Comments on: Nerds on Sports University: VORP http://www.nerdsonsports.com/2007/08/09/nerds-on-sports-university-vorp/ Where nerds are talking about sports! Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:22:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Serpico http://www.nerdsonsports.com/2007/08/09/nerds-on-sports-university-vorp/#comment-351 Serpico Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:05:15 +0000 http://www.NerdsOnSports.com/2007/08/09/nerds-on-sports-university-vorp/#comment-351 This is why I drafted Nick Punto in my Bizarro League. This is why I drafted Nick Punto in my Bizarro League.

]]> By: Willis http://www.nerdsonsports.com/2007/08/09/nerds-on-sports-university-vorp/#comment-349 Willis Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:25:56 +0000 http://www.NerdsOnSports.com/2007/08/09/nerds-on-sports-university-vorp/#comment-349 Park factor is just a comparison of how a team performs in a given park compared to how they perform in all other parks. Since the sample size is a bit small (about 80 games per park per year) BP usually uses data from the previous 3 or 5 years to calculate it. Of course this compares the park to the rest of the league so it's just a percentage compared to other parks. So you sometimes need to look at the entire league. For example Camden Yards: 1992: 103 1993: 103 1994: 105 1995: 105 1996: 99 1997: 97 1998: 98 1999: 99 2000: 95 Note the decline from 95 to 96... It turns out that 94 and 95 saw the addition of new ballparks which didn't make Camden so hitter friendly. Check out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batting_Park_Factor" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia</a> (and the link there to ESPN) Park factor is just a comparison of how a team performs in a given park compared to how they perform in all other parks. Since the sample size is a bit small (about 80 games per park per year) BP usually uses data from the previous 3 or 5 years to calculate it.

Of course this compares the park to the rest of the league so it’s just a percentage compared to other parks. So you sometimes need to look at the entire league. For example Camden Yards:

1992: 103
1993: 103
1994: 105
1995: 105
1996: 99
1997: 97
1998: 98
1999: 99
2000: 95

Note the decline from 95 to 96… It turns out that 94 and 95 saw the addition of new ballparks which didn’t make Camden so hitter friendly.

Check out Wikipedia (and the link there to ESPN)

]]> By: Perich http://www.nerdsonsports.com/2007/08/09/nerds-on-sports-university-vorp/#comment-348 Perich Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:23:01 +0000 http://www.NerdsOnSports.com/2007/08/09/nerds-on-sports-university-vorp/#comment-348 I used to be leery of VORP because I thought Replacement Player literally meant Replacement Player - that you couldn't calculate the stat without knowing how Chuck Grange, starting shortstop for the AAA Marlborough Mudhens, played in a given season. But if the hypothetical "replacement player" is just the league average for runs at that position times 80%, I'm a lot happier. Question: what "park factors" influence runs, and how objective are they? I used to be leery of VORP because I thought Replacement Player literally meant Replacement Player - that you couldn’t calculate the stat without knowing how Chuck Grange, starting shortstop for the AAA Marlborough Mudhens, played in a given season.

But if the hypothetical “replacement player” is just the league average for runs at that position times 80%, I’m a lot happier.

Question: what “park factors” influence runs, and how objective are they?

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