ABSTRACT
This is a quote from baseball pitcher Dizzy Dean, who played in the major leagues from 1930 to 1947.
How the world has changed in the 75 or so years since that time! Now large quantities of data are collected and mined in nearly every area of science, entertainment, business, and industry. Medical scientists study the genomes of patients to choose the best treatments, to learn the underlying causes of their disease. Online movie and book stores study customer ratings to recommend or sell them new movies or books. Social networks mine information about members and their friends to try to enhance their online experience. And yes, most major league baseball teams have statisticians who collect and analyze detailed information on batters and pitchers to help team managers and players make better decisions.
