Structural Breaks in the Game: The Case of Major League Baseball

Journal of Sports Economics, Forthcoming

23 Pages Posted: 2 Aug 2013 Last revised: 12 Aug 2016

See all articles by Peter A. Groothuis

Peter A. Groothuis

Appalachian State University, Department of Economics

Kurt W. Rotthoff

Seton Hall University - W. Paul Stillman School of Business

Mark C. Strazicich

Appalachian State University - Department of Economics

Date Written: April 4, 2015

Abstract

To search for eras in a sports league, we utilize time series tests with structural breaks to identify eras in Major League Baseball performance. Using data from 1871-2010, the mean and standard deviation of four different performance measures are examined to test if deterministic or stochastic trends and structural breaks are present. Throughout, we identify breaks endogenously from the data. Perhaps most notable among our findings, we identify a deterministic trend in the mean slugging percentage in 1921 and 1992, which coincides with the early years of the free swinging (Babe Ruth) era and the modern steroid era, respectively.

Keywords: Benchmarking, Major League Baseball, Technology Changes, Structural Breaks

JEL Classification: J24, Z2, C22

Suggested Citation

Groothuis, Peter A. and Rotthoff, Kurt W. and Strazicich, Mark C., Structural Breaks in the Game: The Case of Major League Baseball (April 4, 2015). Journal of Sports Economics, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2305183 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2305183

Peter A. Groothuis

Appalachian State University, Department of Economics ( email )

Boone, NC 28608
United States

Kurt W. Rotthoff (Contact Author)

Seton Hall University - W. Paul Stillman School of Business ( email )

400 S Orange Avenue
JH 674
South Orange, NJ 07079
United States
973-761-9102 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://pirate.shu.edu/~rotthoku/

Mark C. Strazicich

Appalachian State University - Department of Economics ( email )

Boone, NC 28608
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
72
Abstract Views
560
Rank
585,002
PlumX Metrics