The Quality of Pitches in Major League Baseball

This article considers the quality of pitches in Major League Baseball (MLB). Based on approximately 2.2 million pitches taken from the 2013, 2014, and 2015 MLB seasons, the quality of a particular pitch is evaluated as the expected number of bases conceded. Quality is expressed as a function of various covariates including pitch count, pitch location, pitch type, and pitch speed. The estimation of the pitch quality is obtained through the use of random forest methodology to accommodate the inherent complexity of the relationship between pitch quality and the associated covariates. With the fitted model, various applications are considered which provide new insights on pitching and batting.     

Exact estimation of multiple directed acyclic graphs

This paper considers structure learning for multiple related directed acyclic graph (DAG) models. Building on recent developments in exact estimation of DAGs using integer linear programming (ILP), we present an ILP approach for joint estimation over multiple DAGs. Unlike previous work, we do not require that the vertices in each DAG share a common ordering. Furthermore, we allow for (potentially unknown) dependency structure between the DAGs. Results are presented on both simulated data and fMRI data obtained from multiple subjects.     

Queer Blindfolding: A Case Study on Difference “Blindness” Toward Persons Who Identify as Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,and Transgender

The purpose of this article is to introduce and explore the narrative strategy of queer blindfolding. Utilizing psycho-discursive qualitative methodology, the authors will draw from a case study to demonstrate how some beneficent, well-intended persons who identify as heterosexual adopt the narrative strategy of queer blindfolding as they negotiate the discourse of heteronormativity. We will map this narrative strategy, compare and contrast it to racial colorblindness, and unpack the accompanying intra-psychic conflict and defense mechanisms that are utilized by the participant in the case study. We will also demonstrate how this discursive strategy positions participants within systemic heterosexism.     

Bullying and 'Theory of Mind': A Critique of the 'Social Skills Deficit' View of Anti-Social Behaviour

Bullying in schools has been found to be widespread. The popular stereotype of a bully, supported by theories based on the social skills deficit model, is of a powerful but 'oafish' person with little understanding of others. In this article, we trace the origin of this view, and present an alternative view: that some bullies, at least, will need good social cognition and theory of mind skills in order to manipulate and organise others, inflicting suffering in subtle and damaging ways while avoiding detection themselves. Such skills, although likely to be utilised in all bullying, may be particularly useful for ringleader bullies and in the indirect forms of bullying which are more common between girls. Suggestions for further research in this area are made, and implications for anti-bullying work briefly discussed.     

A bridge between statistics and literature: the graphs of Oscar Wilde's literary genres

The availability of computing devices and the proliferation of electronic texts (the so-called 'e-texts') in centres for literary and linguistic computing in major universities have encouraged non-traditional applications of statistics. With the drudgery of computation and text encoding diminished, research in the field of computational stylistics is accelerating. In this paper, it is shown how projections onto the Cartesian plane of 25-dimensional vectors related to the frequency of occurrence of 25 prepositions can distinguish between Oscar Wilde's plays and essays. Such an application illustrates that it is possible to find unusual and intriguing examples of how statistics can impinge on unexpected territory.     

Analysis of antithetic sequences in flowshop scheduling to minimize makespan

The antithetic properties of flowshop sequences are investigated to improve the classical Monte Carlo method for solving the n -job, m -machine problem with minimization of makespan. The major issues considered are (1) establishing a negative correlation of the makespan values of forward and reverse sequences; (2) developing the Antithetical Monte Carlo (AMC) method, which can be used to quickly estimate the mean of the makespan distribution by exploiting the antithetic property of sequences; (3) using AMC to find low makespan values; (4) determining a threshold value of makespan beyond which it would be likely to find an optimal or near optimal makespan when reversing a sequence. Statistical tests indicate that the performance of AMC is superior to that of the classical Monte Carlo method. Possible applications of this concept are discussed including extensions to other mathematical problems with antithetic properties.     

Contested memory: Notes on Robert K. Merton’s“the Thomas Theorem and the Matthew Effect”

Conclusion Merton’s 1995 article shows the sociological complexity of a question that appears on the surface to be a simple one: Who wrote,“ If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences”? Yet, simple things can be stated simply: the evidence for W. I. Thomas’s authorship of this sentence is far from conclusive; therefore I believe it should be attributed to both authors of the book in which it appears. It is ironic that Merton, having spent much of his professional career studying the role of citations in science, bears some responsibility for the lack of credit Dorothy Swaine Thomas has received regarding these words. This incident should therefore act as a cautionary tale about what happens when we stray too far from the scholarly practice of documenting our sources, even though we may believe we have good reasons for doing so. I am averse, however, to conclude my response to Merton’s article on a strident note. My hope is that this episode will help us move toward a“new era” of not the politically but the scholarly correct citation. It would be a pity if this issue leads to citation wars where old scores are settled and political correctness wins out over scholarly civility. On this point, I am sure Merton and I can both agree.