Faculty Sponsor

Tiffany Kolba

College

Arts and Sciences

Discipline(s)

Statistics

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Spring 5-1-2020

Abstract

For my STAT 499 senior project, I looked at data regarding handedness in batting versus handedness in pitching within Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been traditional in baseball to have batters in your lineup that swing from the side of the plate that is opposite from the pitchers’ throwing hand. For example, if the starting pitcher is right-handed, it would be more beneficial for the team to start as many left-handed batters as possible. My goal for this project was to test if there is a significant difference in performance between batters facing a same-handed pitcher versus an opposite-handed pitcher by comparing batting averages and other hitting statistics. The 2017, 2018, and 2019 regular seasons of MLB hitting data were used. Using Two-Way ANOVA tests and interaction plots, there is evidence of a significant difference in performance between batters facing a same-handed pitcher versus an opposite-handed pitcher.

Biographical Information about Author(s)

I am a senior statistics major, with minor degrees in psychology, music, and mathematics. I have been a sports fan since I was seven years old. My favorite teams are the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs, and I love analyzing the statistics used in football and baseball. After graduation, I hope to find a career as a sports statistician.

Download

Share

COinS