F/F SPOTLIGHT: Changepoint Edition—Judge, Zimmerman, Altherr, Dozier, McCutchen

Today's Facts & Flukes column takes a different approach from usual. We'll be taking a look at the historical skills profiles of five batters using changepoint analysis, which was introduced in a research column last year (follow the link for full introduction and details).

As a quick refresher, changepoint analysis looks for patterns in the mean and variability of both skills and playing time. This is a retrospective analysis of a player's entire career, with the goal of identifying clear points of change. Rather than using selective endpoints such as the last month or the last year, we can anchor our analysis of a player's skills to a time where their performance or playing time clearly changed. 

A guide to interpreting the...

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