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This paper presents a game theoretical solution to the difficult challenge of optimal pitch sequencing. We model the batter/pitcher matchup as a zero-sum game and determine the equilibrium strategy for both the pitcher and batter. We conclude that the Stackelberg equilibrium and our newly defined decision point equilibrium serve as effective pitch sequencing strategies.

This project addresses the problem of comparing the offensive abilities of players from different eras in Major League Baseball (MLB). We will study players from the perspective of an overall offensive summary statistic that is highly linked with scoring runs, or the Berry Value. We will build an additive model to estimate the innate ability of the player, the effect of the relative level of competition of each season, and the effect of age on performance using piecewise age curves. Using Hierarchical Bayes methodology with Gibbs sampling, we model each of these effects for each individual. The results of the Hierarchical Bayes model permit us to link players from different eras and to rank the players across the modern era of baseball (1900-2004) on the basis of their innate overall offensive ability. The top of the rankings, of which the top three were Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Stan Musial, include many Hall of Famers and some of the most productive offensive players in the history of the game. We also determine that trends in overall offensive ability in Major League Baseball exist based on different rule and cultural changes. Based on the model, MLB is currently at a high level of run production compared to the different levels of run production over the last century.

In recent years, fantasy baseball has seen an explosion in popularity. Major League Baseball, with its long, storied history and the enormous quantity of data available, naturally lends itself to the modern-day recreational activity known as fantasy baseball. Fantasy baseball is a game in which participants manage an imaginary roster of real players and compete against one another using those players' real-life statistics to score points. Early forms of fantasy baseball began in the early 1960s, but beginning in the 1990s, the sport was revolutionized due to the advent of powerful computers and the Internet. The data used in this project come from an actual fantasy baseball league which uses a head-to-head, points-based scoring system. The data consist of the weekly point totals that were accumulated over the first three-fourths of the 2011 regular season by the top 110 hitters and top 70 pitchers in Major League Baseball. The purpose of this project is analyze the relative value of pitchers versus hitters in this league using hierarchical Bayesian models. Three models will be compared, one which differentiates between hitters and pitchers, another which also differentiates between starting pitchers and relief pitchers, and a third which makes no distinction whatsoever between hitters and pitchers. The models will be compared using the deviance information criterion (DIC). The best model will then be used to predict weekly point totals for the last fourth of the 2011 season. Posterior predictive densities will be compared to actual weekly scores.

A recent trend among sports fans along both sides of the letterman jacket is that of Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS). The DFS industry has been under legal scrutiny recently, due to the view that daily sports data is too random to make its prediction skillful. Therefore, a common view is that it constitutes online gambling. This thesis proves that DFS, as it pertains to Baseball, is significantly more predictable than random chance, and thus does not constitute gambling. We propose a system which generates daily lists of lineups for Fanduel Daily Fantasy Baseball contests. The system consists of two components: one for predicting player scores for every player on a given day, and one for generating lists of the best combinations of players (lineups) using the predicted player scores. The player score prediction component makes use of deep neural network models, including a Long Short-Term Memory recurrent neural network, to model daily player performance over the 2016 and 2017 MLB seasons. Our results indicate this to be a useful prediction tool, even when not paired with the lineup generation component of our system. We build off of previous work to develop two models for lineup generation, one completely novel, dependent on a set of player predictions. Our evaluations show that these lineup generation models paired with player predictions are significantly better than random, and analysis shows insights into key aspects of the lineup generation process.

Data Analytics and technology have changed baseball as we know it. From the increase in defensive shifts to teams using cameras in the outfield to steal signs, teams will try anything to win. One way to gain an edge in baseball is to figure out what pitches a pitcher will pitch. Pitch prediction is a popular task to try to accomplish with all the data that baseball provides. Most methods involve using situational data like the ball and strike count. In this paper, we try a different method of predicting pitch type by only looking at the pitcher's pose in the set position. We do this to find a pitcher's tell or "tip". In baseball, if a pitcher is tipping their pitches, they are doing something that gives away what they will pitch. This could be because the pitcher changes the grip on the ball only for some pitches or something as small as a different flex in their wrist. Professional baseball players will study pitchers before they pitch the ball to try to pick up on these tips. If a tip is found, the batters have a significant advantage over the pitcher. Our paper uses pose estimation and object detection to predict the pitch type based on the pitcher's set position before throwing the ball. Given a successful model, we can extract the important features or the potential tip from the data. Then, we can try to predict the pitches ourselves like a batter. We tested this method on three pitchers: Tyler Glasnow, Yu Darvish, and Stephen Strasburg. Our results demonstrate that when we predict pitch type at a 70\% accuracy, we can reasonably extract useful features. However, finding a useful tip from these features still requires manual observation.

The objective of this study was to investigate associations between injury-related kinematic parameters and overweight measures for youth baseball pitchers. The injury-related kinematic parameters considered were measurements 1) at foot contact: stride length, front foot position, shoulder external rotation, shoulder abduction, and elbow flexion; 2) between FC and ball release: peak knee extension; and 3) at BR: shoulder abduction. Data from three separate collection sites examined pitching mechanics of 18 10- to 11-year-old pitchers, 11 14- to 16-year-old pitchers, and 104 16- to 18-year-old pitchers Linear regression analyses were performed to determine significant correlations between kinematic parameters and body mass index (BMI) for each of the three age groups (10- to 11-year-olds, 14- to 16-year-olds, 16- to 18-year-olds). The significant findings were 1) for 10- to 11-year-old pitchers, stride length was negatively correlated with BMI and front foot position was positively correlated with BMI and 2) for 16- to 18-year-old pitchers, shoulder external rotation was negatively correlated with BMI and elbow flexion was positively correlated with BMI. A key clinical implication of this study is that select kinematic parameters have been identified that could guide coaches and trainers when working with overweight pitchers. In addition, select kinematic parameters of concern have been identified for different age ranges.

The objectives of this study were to (1) develop a non-invasive method (referred to as Smart Photo-Tape) to calculate participant-specific upper arm, forearm, and hand segment inertial properties (SIPs) (e.g. mass, center of mass, and radii of gyration) and (2) use those Smart Photo-Tape properties in inverse dynamics (ID) analyses to calculate injury-related pitching arm kinetics. Five 20- to 23- year-old baseball pitchers were photographed holding a baseball and analyzed using the Smart Photo-Tape method to obtain 3-D inertial properties for their upper arm, forearm, and hand. The upper arm and forearm segments were modelled as stacked elliptic cylinders and the hand was modelled as an ellipsoid. One participant received a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan and conducted a motion analysis study, pitching 10 fastballs. Scaled SIPs from cadaver studies and Smart Photo-Tape SIPs were compared using one sample t-tests. Pitching arm kinetic predictions were calculated and compared using scaled inverse dynamics (ID), Smart Hand ID (a combination of scaled SIPs for the upper arm and forearm and Smart Photo-Tape SIPs for the hand), and Smart Photo-Tape ID. The major result was that the Smart Photo-Tape SIPs were significantly different when compared to their respective scaled inertial properties, with the hand segment producing the largest difference between the scaled SIPs and Smart Photo-Tape SIPs. The implication of this study is that researches or coaches can use the Smart Photo-Tape method to calculate participant specific SIPs for pitching arm kinetic analysis.

This thesis is an investigation into the makings of a successful youth baseball facility. Youth sports is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States, and much of the competition follows a tournament, or "travel league" format. This is especially true in youth baseball. Despite this growing trend towards travel play, facilities that host these tournaments were designed and constructed in an age where the primary format was not tournament play, but rather a recreational structure where single games were played individually. These facilities do not meet the needs of the typical park user: players and their families. The parts of the following investigation are the Author's research, including a literature review and four case studies of facilities that are representational of a larger sample. This is followed by the identification of a list of universial challenges faced by many facilities which led to a development of a list of design criteria to correct the issue of under-performing parks, identification of a fundamental design question, and specific goals and objectives. Finally, identification of a site to be studied is introduced and analyzed, and the development of the Author's concept for a new design is reported and then analyzed. The Master Plan is then presented and discussed in detail. The master plan for the new Rockville School Park has been developed based on the list of design criteria developed by the Author, based largely on field research. A large effort was made to identify literature directly regarding the questions presented in this thesis. The literature used has been included within the references section at the end of this document. / Master of Landscape Architecture / This thesis is an investigation into the makings of a successful youth baseball facility. Youth sports is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States, and much of the competition follows a tournament, or "travel league" format. This is especially true in youth baseball. Despite this growing trend towards travel play, facilities that host these tournaments were designed and constructed in an age where the primary format was not tournament play, but rather a recreational structure where single games were played individually. These facilities do not meet the needs of the typical park user: players and their families. The parts of the following investigation are the Author's research, including a literature review and four case studies of facilities that are representational of a larger sample. This is followed by the identification of a list of universial challenges faced by many facilities which led to a development of a list of design criteria to correct the issue of under-performing parks, identification of a fundamental design question, and specific goals and objectives. Finally, identification of a site to be studied is introduced and analyzed, and the development of the Author's concept for a new design is reported and then analyzed. The Master Plan is then presented and discussed in detail. The master plan for the new Rockville School Park has been developed based on the list of design criteria developed by the Author, based largely on field research. A large effort was made to identify literature directly regarding the questions presented in this thesis. The literature used has been included within the references section at the end of this document.

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