One of the draws of our national pastime for some enthusiasts is the amount of statistical data regarding player and team performances and the ability to dive deep into the analytics of these metrics to draw conclusions. Okay, some people may just like the nice outdoor weather and potential hot dog lunch, but stat junkies rejoice in the rich tradition of opening day to begin diving into metrics. Michael Lewis’ 2003 nonfiction book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game spawned a critically acclaimed film of the same name, which showcased a statistics-based approach to team and player roster management and performance.
Sonya Zhang, professor of computer information systems at the College of Business Administration noticed the topic was of particular interest to one of her graduate students, and she encouraged him to explore it by writing a paper. The student, Bryan Dorr (MBA ’24), took to the project immediately. “The paper's topic is "Exploring Baseball Analytics Through Data Visualization," says the professor. “Its goals include analyzing baseball statistics using various data visualization techniques, identifying trends and statistical leaders, and exploring the relationship between player performance and team investment. The paper serves an audience interested in baseball analytics, including coaches, players, analysts, and researchers.”
Developing the Discussion
Once the professor and student had discussed the paper’s objectives, outlined the research methodology, and reviewed the relevant literature and data sources, they worked together to analyze the baseball statistics, interpret the findings, and draft the paper's content. “Bryan's expertise in baseball contributed to understanding the problem domain and creating the visualization in Tableau while I assisted in structuring the paper, establishing the research framework, refining language for academic standards, and ensuring accuracy in data analysis, as well as clarity and coherence in presenting results and insights,” recalls Zhang. “Overall, it was a collaborative effort to translate the student's passion for baseball into a research paper that could contribute to the field of sports analytics.” Bryan is enrolled in the MBA program, and the research project emerged from Professor Zhang’s GBA 6050 Business Data Analytics and Modeling course, which is a core requirement for MBA students.
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“This paper showcased research and academic rigor fostered within the Cal Poly Pomona MBA program, highlighting its commitment to preparing students with the business analytical skills and knowledge necessary for success.” — Sonya Zhang, Professor of Computer Information Systems at the College of Business Administration, Cal Poly Pomona |
Submission and Success
The Western Decision Sciences Institute (WDSI) was selected the WDSI Conference for the paper’s submission due to its respected reputation as an international conference uniting leading scholars from diverse fields and industries, all committed to advancing decision sciences and management information systems for the betterment of our students and communities. The paper underwent a double-blind review by two domain experts and was accepted with favorable feedback. Bryan will be presenting his paper and its conclusions at the 52nd annual WDSI Conference in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California during the week of April 2nd, 2024.
Nice Work, Bryan! Go Broncos!