Chapter 9. Conclusion
Good is not good when better is expected.
—Vin Scully, the voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers
In the last 25 years, computers and the Internet have forever changed the way that professional sports teams go about their business, giving them the ability to gather, store, share, and analyze a vast amount of statistics on their own players, prospects, and competitors. There is so much money involved in major sports that they can afford the best technology and software, and they can pay to have analysts whose sole job is to review statistics and help the team find an advantage. Computers and data analysis play an integral part in evaluating talent, player development, and competitive strategy. Coaches and players study tape and detailed statistics to improve their own performance and to find ways to beat the competition.
Advanced statistical analysis is no longer optional for teams that want to win in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. It is required. Every team invests heavily in gathering and analyzing statistics to arm their player personnel departments, their coaching staffs, and their players. Teams no longer think it’s enough to just work and try harder, they want to be smarter. Statistics help teams make more informed personnel decisions. Statistics help coaches and players identify better competitive strategies and focus on the right things.
How do statistics help teams make better decisions? Statistics help them analyze productivity, skills, strengths, ...
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