On the Decision to Take a Pitch

J. Eric Bickel ()
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J. Eric Bickel: Operations Research/Industrial Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712

Decision Analysis, 2009, vol. 6, issue 3, 186-193

Abstract: Baseball is a highly strategic game, with decisions being made almost continuously. In this paper, we analyze the decision to have the batter take a pitch, which means that he does not swing at the pitch under any circumstances---even if it is easily hittable. Why would a batter do this? Using decision-theoretic reasoning, we determine under what circumstances such a decision is good. We find that in some cases, taking pitches deterministically dominates not taking.

Keywords: decision analysis applications; baseball strategy; decision analysis education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ordeca:v:6:y:2009:i:3:p:186-193

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