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Analysis of Sabermetrics in KBO League from 2020 to 2022

2024; Springer International Publishing; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-981-97-2898-5_9

2367-4512

Soon-Gyu Kwon, Woojin Lee, Hyoungjun Choi,

Technology and Data Analysis

Baseball is commonly referred to as a sport of statistics. Unlike many other sports, baseball boasts an extensive array of records that allow for comprehensive retrospection of game content and outcomes. In recent times, the use of Sabermetrics has gained prominence in baseball. Sabermetrics were developed to address the shortcomings of traditional baseball statistics. Notable metrics include batting metrics (OPS, BABIP, wOBA, IsoP) and pitching metrics (WHIP, FIP, QS%, Rel%). Numerous research studies have been conducted on Sabermetrics, including comparisons with traditional records and correlations with player salaries. However, there has been a scarcity of research focusing on which specific metrics significantly impact a team's success. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the correlation between Sabermetrics and team performance in the Korean professional baseball regular season. To achieve this research objective, we collected data on Sabermetrics batting metrics (OPS, BABIP, wOBA, IsoP), pitching metrics (WHIP, FIP, QS%, Rel%), and each team's performance in the Korean professional baseball league from 2020 to 2022. Data were gathered from the official website of the Korean professional baseball league and the statistics website Statiz. We conducted correlation analyses using the Jamovi 2.3.26.0 software and utilized Python for data visualization. In conclusion, this study found the following key results: Firstly, among batting metrics, IsoP and wOBA showed a close correlation with team rankings, while BABIP exhibited minimal impact on team performance. Secondly, among pitching metrics, WHIP and QS% displayed the strongest correlation with team rankings, while Rel% was found to have little relevance to team performance. Thirdly, there was a similarity in the impact of Sabermetrics and traditional metrics on team performance. This is likely due to Sabermetrics being derived from the manipulation of basic statistics. Based on the findings of this study, improving team performance may be achieved by increasing IsoP and wOBA metrics while aiming to enhance WHIP and QS% metrics. This entails reducing opponent on-base opportunities and ensuring starting pitchers perform well over extended innings to minimize runs conceded. It is hoped that future research will explore a broader range of Sabermetrics, further enriching our understanding of their impact on team success.