Re: [Phys-l] TV technology, the World Series and physics

[Bill Nettles <bnettles@uu.edu>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
> bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Anthony Lapinski
> Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 8:27 PM
> To: Daryl@DarylScience.com
> Cc: phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> Subject: Re: [Phys-l] TV technology, the World Series and physics
>
> Interesting stats! Thanks for the web link!
>
> Still, other things being equal, it IS easier to hit a home run out of
> a
> smaller park!
[Bill Nettles] This is merely one hypothesis, plus you have to define "easier". The data does not support this. What you said sounds like some of my students:"I studied hard and I know this material. I just couldn't put it together for the test."

> This has been my main point. Now, whether it actually
> happens or not is irrelevant.
[Bill Nettles] No, the data tells us is isn't easier. At least not the data we have.  I agree, not all teams play in all parks, so we don't have a fully distributed and controlled experiment. But again, the data we have don't support your hypothesis.
> A team could be in a small park and
> simply
> have "weak" hitters.
So extract that from the data. Identify the weak hitter teams.  Bottom line: in baseball there are too many uncontrolled variables that make hitting one of the most difficult actions in all of sports.  Here's an experiment that won't be done, but I'll throw a hypothesis in: Even if all the ball parks were built to identical sizes and shapes, the batting averages and home run rates would not change within statistical significance. There are 162 games played...NOT 16 (as in football).