Major League Baseball pitchers who are 'morning types' generally perform better than the 'night owls,' according to a paper presented at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.
In general, the study (abstract here) showed that sleep preferences can predict performance during games, said the principal investigator and lead author W. Christopher Winter, MD, medical director of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Center in Charlottesville, Va.
Statistically, the study indicated the morning types did better in games before 7 p.m. and night owls did better in night games, but not as much better: In early games, the earned run average (ERA) of pitchers who were morning types (3.06) was lower than the average ERA of pitchers who were evening types (3.49); and in games that started at 7 p.m. or later, pitchers who were evening types performed slightly better (4.07 ERA) than morning types (4.15 ERA).
"We were surprised to see that chronotype did affect pitching," Winter said in a statement. "We were also surprised to see that pitchers who were more 'morning type' seemed to do better overall."
The study supported other research that showed peak performance for most athletes is between mid-afternoon and early evening.
This study looked at 2009 stats from 18 pitchers from five MLB teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Tampa Bay Rays. Ten were found to be evening types and 8 morning types.
The researchers said managers could use the information to decide when a pitcher would perform his best.
Perhaps the Orioles need only to get the right pitchers in at the right times?
Baltimore Sun photo of Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman/Kenneth K. Lam