Quality Control And Home Runs: An Examination Of Appropriate Metrics For Quality Control

Abstract

The issue of appropriate quality control metrics is discussed in the context of the production of baseballs.  Specifically, Major League Baseball players stroked record numbers of home runs in 1987, generating what is commonly known as the “lively ball” explanation for the unusual power output.  The Commissioner’s office released a study “proving” that the 1987 baseball was not unusually lively.  However, after examination of the quality control metrics used by MLB; we demonstrate that (1) it is quite possible that baseballs were indeed “lively” and (2) that acceptance sampling alone does not properly address the quality control problem.