PLAY BALL A Game of Statistics
Project adapted from: http://educate.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign/UnitPlanIndex/PlayBall
SUMMARY � You have been hired by the Major League
Baseball Commissioner to explain the mathematics of baseball so more people can appreciate the game.
� Your job is to analyze a variety of statistics related to baseball and then use what you have learned to publish an explanation of some aspect of baseball statistics. That way people can get greater enjoyment from the game.
STEP 1: BACKGROUND Write what you know about baseball and the statistics of the game
STEP 1: BACKGROUND 1. In a document write everything you know about
baseball Include as many words, phrases, and ideas as that you
can associate with baseball Give historical background if you can Write why you think statistics is an important feature of
the game
STEP 1: BACKGROUND 2. Look at the back of a few baseball cards
Go to this website or look at your own cards Vintage Baseball Card Blog: http://www.goldenagebaseballcards.com/back-of-the-cards- Mar2010.htm
Write what you know about some of the statistics shown You may research definitions of some of the statistics
Baseball Almanac: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/bstatmen.shtml
� You will submit this to the project dropbox later
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS Analyze some important baseball statistics 1. Batting average 2. On-base percentage 3. Earned run average
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS � In a second document you will write your
analysis of three baseball statistics 1. Batting average 2. On-base percentage 3. Earned run average
� Your answers should be o Written in complete sentences, and o Justified by your data
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS o Include all of your data tables, charts, and
calculations � Your charts should have
o A title at the top o Labels and units for each axis o A legend or key as appropriate
� You will submit this to the project dropbox later
A list of charting tools is at the end of this presentation
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS BATTING AVERAGE � Batting average lets us know the likelihood that
a batter will reach first base
1. Using the batting averages table below Create a scatter graph or line graph in a charting tool Show how the averages change over time
Player/Years 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Sammy Sosa 0.308 0.288 0.320 0.328 0.288 0.279 0.253
Ken Griffey 0.284 0.285 0.271 0.286 0.264 0.247 0.253
Derek Jeter 0.324 0.349 0.339 0.311 0.297 0.324 0.292
Roberto Alomar 0.282 0.323 0.310 0.336 0.266 0.258 0.263
Data source: www.baseball-reference.com*
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS BATTING AVERAGE 2. Analyze your graph to determine the relative
value of the players. Specifically answer these questions:
A. What can you say about the players’ batting consistency over time?
B. Rank the players then explain and defend your choices
C. Define batting average in your own words and describe how it is calculated
D. Show the equation used to calculate it
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS BATTING AVERAGE 2. (More questions)
E. What limitations does this statistic have? What doesn’t it tell you about a player?
F. Why is the batting average designated as an “average”?
G. Why is information often presented in graphs instead of just in a list or table?
H. How do you choose the appropriate graphical representation for the data you’re working with
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS ON-BASE PERCENTAGE � The on-base percentage shows the percent of time
a player can be expected to reach base safely by either a hit or a walk
� Use the player comparison table below and the following formula for on-base percentage
Player Games AB H 2B 3B HR BB SO A 118 377 83 11 5 0 28 40 B 112 433 128 5 1 2 40 16
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS ON-BASE PERCENTAGE 1. Calculate the on-base percentage for each player 2. Recommend the best player for your team
Make sure to defend your point of view with data
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS EARNED RUN AVERAGE � Earned run average (ERA), is a measure of
pitching ability � Using the formula for ERA below and the table
on the next slide 1. Compute each pitcher’s ERA 2. Create a bar graph to compare the pitchers
ERA is calculated by multiplying 9 innings by the number of earned runs. That value is then divided by the number of innings pitched.
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS EARNED RUN AVERAGE � All time winning pitchers (active players)
Pitcher Team Wins Losses Innings Pitched
Earned Runs
ERA Strike Outs
Greg Maddux Los Angeles 333 203 4616 1574 3169
Kenny Rogers Detroit 207 139 3066 1427 1850
Roger Clemens Houston 348 178 4817 1661 4604
Randy Johnson New York 280 147 3798 1357 4544
Tom Glavine New York 290 191 4149 1596 2481
Mike Mussina New York 239 134 3210 1296 2572
David Wells Boston 230 148 3281 1483 2119
Jamie Moyer Philadelphia 216 166 3351 1551 1992
John Smoltz Atlanta 193 137 3161 1150 2778
Curt Schilling Boston 207 138 3110 1188 3015
STEP 2: INVESTIGATE STATISTICS EARNED RUN AVERAGE 3. Use your bar graph to answer these questions
A. Who among these players is the best pitcher? B. Justify your response with data C. Which factors should be taken into account when
determining the best pitcher? D. Why is ERA an “average”?
STEP 3: PRESENTATION You will create a movie, slideshow or other visual display of baseball math
STEP 3: PRESENTATION � You will prepare a visual presentation that will help
your audience appreciate the math of baseball � Your presentation should have these parts
1. An introduction of how statistics help us understand the game of baseball
2. Pose one question that can be answered by using statistics
3. The statistics you evaluated to answer the question
4. Your findings backed up with a data table and a graph
5. Your conclusion 6. Citation of sources
that you used
Note that you will not actually do an oral presentation to the class nor to the teacher
STEP 3: PRESENTATION � You choose the topic. Some suggestions are:
Compare player statistics and salaries Compare the performance of two players during any year Evaluate the greatest hitters of all time Compare and contrast a group of players’ individual
statistics Highlight a recent game’s statistics
� Your visual display will be one of the these formats A digital poster A slideshow A short movie Other (your choice)
� With teacher approval
� See an example of a student’s slideshow Example-Baseball-SlideShow.pdf
� Note that this example answers three questions that are answered with statistics
� You only need to pose and answer one question
STEP 3: PRESENTATION
A list of presentation tools appears at the end of these slides
STEP 3: PRESENTATION � For citing your sources you may
List them at the end of your slideshow or movie, or List them in a separate document that you submit to
the dropbox
SUBMIT YOUR WORK This section describes how to submit your work for this project
SUBMIT YOUR WORK (4 PARTS) 1. Submit your baseball background document to
the project dropbox (from step 1) 2. Submit your statistics investigation document
to the same project dropbox (from step 2)
3. For your presentation (step 3) If it located on a website
� Submit the URL to the comment area of the project dropbox � Make sure that the URL works by loading the page into a
browser If it is a document (such as PowerPoint), submit the
file to the project dropbox
SUBMIT YOUR WORK (4 PARTS) 4. For your source citation
If it is in a separate document submit the file to the project dropbox
Otherwise, it is embedded in your presentation so you don’t have to do anything else
SCORING RUBRIC This section describes how your project will be graded
SCORING RUBRIC (PART 1 OF 3) � You must submit all four required items before
your project can be scored
� This project is worth 30 points � However your score will be scaled as needed for
the gradebook Suppose you earned: 24/30 (80% B-) But the gradebook shows 60 points for the project Your score would be scaled to: 48/60 (still 80%)
SCORING RUBRIC (PART 2 OF 3) Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 Points
1. Background info
Describes 1 aspects of baseball. Describes 1 statistics
Describes 2 aspects of baseball. Describes 2 statistics
Describes 3 aspects of baseball. Describes 3 statistics
Describes 4 aspects of baseball. Describes 4 statistics
Describes 5 or more aspects of baseball. Describes 5 or more statistics
5
2. Batting average
Graph is very incomplete
Graph is missing some parts such as title or labels
Graph is correct and complete. Answers to six questions are reasonable.
Graph is correct and complete. Answers to seven questions are reasonable.
Graph is correct and complete. Answers to all eight questions are reasonable.
5
3. On-base percentage
Calculations contain two mistakes
Calculations contain one mistake
Calculations are correct; no recommend ation is made
Calculations are correct; recommend ation does not make sense
Calculations are correct; recommendati on is reasonable
5
SCORING RUBRIC (PART 3 OF 3) Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 Points
3. Earned run average
Graph is very incomplete
Graph is missing some parts such as title or labels
Graph is correct and complete. Answers to some questions don’t make sense.
Graph is correct and complete. Answers to all questions are reasonable but not backed with data.
Graph is correct and complete. Answers to all questions are reasonable and backed with data.
5
4. Presentation
Has two missing or incorrect parts (2 points)
Has one missing or incorrect part (4 points)
Is complete and correct with all 6 parts, and has only a basic visual design (6 points)
Is complete and correct with all 6 parts, and shows nice visual design (8 points)
Is complete and correct with all 6 parts, and has a visually appealing design (10 points)
10
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION This section is a “catch all” for additional information about this project
DOCUMENT TEMPLATES � You will have access to three document templates
that you may use (if you want to) Project-PlayBall-Background.doc
� For writing your knowledge about baseball Project-PlayBall-Statistics.doc
� For your statistical analysis Project-PlayBall-Sources.doc
� To list the resources you used for your presentation
CHARTING TOOLS � You may use any spreadsheet program such as Excel � Or you may use any free web-based charting tool
such as these: Chart Tool: http://www.onlinecharttool.com/graph.php ChartGo: http://www.chartgo.com/en/chartline.jsp
VISUAL PRESENTATION FORMATS This is a list of free presentation tools that you may use. Otherwise feel free to use any other tool that you like more.
� Digital poster Glogster: http://www.glogster.com
� Slideshow or Movie Animoto: http://animoto.com Prezi: http://prezi.com One True Media: http://www.onetruemedia.com
MATH STANDARDS – ALGEBRA
� Use statistics to compare center (mean) (6.ID.2)
� Recognize a statistical question as one that anticipates variability in the data related to the question and accounts for it in the answers (6.SP.1)
� Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number (6.SP.3)
� Display numerical data in plots on a number line, including dot plots and histograms (6.SP.4)
� Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context, such as by: Describing the nature of the
attribute under investigation, including how it was measured and its units of measurement (6.SP.5b)
Giving quantitative measures of center (6.SP.5c)
� Summarize categorical data for two categories in two- way frequency tables. Recognize possible associations and trends in the data (6.SP.5)
� Represent data in two quantitative variables on a scatter plot (6.SP.6)
You will be using these math skills for this project:
