The course I took with Professor Rothman was Baseball and Statistics in the fall of 2023. Throughout this course we learned descriptive statistics in the context of baseball and explored summary statistics and graphical interpretations.

This course allowed me to combine my passions for both sports and statistics and deepened my knowledge of descriptive measures, linear regression, and Microsoft Excel. Throughout the course I was able to develop a portfolio comparing two professional baseball players; one who is a Hall of Fame member, the other a potential candidate. This project allowed me to put my statistical knowledge into real world context which I hope to continue to pursue with this internship.

I believe the skills I have gained from this course such as creating visuals, building regression models, and conveying statistical concepts will help me in my pursuit of a career in biostatistics or health economics. Being able to apply statistical processes to various fields is crucial for a data scientist and I believe this class with Professor Rothman has been a first step in the right direction.

Noelle Reid

Breath Reflection
In this class, I was able to learn the fundamentals of baseball stats and understand How to choose a valid sample using the four sampling techniques of simple random sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, and systematic sampling. I leaned How to organize data into table, how to graph data using  polygons, histograms, time series, stem-and-leaf, and box-and-whisker, and how to use descriptive measures to locate the middle of the data and to find the variation of the data As long as I showed up for class, paid attention, and did the work I was able to follow along with the material with ease. I’d say most of my errors came from mistyping. I’m glad I took this course because I want to mention it in my interviews for potential employers. I had so much fun being able to present my collected data in the form of a portfolio and PowerPoint presentation that included statistical techniques, technology techniques, writing skills, and problem-solving skills It is a very interesting and useful skill to have. Thank you for being a great professor, I had a lot of fun this semester.

Scott Palmeri, May 2023

Dear Professor,
This is Stephen Halvatzis from your MA 176 course at 2:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I hope you are enjoying the end of finals week! I just wanted to say thank you for a great semester and a new hobby of mine that is stat keeping. I do the book and stats for the Hamden Braves baseball club that is non-affiliated with the school, and thanks to you, I can now work on providing more advanced stats for the team! I was unsure if this class would be applicable towards any of my future ventures, but I am now certain that the lessons you taught me will help me going forward. Thanks again for everything you've taught me and stay safe! 

Best,
Stephen Halvatzis
12/09/2020

Hi Dr. Rothman,

. . . I know that I thanked you and said goodbye yesterday, but I wanted to thank you once again for the opportunity to getting to work with you the past couple a years. It was an experience I will never forget as I learned so much from you whether if it was about the research we have done, to all those life lessons you told me about. Each day being alongside you, JonCarlo, and Dave later on, was always enjoyable. . .

Best,
Matthew Silverstein
05/5/2018

Hi Professor Rothman,

Hope all is well. I just wanted to tell you a quick story. I am currently in job hunt mode as I graduate in May from Michigan. I had an interviewer ask me today about a Professor/Boss who personally had a positive influence on me and couldn't think of a more perfect example than you. Talked about how you took me under and wanted to help teach me and help me do research as well as the passion for what you do. After 2 years, you still find ways to help me out!

I thought you would enjoy the story.

Best,
Alex Everett
03/16/2018

Hi Professor Rothman,

I don't know if you remember me, but I took your baseball stats class in 2013.

I just wanted to say thank you because I am now entering my second season as a Photo Intern for the New York Mets. What I learned in your class helped me get the internship and also helps me understand the fast-paced professional baseball environment.

Thank you again and I hope to hear from you soon.

Best,

Megan Maher
4/28/2017

Dear Dr. Rothman,

How have you been professor?

Over the summer I had a part-time job working with the New York Yankees as a host for premium services. On the way to work one day, just outside the stadium, I noticed this building and it instantly reminded me of you (photo is attached).

Also, your baseball and statistics course inspired me to set out to devise a formula in baseball that can change the game, and I believe that I have finally done that. I created a formula that measures any opportunity to score runs that a player creates, and I would be honored if you would be able to check it out for me to ensure that it can be a successful and accurate formula.

Sincerely,

Christopher Dalton
01/17/2017

Dr. Rothman,

Thank you. I appreciate the kind words. There is no chance I would have gotten where I am without your guidance and I can't thank you enough for that. Of course I will keep in touch. Even if I do not have time to help with research I hope you keep sending me updates on what you guys find! Will email you after graduation.

Alex

. . . Once again, thank you for everything you did for us and for everything you taught us and what you did to help us grow not only as baseball fans and students of the game, but as people in life as well. We will definitely make sure to keep in touch with you as we go.

Thank you

Sincerely,
Chris Dalton and Jordan Marino

My friend Jordan Marino and I both took your baseball and statistics course back in the fall semester of 2014. We both really enjoyed the class as well as having you as a professor, as you were really able to help to open our eyes to a new way of seeing the game of baseball. We are wondering if you have any time tomorrow to meet with us, because we are both graduating shortly (I will be graduating this spring and he will be graduating in the fall) and we would love to have the opportunity to talk to you one more time as well as say goodbye.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Chris Dalton

Dear Dr. Rothman,

I hope you are having a good semester! I wanted to let you know that I just got back from the job fair at the baseball Winter Meetings, and I accepted a job as a Finance Assistant with the Trenton Thunder, the Double-A affiliate with the Yankees! I'm so excited to start my career in baseball, and in the Yankees' organization, no less!

Being in your class, reading Moneyball, and working with baseball stats made me realize that that's really what I really want to do in my life. The minor league teams don't really use statistical analysis for players, only the major leagues do, but I'm going to get experience in the minor leagues that will hopefully eventually help me get to the major leagues. And I'll even have a chance with my new job to score a game and record stats once in a while! I've also thought about going to grad school for Statistics at some point.

I'm very excited about it and I couldn't wait to tell you. I'll let you know if I ever see some big league players come through on a rehab assignment!

What do you think about the big signings so far?? Greinke's deal is ridiculous!!! And I'm excited to have Starlin Castro! Much better than Stephen Drew from last year!

Jackie Mott

Dear Professor Rothman,

Last year first semester, I was in your Baseball Statistics and Analytics class. My partner Bryan Lipiner and I did a project comparing Ichiro Suzuki to Rickey Henderson, and if both are hall of fame worthy. I am writing to you today, because I am currently actively interviewing for a job at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where I would work in the Sports Statistics and Analytics department. They asked me about your class in particular, and I talked about it for a bit with them, and they were very interested with me as a candidate, so much so that I got a second interview. I need to provide professional references and I was wondering if I could give your name. I am sorry if this is late notice, but they called me this afternoon for an interview tomorrow.  I would appreciate any assistance you could give me. I also happened to get an A in your class, and this would be an amazing opportunity for me. I would appreciate it deeply, let me know if you need anymore information from me, and I could call you.

Thank you,

James Middleton

At the beginning of each semester, students always wonder what
they’re going to get out of a class. Is the topic interesting? Is the professor
interesting? How much work do I really need to put into this class to get an ‘A’
at the end of the semester? Well I came in to SPS 226 wondering all of those
things. How can this class really help me in the future I wondered?

Dating back to last March, I applied for a job with the ESPN Stats &
Info group located at ESPN Main Campus in Bristol, CT. Like all sports fanatics,
working at the “World Wide Leader in Sports” would be a dream come true if I
ever got the opportunity, although I knew it would be a long shot.

Months went by, and my confidence slowly dwindled, as I didn’t hear
back from ESPN whatsoever. No phone call. No email. No contact. And so I thought
that it just wasn’t meant to be. Once I registered for Baseball Stats and
realized what type of material we covered in the course, I thought it would be
beneficial to include the course on my job resume for future employers. I
thought it wouldn’t hurt to send an updated version to ESPN group as well, so
sent them a copy with this new course listed on it.

A few weeks later I got the call – “Hi we would love to have you
come in for an interview if you’re still interested.” And when they conducted
the interview, it was obvious they were extremely interested in this Baseball
Stats course I had enrolled in, considering it goes so well in conjunction with
most of the work they do at Stats & Info. Less than a week later, I had gotten
the job, and I would like to think that taking this course certainly played a
role in that. So before you think, “am I really going to get anything out of
this course?” Just know that Professor Rothman is telling the truth when he says
it really can get you the job!

Tim Marks

"Of special interest is chapter 16, 'Streaking', with a detailed analysis and simulation of Joe DiMaggio's 1941 56-game hitting streak." J.T. Saccoman, Seton Hall University, for CHOICE, August 2013

Click here to read the entire book review.

"Sandlot Stats served as an instrumental and informative piece to the Baseball Statistics course. The amount of time and tedious effort put into the project is evident, as this book is absolutely packed with information. The book puts a new spin on mathematics, and makes it more understandable for even the most casual of baseball fans. Baseball purists and sabermetric geeks alike will love this book."

Jon Alba
Associate Producer of Sports Paws
Q30TV