Comments on: Steroids and Expansion http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2010/01/steroids-and-expansion/ Economic Thinking about Baseball Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:16:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JC http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2010/01/steroids-and-expansion/comment-page-1/#comment-107800 JC Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:04:52 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/?p=2601#comment-107800 Not sure I buy the syllogism. I looked at other stats, and they showed a similar dispersion. Not sure I buy the syllogism. I looked at other stats, and they showed a similar dispersion.

]]> By: Donald A Coffin http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/index.php/2010/01/steroids-and-expansion/comment-page-1/#comment-107797 Donald A Coffin Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:14:47 +0000 http://www.sabernomics.com/sabernomics/?p=2601#comment-107797 Variance in ERA may not be the best possible measure of variance in pitcher performance. A couple of assumptions, both of which are possibly false: (1) Assume steroids provide more of a performance boost to hitters than to pitchers and/or (2) assume a higher percentage of hitters than pitchers used steroids. Then it's possible (or maybe even likely) that the increased variance in ERA is a consequence of steroid use by hitters. I'm not sure what I'd suggest as an alternative measure...variance in K-to-W ratio, maybe?...but I think I would try something else, to see whether the pattern shown for ERA holds for other measures of performance. Variance in ERA may not be the best possible measure of variance in pitcher performance. A couple of assumptions, both of which are possibly false: (1) Assume steroids provide more of a performance boost to hitters than to pitchers and/or (2) assume a higher percentage of hitters than pitchers used steroids. Then it’s possible (or maybe even likely) that the increased variance in ERA is a consequence of steroid use by hitters.

I’m not sure what I’d suggest as an alternative measure…variance in K-to-W ratio, maybe?…but I think I would try something else, to see whether the pattern shown for ERA holds for other measures of performance.

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