Kai Franke
@KaiFranke3
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Following
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Media
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451
Current: President @UMN_SAC , U of MN (fall) ‘24 Future: R&D Intern @RaysBaseball
Minneapolis, MN
Joined August 2018
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Hi everyone! I am very pleased to announce that I have just accepted a position to work for
@RaysBaseball
next summer as an R&D Intern! Thank you to everyone that has helped me get to where I am!
#RaysUp
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Many analysts on Twitter and elsewhere have been making Stuff+ metrics to evaluate how nasty a pitch is, so I decided to come up with my own version using XGBoost! Take a look at the write-up of my new model!
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Hey everybody! I’d like to share an update on myself that I am extremely excited about! I have joined
@BaseballCloudUS
as a Blog Intern! Very happy to get on board! Thank you to everybody who has helped me on my young journey thus far.
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Hey everybody, I am happy to announce that I am presenting at the 2023 Ohio State Sports Analytics Conference on April 1st! My project focused on using my own xRV metric in MLB to analyze the actual strength of teams and divisions. Here is the poster I submitted:
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@sweater_hog
@PaulHembo
Every calculator that you’d plug this into will definitely get you a p value of 0. So either 0 or a number extremely close to it
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I am extremely happy to announce that I have decided to further my academic career at the University of Minnesota! I will be majoring in Data Science. I appreciate everybody that has had an impact on me throughout my last 12 years of school and life!
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I am happy to announce that I have joined the Minnesota Blizzard (
@BlizzardBasebal
) in a baseball analytics role! Extremely excited for what’s to come!
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It was a great time this weekend at
#CMSAC
2023!
@BalchJackson
,
@JackRog61
,
@IBlumhoefer
, and I ended up winning this year’s SMT Data Challenge for our project about defensive player relationships in stolen bases. It was such a great weekend and we met great people!
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Take a listen to today’s EW podcast at 1:37 to hear
@BenLindbergh
talk a little bit about
@jackrog61
and I’s project and how it relates to less wild pitches and passed balls in recent years! Or just listen to the whole thing because it’s a good podcast 🤷🏻♂️
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Hope everybody is doing well as we start 2023! With some extra free time, I have built an RShiny dashboard to assist with pitch design using the Stuff+ metric I made this summer.
Check it out!
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Happy to announce that
@jackrog61
and I are presenting at
@SaberSeminar
in a few weeks! We are giving a presentation on our findings with catcher blocking, how we can improve players, and some interesting findings about how well catchers block in certain situations. Very excited!
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Thank you
@brooksbaseball
for putting on such a great event! It was really great getting to meet a bunch of interesting people and showing the work that
@jackrog61
and I have done!
@KaiFranke3
and
@jackrog61
presented at Saberseminar on Saturday! Their work was about building a model to assist in player development for catcher blocking. Here is the GitHub with all of their code!
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Excited to present our work for the SMT Data Challenge and representing
@UMN_SAC
at CMSAC! SMT always puts on a good competition for this.
Congrats to our
#SMTDataChallenge
finalists! 👏 Now the final round: talks at
#CMSAC
(Nov 11).
Undergrad:
@ethanpaark
@JonahAnalytics
@kaifranke3
@jackrog61
@IBlumhoefer
@BalchJackson
Grad:
@_dakotaolson
@MattNNicholson
@_airwhite
@davidawosoga
@daniel_hocevar
@jadenkm_08
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This dashboard can help coaches figure out how a pitcher can change the movement profile of their pitches to get better. An example of this can be seen in an article that I wrote this summer by using my model to improve Chris Archer:
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Here comes a biomechanics revolution to all levels of baseball
pitchAI puts the Driveline Biomechanics Lab in your pocket.
Instead of a pricey multi-camera markered motion capture lab with a full-time biomechanist to run it—we’ve been hard at work with our friends
@DrMikeSonne
@proplayai
to bring that same lab to your iPhone and TRAQ.
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After a brief hiatus, I think I made my best project yet! Go check it out!
Making Pitching Decisions Based on Predictive Modeling
@KaiFranke3
looks at a couple recent postseason matchups and how teams could have better used their bullpens to gain an advantage
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ICYMI: I predicted whiff% and xwOBA based on pitcher Rapsodo data!
I am now a contributor to
@ProspectsWorldW
where I will be an MLB Data Analyst. I will still be posting my blogs on my personal site, Quantitative Baseball, but will be working with the Prospects Worldwide team!
🚨Predicting Pitcher Performance Based on 'Stuff' Alone🚨
.
@KaiFranke3
Debuts with the site, and boy is it a good one. Formulas used in R Studio, and explained well in the article. Lots of visuals and data to explain how the Formula is used & Data gained
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Hey everybody! I will be presenting my predictive pitcher/hitter matchup model virtually at
#CMSAC20
this weekend! Be sure to tune in, can’t wait!
@CMU_Stats
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Just finished a new article about evaluating hitters with different batted ball profiles! Take a look to see what different hitters should do at the plate!
🚨 New Post 🚨
@KaiFranke3
looks at how to evaluate hitters by putting them into different buckets based on their batted ball profile!
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To view my rankings and how I made the model, read the article here:
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Don’t know if it’s very mature of a former big leaguer going after a teenager... I don’t know, just me 🤷🏻♂️
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Article coming about this soon... Stay tuned.
Every part of this is ridiculous including the fact Johnny Cueto threw a great pitch
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Go vote
@SimpleSaberBSB
in this poll! He is the person that helped get me started in baseball analytics and makes great videos that can help everybody!
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Here is the link to see our slideshow, abstract, Shiny app, and code!
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First article in awhile! Take a look to see how Mets draft pick Dominic Hamel can dominate with his fastball at the next level!
🚨 New Draft Profile 🚨
@DBU_Baseball
RHP
@DomHamel27
was dominant all year for the Patriots and was selected by the Mets 81st overall. He used his unique fastball to overpower hitters as
@KaiFranke3
breaks down in this blog!
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Me rn
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I top out at 58 so this really isn’t that impressive to me 🙄
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With the second week of the
#MNScoutLeague
wrapped up, I'd like you guys to take a quick peek the first edition of throwing and exit velocity rankings for the players!
@BlizzardBasebal
@ScoutStop
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That’s not gonna help his shimmy stats...
Hunter Pence ruins Johnny Cueto's no-hit bid by losing a fly ball.
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@tejfbanalytics
@OSU_SAA
@ericeager_
@kenna2546
@glawb45
@JohnDDraper
Really nice to meet you! Great conference overall
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The screwball isn’t very well known about how it moves and how it is effective. I wrote this piece to figure out where to throw it to be successful as well as some other background about the pitch! Take a peek!
NEW! 🚨 How to Throw an Effective Screwball 🚨
.
@KaiFranke3
Is here to prove the Screwball needs to make a comeback.
His thoughts on the pitches effectiveness, UCL Damage concerns, some GIFs of current screwballers, and a ton of RStudio Data.
#MLB
#MiLB
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Congrats Jack! Sauce this guy a follow, really smart dude!
Very excited to share that I will be interning in the Washington Nationals’ baseball R&D department this summer!
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Here's my first project that I am working on with the Minnesota Blizzard! I use strictly Rapsodo pitch data to predict whiff% and xwOBA on fastballs and curveballs. Check it out!
#QuantitativeBaseball
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My slider pitch performance prediction article is now up on my personal site, Quantitative Baseball! Go and take a look if you haven't already!
#QuantitativeBaseball
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Freddy Peralta has gotten much worse performance off of his slider this year compared to last year. Let's take a look at what happened and use my Stuff+ model to see how he can fix it. 🧵
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Went to UCSAS today! Had a great time meeting great people and meeting the other finalists for the
@SMTlive
data challenge!
#UCSAS2022
Finding number two: The fielder’s momentum with respect to the throw makes a difference.
@KaiFranke3
#SMTDataChallenge
#UCSAS2022
3/
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Hey everybody, I just wrote an article about using Random Forest to make a probability model for strikes. I used this model to evaluate catcher framing. Take a peek! Would appreciate any feedback!
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Johnny Cueto used weird antics in his delivery, like his “shimmy” and quick pitch. I decided to look into it and see if it is effective. Take a look!
NEW! 🚨An Analysis of Johnny Cueto's Shimmy/Quick Pitch Effectiveness🚨
Every wonder if Cueto's shenanigans on the mound are actually beneficial, and as effective as we think?
.
@KaiFranke3
Analyzes his opening day start to see for himself
#SFGiants
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He’s been a beast so far, 50% whiff rate on that diving curve to go along with no hits against it.
If anyone is questioning why Caleb Thielbar (
@cthielbar56
) is getting high leverage opportunities, take a look at this.
He's got about 3.4" of carry above average on his fastball, throws an extremely efficient curve, and can wipe a slider across home plate.
#MNTwins
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My previous post was about a model I built that could predict plate appearances. Now, I used that model to see how the Rays decide to change their pitchers and manage their bullpen. Take a peek!
New post!
@KaiFranke3
continues his series “Making Pitching Decisions Based on Predictive Modeling” with part 2 covering how the Rays used their bullpen in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Yankees
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How can you not be romantic about baseball?
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I have just made a new post a little earlier this week! I do an experiment on the Axe Bat and decide whether it actually has an effect on a batter's swing! Check it out!
#QuantitativeBaseball
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I just posted my first analytical post on my blog Quantitative Baseball. Go and check it out!
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Take a peek at my new article about Tyler Rogers! He’s such an oddity with his submarine arm slot, so I decided to go in depth to see how he uses his arsenal to be successful!
Ever stay up at night wondering who is baseball’s supreme groundball-inducing freak?
@KaiFranke3
is here to save you from your oddly specific insomnia with an in depth breakdown of Tyler Rogers!
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Ethan has been doing great work all summer long, this model is nothing different. Go give it a look!
I’ve done a lot this summer with my pitch quality metric and have gotten a lot of good feedback on how it could be improved upon.
In this article, I describe how I rebuilt it from scratch to address many of the issues of the initial metric!
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ICYMI: I continued my pitch grade series by moving onto the changeup! It is now also on my personal blog so go and check it out!
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🚨 ICYMI 🚨: My article on how to throw an effective screwball is now up on my personal site! Please go take a look if you haven't already!
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Clevinger had a predicted whiff% of 42.4 last year based on the movement profile. This year, his actual whiff% is 41.5%. The most fun team in baseball is getting even more fun.
#FriarFaithful
Source: Deal is Clevinger, Greg Allen and PTBN to Padres; Quantrill, Arias, Cantillo, Hedges, Naylor and Miller to Indians.
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Last week, I created a WAR that estimates the new value of catchers with the automated strike zone likely to be put in place eventually. This week, I found catchers that teams could buy low on before that happens! Take a look!
#QuantitativeBaseball
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How will catcher’s values change with an automated strike zone? Today, I figure out how the value of catchers would change with no umpire. This is one of my favorite pieces that I’ve written, so please give it a look!
#QuantitativeBaseball
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This is the final part of my pitch grading series, please take a look!
NEW! 🚨🚨 Part 3: Sliders - Predicting Pitcher Performance Based On Stuff Alone 🚨🚨
.
@KaiFranke3
Wraps up his mini-series on pitch breakdowns based on pure stuff alone.
Sliders are the topic of discussion today.
Who has the best? The Worst in the
#MLB
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Just made a quick update to my dashboard to add a leaderboard to it. If you filter by pitch type (no matter the player name) you can see all of the best pitches by type.
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Why why why why why why
Byron Buxton was going back to catch a Nelson Cruz fly ball in deep center field and appeared to get his cleat stuck in the grass. He went down grabbing his leg/ankle. After several minutes, he was carted off the field.
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Also! For those of you that are new to my work, I have published many other articles similar to this one! Go to to see them!
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Slider rankings and article is here:
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@Andrewschutte2
This is honestly the right answer, that way you aren’t mistaking a substance for grip with one for spin
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@Moore_Stats
@Sam__Bornstein
@Prospects365
@Alex_Caravan
Was just thinking the same exact thing! Can’t wait to see this.
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According to my changeup whiff model, Givens had a 40.6 predicted whiff percentage, which put him 1st in baseball. So far this year, he's continued that success with the pitch, as hitters have whiffed 35.3% of the time on it and hit for a .203 wOBA.
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@GoCubs49
@RaysBaseball
Thanks, Steven! I’m glad that article has been a resource for you haha!
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Does pulling the baseball in all pitch locations lead to more success, or are there locations where hitters should be looking to hit the ball to the opposite field or center? Find out in this week's post!
#QuantitativeBaseball
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Lucas Giolito was one of the worst starting pitchers in 2018. Read my new post to see how pitch design made him as great as he was last year!
#QuantitativeBaseball
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New post is up on my blog Quantitative Baseball! This is the start of a series about pitch design, where I talk about spin rate and spin efficiency. Take a look!
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This is as nasty as it gets 🔥
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@Andrewschutte2
@tableau
@baseball_ref
@BaseballAmerica
@spotrac
Yeah, that make sense. I wonder how many of those top guys are more of a natural JuCo and how many are like Harper or international. Again, great work!
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Inspired by the past, brought to life today 🔥
Our 2023
@TimHortons
#HeritageClassic
jerseys pay tribute to the Calgary Stampeders hockey club from the 50’s and 60’s, bringing our city’s rich history to life ahead of this incredible edition of the Battle Of Alberta!
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Mike Trout is baseball’s best player, but by looking at the stats Yordan Alvarez maybe has had a better season in a smaller sample size.
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Now, why did these changes happen to his performance? It could definitely be the command of the slider and leaving too many down the heart of the plate, however, I found that his movement is definitely a significant factor:
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With the debate over Arenado and Rendon growing, I decided I wanted to chime in and put out my opinion. Read to see who the top third baseman in baseball is!
#QuantitativeBaseball
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@camarcano
Thanks, Carlos! I’ve been trying to learning more about Boruta and tuning, so it’s great to hear that it was good!
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To read the article, follow this link:
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Remember when he was one of the worst pitchers in baseball a few years ago?
Looks like he’s alright now.
Want to see how he transformed into the pitcher he is today?
Read here:
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