Subject category:
Strategy and General Management
Published by:
Amity Research Centers
Length: 10 pages
Data source: Published sources
Abstract
Houston Astros (Astros), the American League baseball team, was founded in 1960 and since then was trying its best to establish its supremacy in the game of baseball. After the initial encouraging years, Astros found itself gradually losing out on its position of a serious contender to other league teams. The worst period of Astros was from 2009 to 2014 when the team had more losses than wins to its credit. In order to bring about a major haul in its credentials, Astros appointed data analytics expert Jeff Luhnow (Luhnow) as its General Manager in 2011. Luhnow utilised advanced data analytics, popularised by the book 'Moneyball', in all aspects of the baseball game. He also hired NASA scientist and an economist to help him in incorporating analytics to enhance players' performance and team's prospects. The efforts bore fruit and Astros won World Series in 2017 for the first time in its sporting history. However, sceptics believed that the advantages of data analytics were fleeting and there was no substitute for on-the-field player intuition, wisdom and judgement. Analysts pondered whether data analytics could actually replace player wisdom and judgement? If so, would sports fall victim to the statistical prowess rather than the skill of the player?
About
Abstract
Houston Astros (Astros), the American League baseball team, was founded in 1960 and since then was trying its best to establish its supremacy in the game of baseball. After the initial encouraging years, Astros found itself gradually losing out on its position of a serious contender to other league teams. The worst period of Astros was from 2009 to 2014 when the team had more losses than wins to its credit. In order to bring about a major haul in its credentials, Astros appointed data analytics expert Jeff Luhnow (Luhnow) as its General Manager in 2011. Luhnow utilised advanced data analytics, popularised by the book 'Moneyball', in all aspects of the baseball game. He also hired NASA scientist and an economist to help him in incorporating analytics to enhance players' performance and team's prospects. The efforts bore fruit and Astros won World Series in 2017 for the first time in its sporting history. However, sceptics believed that the advantages of data analytics were fleeting and there was no substitute for on-the-field player intuition, wisdom and judgement. Analysts pondered whether data analytics could actually replace player wisdom and judgement? If so, would sports fall victim to the statistical prowess rather than the skill of the player?