Contract Options and Performance: The Case of Major League Baseball

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-388
Author(s):  
Richard J. Paulsen
Keyword(s):  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Major League ◽  
And Performance

scholarly journals Analysis of Injuries and Pitching Performance Between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball: A 2-Team Comparison Between 2015 to 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 232596712110088
Author(s):  
Ryan L. Crotin ◽  
Toshimasa Yanai ◽  
Peter Chalmers ◽  
Kenneth B. Smale ◽  
Brandon J. Erickson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Injury Incidence ◽  
Mechanism Of Injury ◽  
Research Collaborations ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League ◽  
Player Game ◽  
And Performance

Background: There has been minimal research investigating injury and pitching performance differences between Major League Baseball (MLB) and other professional leagues. Purpose/Hypothesis: This 2-team comparison between MLB and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) involved affiliated players over 5 years. We hypothesized that teams would differ in the injury incidence, mechanism of injury, pitch velocity, and pitch type usage. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Between 2015 and 2019, pitching data as well as injury statistics for the highest level and minor league affiliates of the Los Angeles Angels (MLB) and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (NPB) were reviewed for significant differences in the injury prevalence, injury type, mechanism of injury, and days missed. In total, 3781 MLB and 371 NPB injuries were studied. Results: MLB-affiliated players were significantly younger, taller, and heavier ( P < .001) than were NPB-affiliated players. MLB-affiliated pitchers threw faster than did their NPB counterparts ( P = .026). MLB minor league pitchers threw more curveballs than did NPB minor league pitchers ( P = .004), and MLB minor league relief pitchers threw more sliders than did NPB minor league relief pitchers ( P = .02). The MLB team had a 3.7-fold higher incidence of injuries versus the NPB team (0.030 vs 0.008 injuries per player-game, respectively) as well as more repeat injuries, with fewer days missed per injury (15.8 ± 54.7 vs 36.2 ± 55.1 days, respectively; P < .001). The MLB team also had a higher percentage of injuries that were throwing related ( P < .001), were contact related ( P < .001), and occurred outside of competition ( P < .001) compared with the NPB team. Conclusion: This is the first empirical study examining injury trends and pitching characteristics between MLB and NPB athletes. MLB-affiliated pitchers threw faster and relied more on breaking pitches in comparison with NPB-affiliated pitchers. From injury data, MLB players were younger, taller, and heavier with a higher percentage of throwing-related injuries, contact injuries, and injuries sustained outside of competition. Overall, the MLB team indicated a 3.7-fold higher rate of reported injuries with fewer days missed per injury than did the NPB team. Competitive conditions are distinctly different between MLB and NPB, and thus, more extensive research collaborations in the future can identify best practices to advance health and performance for both leagues.

It’s a Party in the MLB: An Analysis of Shirking Between Games in Major League Baseball

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Richard J. Paulsen
Keyword(s):  
Moral Hazard ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Job Security ◽  
Baseball Player ◽  
Difference In Differences ◽  
Estimation Strategy ◽  
Major League ◽  
Triple Difference ◽  
And Performance

This paper uses game-level Major League Baseball data to identify whether players with greater job security shirk in their preparation between games. Past work has identified evidence of moral hazard arising in multiyear Major League Baseball player contracts, but little work has been done in identifying when shirking takes place. Using a difference-in-differences estimation strategy, this study finds evidence of an inverse relationship between the number of years remaining on player contracts and performance when the player is playing on short rest, when opportunity to rest is scarce, but not on long rest. Using a triple-difference specification, evidence is found that this inverse relationship between years remaining on a player’s contract when playing on short rest occurs for games played in “party cities.” This evidence would suggest that between game preparation is one avenue through which players on multiyear contracts shirk.

scholarly journals Performance and Return to Sport After Hip Arthroscopic Surgery in Major League Baseball Players

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 232596711982583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Jack ◽  
Kyle R. Sochacki ◽  
Takashi Hirase ◽  
Justin Vickery ◽  
Patrick C. McCulloch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Arthroscopic Surgery ◽  
Return To Sport ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
Postoperative Performance ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Major League ◽  
And Performance

Background: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a common cause of hip pain that may lead to decreased performance in Major League Baseball (MLB) players. Purpose: To determine the (1) return-to-sport (RTS) rate in MLB players after hip arthroscopic surgery for FAI; (2) postoperative career length, innings pitched (IP) (pitchers), and plate appearances (PA) (position players); (3) preoperative and postoperative performance; and (4) postoperative performance compared with control players matched by position, age, years of experience, and performance. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: MLB athletes who underwent hip arthroscopic surgery for FAI and matched controls were identified. Demographic and performance data were collected. RTS was defined as playing in at least 1 MLB game after surgery. Continuous variables of each group were compared using a 2-tailed paired-samples Student t test for normally distributed data. The chi-square test was used to analyze categorical data. The Bonferroni correction was used to control for multiple comparisons, with statistical significance defined by a P value of ≤.007. Results: A total of 50 players (57 surgeries) were analyzed (mean age, 30.4 ± 3.9 years; mean MLB experience at the time of surgery, 7.0 ± 4.6 years). Pitchers (31 surgeries; 54.4%) represented the largest proportion of players analyzed. Of these players, 42 (47 surgeries; 82.5%) were able to RTS at a mean of 8.3 ± 4.1 months. The overall 1-year MLB career survival rate of players undergoing FAI surgery was 78.9%. Players in the control group were in MLB a similar number of years (4.0 ± 2.9 years) to players who underwent surgery (3.3 ± 2.4 years) ( P > .007). There was no significant decrease in IP or PA per season after surgery ( P > .007). There was no significant difference in performance for pitchers and nonpitchers compared with matched controls after surgery ( P > .007). Conclusion: The RTS rate for MLB athletes after hip arthroscopic surgery for FAI was high. There were similar IP, PA, and career lengths postoperatively compared with preoperatively and with matched controls. There was no significant difference in performance for pitchers and nonpitchers compared with matched controls after surgery.

Epidemiology, Workload, and Performance of Major League Baseball Pitchers Placed on the Disabled List

Orthopedics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 178-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan E. Marshall ◽  
Toufic R. Jildeh ◽  
Kelechi R. Okoroha ◽  
Ankur Patel ◽  
Vasilios Moutzouros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Major League ◽  
The Disabled ◽  
Baseball Pitchers ◽  
And Performance

scholarly journals Concussion Incidence and Impact on Player Performance in Major League Baseball Players Before and After a Standardized Concussion Protocol

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 232596712091302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua G. Peterson ◽  
Vehniah K. Tjong ◽  
Michael A. Terry ◽  
Matthew D. Saltzman ◽  
Stephen M. Gryzlo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Major League ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Disabled ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Player Performance

Background: Sports-related concussions have garnered significant attention in recent years because of the negative effects they can have on a player’s cognitive health and performance. In response to this growing concern, Major League Baseball (MLB) introduced a standardized concussion protocol during the 2011-2012 season. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare the reported incidence of concussions and the subsequent performance of MLB players before and after the introduction of the standardized concussion protocol. We hypothesized that the introduction of the standardized concussion protocol would not have an impact on player performance postconcussion. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Players who suffered a concussion between 2001 and 2018 were identified from the MLB transactions page. Incidence and player performance were compared before and after the introduction of the standardized concussion protocol. Player performance was evaluated using traditional data and sabermetric data, which are advanced statistics used in conjunction with standard statistics to better compare players and teams. Player averages were calculated and compared using paired t tests for 30 days before and after concussion, 1 year before and after concussion, and career before and after concussion. Averages were also compared before and after the institution of the standardized concussion protocol using independent-measures t tests. Results: There were a total of 114 players who suffered 142 concussions, with 77% of those occurring after the introduction of the concussion protocol (32 before, 110 after). The average time missed because of concussion significantly decreased from 33.7 days (range, 10-122 days) to 18.9 days (range, 6-111 days) after the concussion protocol ( P = .0005). There was no difference in player performance (including batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging for batters; earned run average, fielding-independent pitching, and walks plus hits per inning pitched for pitchers) after concussion at any time point (30 days, 1 year, or career) when comparing these statistics before versus after the MLB concussion protocol. However, batter performance was significantly poorer 1 year after concussion and over the remainder of the players' careers ( P < .05). Conclusion: The number of reported concussions increased after the introduction of the MLB concussion protocol. However, players spent significantly less time on the disabled list without any adverse effect on player performance. Despite these changes, long-term batting performance was significantly poorer after concussion.

Return-to-Sport Time and Postoperative Performance in MLB Players Undergoing Wrist Arthroscopy

Hand ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 155894472110289
Author(s):  
Erin I. Orozco ◽  
Andrea E. Guloy ◽  
Michael O. Cotton ◽  
Robert A. Jack ◽  
Shari R. Liberman
Keyword(s):  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Return To Sport ◽  
Wrist Arthroscopy ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Postoperative Performance ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Major League ◽  
Performance Statistics ◽  
And Performance

Background: Wrist injuries are common in sports and can result in prolonged time missed from playing. This study aimed to determine in Major League Baseball-players after arthroscopic wrist surgery the return-to-sport (RTS) rate, postoperative career length, and changes in performance compared with preoperative statistics and matched controls. Methods: Major League Baseball players who underwent arthroscopic wrist surgery from 1990 to 2019 were identified. Demographic and performance data were collected for each player, and matched controls were identified. Comparisons were made via paired samples Student t tests. Results: Twenty-six players (27 surgeries) were identified. The average age of included players was 28.9 ± 2.9 years with an average professional experience of 5.2 ± 3.4 years. Eighty-four percent of players returned to sport, with an average RTS time of 5.0 ± 2.7 months. A statistically significant ( P < .05) decrease was seen in preoperative and postoperative runs scored per season (95.6 ± 91.3 vs 41.0 ± 29.5), batting average (BA) (0.270 ± 0.024 vs 0.240 ± 0.036), and average wins above replacement (WAR) (1.5 ± 1.1 vs 0.8 ± 0.9). Conclusion: Major League Baseball players who underwent arthroscopic wrist surgery had an RTS rate of 84% at a mean time of 5.0 months. There was no significant difference in performance statistics between cases postoperatively and matched controls overall, with some differences in performance found when categorized by position. However, a significant decrease in performance among case players was observed between preoperative and postoperative performance, including runs per season, BA, and WAR.

Performance-Undermining Effects of Baseball Free Agent Contracts

2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ted S. Sturman ◽  
Ryan Thibodeau
Keyword(s):  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Free Agent ◽  
Extrinsic Rewards ◽  
Major League ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Overjustification Effect

Research on the effects of extrinsic rewards on subsequent levels of intrinsic motivation and performance has produced conflicting results. In the present study, player statistics were obtained on 33 major league baseball free agents for two seasons prior to, and two seasons after, the signing of the contract. Results suggest that the new contract, particularly its substantial pay raise, caused a decrease in immediate postcontract performance. In addition, there was some evidence that performance output recovered to its precontract level in the second season postcontract. Findings are discussed with respect to previous work on intrinsic to extrinsic motivational shifts and the overjustification effect.

Introduction

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Michael Corzine
Keyword(s):  
Drug Testing ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Drug Prevention ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Congressional Hearings ◽  
Major League ◽  
History Of ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Performance Enhancing Drugs ◽  
Drug And Alcohol

This book charts the history of drug and alcohol use in Major League Baseball (MLB). It aims to recover the story of baseball and drugs from the tyranny of baseball mythology by analyzing the perceived problem of drug use, with particular emphasis on illegal recreational and performance-enhancing drugs, in MLB. It examines how the drug testing movement, for two decades the persona non grata of professional baseball, surged to the forefront of Major League thought following the congressional hearings of 2005, culminating in the 2006 establishment of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program between the league and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The new testing protocols were buoyed by the findings of the Mitchell Report, which explicitly warned against retroactive punishment—the league could not slash and burn its way to integrity by torching past transgressions—and instead focused on the need for diligence in the future.

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