Can pitcher performance reveal game fixing in baseball? Developing a forensic analysis detection procedure

Abstract

Gambling and game-fixing scandals have loomed over the international baseball world and a lack of sports ethics in baseball may lead to many problems. In this study I conducted a textual analysis of reports by prosecutors regarding a pitcher who was investigated but not indicted in 2009 after allegations of game fixing. Drawing upon the statistical records of the season's games for the pitcher that were contained in the prosecutor's reports and game-by-game records for each Chinese Professional Baseball League pitcher in the 2009 regular season, I used the change-point test and difference-in-differences techniques to identify anomalies in the pitcher's play. The results I obtained support information contained in the prosecutors' reports regarding the pitcher's actions. My model is confirmed as an appropriate method of applied behavior analysis for detecting corruption in baseball pitching performance.