What you'll learn:
- scrape PITCHf/x data into an R session
- plot pitch locations with ggplot
- visualize pitch type and speed with ggplot
- subset vectors in R
- work with color in ggplot
- facet in ggplot
- label with geom_text
- work with seq, lapply, unlist, and unique in R
- save plots as png's
- write for loops in R
- work with factors in R
In this course, we make use of PITCHf/x data to create pitch location charts for a given baseball game. We break the game out into each at-bat and visualize the location, type, and speed of each pitch, the order in which the pitches were thrown, and the outcome of the at-bat.
In order to accomplish this, we will be taking a deep dive into ggplot. We will learn much about how to work with color, how to use aesthetics, and how to facet. We will also gain additional R skills, such as how to subset a vector and how to work with factors.
One should be able to complete the course, at a relaxed pace, in about three weeks. It is best if students already have a little bit of a background in R, dplyr, and ggplot, but it is not completely necessary.