (%) as (total home wins/total home games) × 100. Teams were categorized into four different groups based on their season win percentage using cluster analyses. Regarding the first aim, we used an Independent Samples T-test and Mann–Whitney to assess differences between conferences. Subsequently, we evaluated the second objective using one-way ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis. The results indicated no significant differences in HA within conferences. However, Western teams tended to have a higher HW than Eastern teams. The analyses revealed significantly higher HA in contender teams compared to the rest of the team abilities (p &lt; 0.001). High–medium-ability teams also showed a significantly higher HA (p &lt; 0.001) compared to low-ability teams. However, non-significant differences were found between the remaining groups for HA. Regarding HW, we observed significantly higher values in the contender teams compared to the teams with other ability levels (p &lt; 0.001). Additionally, the high–medium-ability teams also exhibited significantly higher HW values (p &lt; 0.001) when compared to the medium–low- and low-ability teams. Furthermore, the medium–low-ability teams showed significantly higher HW values (p &lt; 0.001) when compared to the low-ability teams. Those findings suggest that team ability influences HA and HW in the NBA, where contender teams have significantly higher HW and HA values compared to the teams with other team ability levels. Understanding these dynamics provides valuable insights for team strategies, particularly during playoff stages where home-court advantage can be critical for success.

Association of the Universal Designated Hitter Rule With Changes to Injuries in Major League Baseball Pitchers

Background: In 2022, Major League Baseball (MLB) implemented the universal designated hitter (DH) rule, thus allowing the pitcher to focus solely on defense while the DH, who bats for the pitcher, focuses solely on offense. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of our study was to determine if implementation of the universal DH rule affected the incidence of injuries in MLB pitchers when compared with before implementation. It was hypothesized that the shift to the universal DH rule would be associated with a decrease in the rate of offense-related pitcher injuries. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Using publicly available data, we identified injuries sustained by MLB pitchers during the 2021 (before the DH rule change) and 2022 (after the rule change) regular seasons. Pitchers placed on the injured list for non–gameplay related reasons were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed with the chi-square and independent t tests. Results: The injury incidence rate decreased significantly from before to after the rule change for MLB pitchers overall (from 6.58 to 5.60 injuries/1000 athlete game-exposures [AGE]; P = .02) and for National League pitchers (from 7.62 to 6.26 injuries/1000 AGE; P = .04). No significant changes were seen in American League pitchers ( P = .20). Injury locations that decreased from before to after the rule change were the thigh (from 0.52 to 0.21 injuries/1000 AGE; P = .003) and the hand/finger/wrist (from 0.63 to 0.30 injuries/1000 AGE; P = .01). Total time lost decreased from 9471 days before the rule change to 8857 days after the rule change ( P = .00001). Conclusion: Implementation of the universal DH rule was associated with a decrease in pitcher injuries overall and within the National League. Injuries to the thigh and hand/finger/wrist also decreased overall and within the National League. Furthermore, total days lost decreased from before to after the rule change. These findings may be due to the elimination of offensive gameplay requirements for pitchers, which highlights a positive consequence of the universal DH rule, but further studies are needed.

Fastball Quality After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Of The Major League Baseball Pitchers: A Case-Control Study With Advanced Pitching Data

Fastball Quality After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Of The Major League Baseball Pitchers: A Case-Control Study With Advanced Pitching Data

Contextualised physical metrics: The physical demands vary with phase of play during elite soccer match play.

The physical demands of elite soccer match play have traditionally been measured using aggregated whole-match metrics. However, match play is increasingly considered as distinct phases of play, although the influence of phase of play on match physical demands remains largely unknown. This study compared physical intensity, acceleration and deceleration demands, between phases of play and according to playing position. The duration of each match from a major European league (n=1083) was divided into one of five reciprocal phases (for the in-/out-of-possession team) using event and tracking data: build-up/high-block, progression/mid-block, chance creation/low-block, fast attack/fast defence, or attacking transition/defensive transition. Player tracking data were used to calculate physical intensity as the rate of distance covered (m⋅min-1) in total and within five speed categories, and the proportion of time spent accelerating and decelerating (>2ms-2) during each phase of play. Rate of distance covered in total differed markedly with phase of play; fast attack 35%-53% greater, and fast defence 33%-50% greater, than other in-/out-of-possession phases respectively, and these effects were amplified for the rate of distance covered at higher speeds (e.g., sprinting ≥4-fold differences between phases). Match phase also affected the proportion of time spent accelerating and decelerating (highest for fast attack and chance creation, respectively), especially when in-possession for forwards and when out-of-possession for defenders (p<0.001). Phase of play had a large effect on the physical intensity of match play, particularly rates of distance covered at higher speeds, as well as the acceleration and deceleration demands, and in a position specific manner.

Comparative Analysis of Carbon Footprints from Away and Home Matches: A Study on Leading Basketball and Football Teams in Türkiye

Problem: Basketball and football teams in Türkiye have the capacity to travel hundreds of kilometres for league matches. In general, such major leagues and leading teams travelling from Türkiye have not been sufficiently researched in the context of Türkiye’s leading leagues and teams. In this context, the aim of this study is to assess and compare the carbon footprint of the transport activities of basketball and football teams in Türkiye for their home and away matches for the 2023–2024 season. Methods: The research is based on EN 16258 and ICAO carbon emissions methodologies. This study aims to calculate and compare the carbon footprint of different transport methods, including bus and plane, used by five basketball and football teams in Türkiye. Results: The findings show that there are significant differences between the teams in terms of travelling distances and carbon footprints. Trabzonspor from the Black Sea region released the highest CO2 emissions from air travel with a total of 91,667.1 kgCO2e, while Fenerbahçe Beko had the lowest CO2 emissions with 5316.72 kgCO2e. In terms of bus travel, Gaziantep FK led the CO2 emissions with 4356.45 kgCO2e, while Türk Telekom was the team with the lowest CO2 emissions with 1233.225 kgCO2e. The findings also reveal a notable difference in the number of trees teams need to plant to offset their carbon emissions. Because of their travel patterns, Antalyaspor would need to plant 3481 trees, whereas Fenerbahçe Beko would only need to plant 348 trees. Conclusions: Air travel is emerging as the dominant source of CO2 emissions and has a greater impact on the environmental impact of teams that rely heavily on airplanes. In this study, the league structure and duration play a critical role in shaping the carbon footprint of sports teams. The football season, which is longer compared to basketball, requires more frequent travel, especially for teams in more remote regions, resulting in higher carbon emissions than basketball. The dominance of Marmara region teams in basketball has a negative impact on the carbon footprint since these teams generally have shorter travel distances.

Detrimental Industries' Sponsorship in Football Clubs Across Ten Major Leagues from 2000-2022: A Retrospective Study.

Sponsorship of football teams by detrimental industries may negatively impact fans' dietary and behavioral choices. The study aimed to determine the proportion of sponsors on the jerseys of teams in the top ten football leagues that comprise companies producing alcohol or unhealthy food, or engaging in gambling. We conducted a retrospective study, incorporating data from first-division football teams in 10 countries (Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States) playing from 2000-2022. Data were collected on the primary sponsors displayed on team jerseys and categorized into alcohol, unhealthy food (defined as producers of ultra-processed food according to the NOVA classification), gambling, or other, based on the nature of the products or services offered by the sponsors. We performed descriptive statistical analyses and multivariate linear regression analyses. A total of 4452 sponsorship records were analyzed. The majority were classified as "other" (81.8%), followed by gambling (6.9%), alcohol (2.6%), and unhealthy food (2.6%). We did not identify any sponsor representing the tobacco industry. The prevalence of gambling sponsors surged from 1.7% in 2000 to 16.3% in 2022. Conversely, alcohol-related sponsorships dwindled from 6.2% in 2000 to 1.0% in 2022. In the multivariate linear regression model, these trends were statistically significant. The alcohol industry remained visible in the Spanish league. A significant proportion of sponsorships on the jerseys of top football teams across the world represents alcohol, ultra-processed food, or the gambling industry. Trends in the types of sponsors on the jerseys of leading football clubs across the Western world are diverse. Particularly concerning is the recent increase in the percentage of clubs sponsored by the gambling industry. To limit the detrimental effects of the promotion of unhealthy products, novel policies should be considered.

Identity-based rivalry: A common identity across competitors leads to rivalry perceptions and better performance

Researchers in psychology and management have recently examined what leads competitors to perceive that they are in a rivalry (e.g., repeated competitions) and what the consequences of rivalry are (e.g., better performance). Other researchers have long focused on the importance of social identity for how people evaluate themselves and others. In two studies, we connect and extend this past work by examining whether having the same identity as an opponent (specifically, gender or nationality) produces rivalry effects. In an online experiment, we found that sport competitors are more likely to perceive their same-gender opponents as rivals than their different-gender opponents (and this was especially the case for men). These stronger rivalry perceptions were predicted by competitors’ greater similarity, greater frequency of past competitions, and greater competitiveness with their same-gender opponents. Then, in an analysis of data from Major League Baseball (MLB), we found that batters from the Dominican Republic and the United States hit better when a same-nationality catcher was behind the plate. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of identity-based rivalry.

Revitalizing Colleague‐Specific Human Capital: Boomerang and Pipeline‐Based Hiring in a 41‐Year Multilevel Study of Employee Mobility

ABSTRACTAmidst the decline of permanent employment contracts and the rapid shortening of career cycles, organizations often face challenges in fully capitalizing on employee mobility. This study adopts a multilevel perspective to explore how mobility impacts both individual and team performance, focusing on acquiring colleague‐specific human capital through two talent acquisition strategies: boomerang hiring and pipeline‐based hiring. Using a unique Major League Baseball database spanning 41 years, including 19,927 player‐year records and 1156 team‐year records, our analysis reveals that individuals engaged in boomerang and pipeline‐based hiring and possessing higher levels of individual colleague‐specific human capital, experience greater benefits from mobility in terms of individual performance. Moreover, these hiring strategies allow organizations to effectively harness colleague‐specific human capital. Specifically, team performance is positively influenced by a greater proportion of boomerang hiring through team colleague‐specific human capital resources. Similarly, a higher ratio of pipeline‐based hiring, alongside other recurrent hiring practices, positively impacts team performance through team colleague‐specific human capital resources. Our findings provide valuable insights for organizations aiming to rejuvenate their colleague‐specific human capital resources through strategic hiring practices to achieve sustained success.

Return to play and performance after patellar fracture in American professional sports: a case–control cohort analysis

ABSTRACT Objectives This study describes the effects of patellar fracture on return to play (RTP) and functional outcomes among athletes in American professional sports. Methods Professional athletes from the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Hockey League (NHL) who suffered a patellar fracture between January 1965 and December 2021 were identified through injury reports and public archives. Performance scores, play time, and games played were collected for the season preceding patellar fracture and 2 seasons after RTP, and differences in recorded metrics compared to pre-injury levels and matched controls were analyzed. Results Twenty-nine of 41 (71%) injured athletes returned to play at an average of 217 days. Among all players, play volume decreased in year 1 compared to baseline but recovered to pre-injury levels in year 2. Athletes treated operatively experienced an initial decline in performance (p < 0.01) but recovered to pre-injury performance level in year 2. Nonoperative management resulted in a decline in performance in year 2 of RTP (p = 0.02). Athletes treated operatively performed significantly worse than matched controls in year 1 of RTP (64% vs. 99%; p = 0.04) but recovered to a similar level of performance as controls in year 2 (87% vs. 91%; p = 0.90). Conclusion A 71% rate of RTP was demonstrated among this limited cohort of 29 athletes in American professional sports after isolated patellar fracture. Although details regarding fracture characteristics and operative reports were not available for analysis, operative management was not associated with longer absence from play compared to nonoperative treatment. Despite the limitations of this study, the findings suggesting operative management may improve prospects of maintaining elite performance following RTP warrant further investigation. Level of evidence Case-control cohort analysis; Level of evidence, 3.

Fundamental study on ambient noise reduction for analysis of hitting sound of professional baseball players

In recent years, the sound of a hitting ball during a baseball game has focused attention on the American Major League Baseball and Japanese professional baseball. It is reported that information such as the direction and distance of a batted ball can be detected from the sound. The sounds of players hitting the ball are sometimes expressed using various onomatopoeic. In our previous study, we recorded the sound of a baseball hit during hitting practice for players of a university baseball team in the Tokyo metropolitan area in Japan. Relationships between the acoustic characteristics of the sound and the distance and direction of the ball were clarified. In this research, acoustic analysis of professional baseball players' batted ball sounds from Youtube and other videos is used to identify the acoustic features and characteristics of the batted ball. This paper describes the method and accuracy of noise removal around the hitting sound extracted from the video using a convolutional neural network with images.

Neck Range of Motion Prognostic Factors in Association to Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in Professional Baseball Pitchers

BackgroundAuthors have observed an association between cervical spine mobility and arm injury risk in baseball player; however, there is a need to assess the generalizability of cervical measurement data. Assessing the downstream of associations of cervical dysfunction on shoulder and elbow injuries can inform clinical interventions to help reduce future arm injuries. The purpose of this study was to assess the generalizability of neck range of motion measures as arm injury prognostic factors in professional baseball pitchers. MethodsA prospective cohort of professional baseball pitchers in one Major League Baseball Organization was performed. Pitchers underwent pre-season neck range of motion including cervical flexion, extension, rotation, lateral flexion, and the flexion-rotation test (CFRT) and were followed for the season. The outcome was the occurrence of shoulder or elbow injury. A Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed and reported as hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). ResultsA total of 88 pitchers were included (Age: 24.2 (2.4); Left-Handed: 21 (23%); Fastball Velocity: 92.3 (1.8)), with 15,942 athlete exposure days collected over the season. Pitcher neck range of motion was assessed (Flexion: 64 (10); Extension: 69 (11); Difference in Lateral Flexion: -1 (7); Difference in Neck Rotation: -2 (9); Difference in CFRT: -1 (7)). A total of 20 arm injuries (Shoulder: 9 (10%); Elbow: 11 (13%); Combined Rate: 1.3 (95% CI: 0.7, 1.7) per 1000 exposure days) were suffered by pitchers during the season. For every degree increase in the difference in dominant (rotating to dominant shoulder) versus non-dominant (rotating to non-dominant shoulder) neck rotation, there was a four-fold increase in arm injury hazard (HR: 4.0 (95% CI: 1.1, 13.9), p = 0.031). No other neck measurements demonstrated prognostic value. ConclusionsA deficit in dominant versus non-dominant neck rotation was prognostic for pitching arm injury. However, the cervical rotation test did not have prognostic value in this sample. Further research is required to assess the generalizability and scalability of neck range of motion assessment in relation to baseball shoulder and elbow injuries across different competition levels.

Understanding of head injury assessment and return to play processes and associated factors in United States Major League Rugby players

ABSTRACT Objectives Evaluate professional rugby players’ self-reported perceived understanding of the head injury assessment (HIA) and return to play (RTP) processes and determine factors related to understanding and trust pertaining to these processes. Methods An electronic survey measured concepts of interest. A thematic analysis of player understanding was performed, and player statements were coded. Results 207 U.S. Major League Rugby (MLR) players participated (26.7 ± 3.4 years). HIA and RTP protocol understanding was not correlated with concussion history (p = 0.41). International rugby experience and trust regarding MLR support of the following protocols and opposing team medical staff practices varied in their relationship to HIA understanding. Trust that all MLR teams follow the same protocols was positively correlated with all HIA questions (ps < 0.03). No HIA questions were correlated with trust in their own team’s medical staff. All trust questions were significantly correlated with RTP process understanding. Qualitative analysis identified four HIA- and RTP-related themes: education needs, staffing needs, HIA criticisms, and importance of player safety. Conclusion International playing experience and greater trust in the MLR and league stakeholders were associated with greater player understanding of the HIA and RTP protocols. These results provide insight into the importance of educating players on league-specific concussion protocols.

Return to Play Outcomes in Elite Athletes after Cervical and Lumbar Motion Preservation Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Systematic Review. The primary purpose of this article was to survey the present literature and report on return to play outcomes in elite athletes after undergoing motion preservation spinal surgery. For elite performance, athletes require adequate mobility and throughout the trunk, torso, and spine to achieve maximal force production. Therefore, elite athletes that have failed conservative treatment may seek to undergo motion preserving surgical options such as total disc arthroplasty and lumbar microdiscectomy. Individual studies have reported on return to play (RTP) outcomes following individual motion preservation surgical procedures, no systematic reviews have formally to reported on RTP outcomes, post-operative performance, and reoperation rates on these procedures in elite athletes. A systematic review was conducted from inception until February 2024 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. One reviewer queried PubMed for relevant studies that reported on RTP outcomes in elite athletes following motion preservation spinal surgery (MPSS) based on title and abstract (n=1,404). After the original search query, an additional reviewer screened full length articles. A total of 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. Special consideration was given to RTP rates, post-operative performance, and reoperation rates. A total of 612 elite athletes from the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Hockey League, and other professional sporting organizations underwent cervical and lumbar MPSS to treat various spinal pathologies. Various motion sparing techniques were used to treat various pathologies. After undergoing MPSS, RTP rates ranged from 75-100% for lumbar cases and 83.3-100% for cervical cases. Most athletes successfully returned to sport between. Post-operative performance varied with some athletes performing at the same level prior to surgery and some performing at a decreased level. Motion preservation spinal surgery is a feasible option when properly indicated. Future studies are needed to compare return to sport rates, post-operative performance, and re-operation rates between motion preservation spinal surgery to spinal arthrodesis.

Statistical Modeling of Football Players’ Transfer Fees Worldwide

Professional football clubs invest vast amounts of money in the recruitment of players. This article presents the latest advances in statistical modeling of the factors that market actors take into consideration to determine the transfer prices of professional football players. It extends to a global scale the econometric approach previously developed by the authors to evaluate the transfer prices of players under contract with clubs from the five major European leagues. The statistical technique used to build the model is multiple linear regression (MLR), with fees paid by clubs as an independent variable. The sample comprises over 8000 transactions of players transferred for money from clubs worldwide during the period stretching from July 2014 to March 2024. This paper shows that a statistical model can explain up to 85% of the differences in the transfer fees paid for players. Despite the specific cases and other possible distortions mentioned in the discussion, the use of a statistical model to determine player transfer prices is thus highly relevant on a global scale.

Give It a Rest: The Impact of Rest Days on Musculoskeletal Injuries Among Starting Pitchers in Major League Baseball.

Examine the impact of rest days on musculoskeletal (MSK) injury incidence in Major League Baseball (MLB) starting pitchers. Descriptive epidemiological study. MLB pitching and injury reports. PARTICIPANTS: MLB starting pitchers. Data (2022-2023) were obtained from Baseball-Reference.com and fangraphs.com. Teams were grouped by average rest days between starts (Group A <5 rest days, Group B >5 rest days). Poisson regression was used to compare main outcome measure incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Number of rest days between starts. Pitches per start, MSK injury incidence, injured list (IL) days for MSK injury. From 2022 to 2023, the average MLB rest days between starts was 4.80. Group A had 54 teams. Group B had 6 teams. The range of average rest days per start by team was 4.56 to 5.73 with a mean of 4.80. Group B pitchers spent 10.7 days on IL for MSK injuries per 1000 pitches, while Group A spent 13.6 days on IL (IRR = 0.78 [95% CI, 0.72-0.85]; P < 0.0001). Group B averaged 0.93 more pitches per start than Group A (P = 0.0164). Group B had a lower number of IL assignments for MSK injuries per 1000 pitches (0.245 vs 0.351, IRR = 0.70 [95% CI, 0.38-1.18]; P = 0.1715). Starting pitchers on MLB teams averaging > 5 rest days between starts spent less time on the IL for MSK injuries than MLB teams averaging < 5 rest days from 2022 to 2023. There was no clinically significant difference in pitch count and no significant difference in the number of IL assignments for MSK injuries.

The Ballpark Effect: Spatial-Data-Driven Insights into Baseball’s Local Economic Impact

The impact of sporting events on local economies and their spatial distribution is a topic of active policy debate. This study adds to the discussion by examining granular cellphone location data to assess the spillover effects of Major League Baseball (MLB) games in a major US city. Focusing on the 2019 season, we explore granular geospatial patterns in mobility and consumer spending on game days versus non-game days in the Saint Louis region. Through density-based clustering and hotspot analysis, we uncover distinct spatiotemporal signatures and variations in visitor affluence across different teams. This study uses features like game day characteristics, location data (latitude and longitude), business types, and spending data. A significant finding is that specific spatial clusters of economic activity are formed around the stadium, particularly on game days, with multiple clusters identified. These clusters reveal a marked increase in spending at businesses such as restaurants, bars, and liquor stores, with revenue surges of up to 38% in certain areas. We identified a significant change in spending patterns in the local economy during games, with results varying greatly across teams. Notably, the XGBoost model performs best, achieving a test R2 of 0.80. The framework presented enhances the literature at the intersection of urban economics, sports analytics, and spatial modeling while providing data-driven actionable insights for businesses and policymakers.