Technology in baseball - Has it changed the game?

All I can say is

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Outstanding article.

To further highjack this thread:

In ASCII with different delimiters:

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Slow day at work.....

I loved the article, but wasn’t surprised by anything in it at all.

About pitchers, what its doing is proving what great “pitchers” have always known that “throwers” have either never quite understood, or didn’t have the skills to accomplish. Its also proving why having a 3 figure velocity FB doesn’t do a whole lot for you if you’re “forced” to throw it for strikes.

quote:

Its also proving why having a 3 figure velocity FB doesn’t do a whole lot for you if you’re “forced” to throw it for strikes.

Stats,

Only if you consider all that money they will get as not doing a whole lot for them. Actually I understand what you mean, though.

Technology has affected nearly everything in our lives, so in a game where every possible advantage is important, technology is going to play a big part in the game.

It sure has changed scouting at all levels.

Really enjoyed that.

Not at all surprised that Joe Maddon is prominently featured in that article.

So how long until we see travel ball coaches doing this stuff? ;-) Sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously, a question for those that may know, is this just a MLB phenomenon, or is it going on in MiLB and colleges? Everything is shown streaming now, what a huge advantage to those who can use this technology.

The cardinals scouting director is a sabermetrics guy, I listened to an interview on how they go about using those spray sheets for pitchers and hitters. And how they intertwine the human factor as well.

I got shot down here on that topic, like I didn't know what I was talking about, but as you see it is what it is.

Chances are that when anyone's son is up for draft consideration someone has used those metrics on him, not necessarily the scout that is following him but sosmeone else.

I recently read somewhere though where one manager closed down the video room for awhile, can't remember who though.

quote:

Originally posted by birdman14:
Seriously, a question for those that may know, is this just a MLB phenomenon, or is it going on in MiLB and colleges? Everything is shown streaming now, what a huge advantage to those who can use this technology.

I don't think that they do it in milb for every level, in AAA every game is on milb TV and archived so they can go back and watch their perfromance. Keep in mind milb is for developmental purposes where winning is secondary on most levels and ever changing. You can face one guy on a sunday and by monday he is gone, so taking time to study guys really serves no purpose unless one wants to.

I don't know about college, most don't film their games, but if you have a sharp enough coach and staff they remember everything. The do scout other teams. I can't see where college kids would have time to study video.

I know HS teams that study video of opposing hitters and pitchers. Now, these are good teams. Not sure what the mediocre teams are doing

I also know of HS teams that live stream their games over the internet. A camera, laptop, wireless internet card, and a free streaming account, and you are all set.

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So how long until we see travel ball coaches doing this stuff? ;-) Sorry, couldn't resist.

I know you're kidding around, but seriously, I know of at least one "travel dad" who uses a Flip digital HD camcorder to shoot his son's cages. The Flip plugs into his iPad which has an app that allows him to slow the video to as little as two frames per second. His son can step out of the cage, look at his swings in HD super-slo-mo, and head back into the cage with a few adjustments in mind.

Some might call it overkill for a 16 y/o but I think it's brilliant and would do the same for my son when he gets a little older.

quote:

Originally posted by tres_arboles:
I know you're kidding around, but seriously, I know of at least one "travel dad" who uses a Flip digital HD camcorder to shoot his son's cages. The Flip plugs into his iPad which has an app that allows him to slow the video to as little as two frames per second.

I am one of those guys! I have been doing this with my son since he was little. Of course, I have a small slo-mo camera now, no need for the iPad He uses it for hitting and pitching - he knows how to analyze his swing, the opponent's swing, and his pitching motion. Did I mention that I use a radar gun also (not so much much now, though)? I can load the pitching clips into Kinovea and see pitch speed, hand speed, hip speed, shoulder speed, stride length, etc.

Now, I could tell you about the time he used a Trackman a couple of years ago to study exit speed and spin rate ....

Birdman said...

quote:

Seriously, a question for those that may know, is this just a MLB phenomenon, or is it going on in MiLB and colleges? Everything is shown streaming now, what a huge advantage to those who can use this technology.

Birdman,

FIVE years ago, I was visiting an ACC school on a business trip. The athletics dept is a big customer, and the IT /Athletics liason took me to the media room and baseball coaches box during a game. In there, they showed me an optical device and computer that was tracking game pitches for speed, movement and outcomes. I was floored! It was a beta system, but it was really, really cool and the information (and metadata) that was tracked was extensive. So this was five years ago at a college game. I'm sure the stuff that is out there now is unbelievable if you have deep pockets, and a need to have this type of info.

BTW....Hope all is well and good in your neck of the woods (post hurricane), and the new coach is a keeper!

wow..sent this article to my kid..he loves stuff like this He took a sabermetrics course in the spring at The Point. I think he's doing his capstone project on some sort of baseball statistical subject.

quote:

Originally posted by fenwaysouth:
Birdman said...

quote:

Seriously, a question for those that may know, is this just a MLB phenomenon, or is it going on in MiLB and colleges? Everything is shown streaming now, what a huge advantage to those who can use this technology.

Birdman,

FIVE years ago, I was visiting an ACC school on a business trip. The athletics dept is a big customer, and the IT /Athletics liason took me to the media room and baseball coaches box during a game. In there, they showed me an optical device and computer that was tracking game pitches for speed, movement and outcomes. I was floored! It was a beta system, but it was really, really cool and the information (and metadata) that was tracked was extensive. So this was five years ago at a college game. I'm sure the stuff that is out there now is unbelievable if you have deep pockets, and a need to have this type of info.

BTW....Hope all is well and good in your neck of the woods (post hurricane), and the new coach is a keeper!

Pitchf/x? Big fan of pitchf/x, I know hitters track pitchers release points, plain, speed, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:
Pitchf/x? Big fan of pitchf/x, I know hitters track pitchers release points, plain, speed, etc.

Pitch f/x requires 3 special video cameras at fixed positions on the field in order to get a "3D" look at the ball. Trackman uses doppler radar, so it needs only one 'camera'. Or, it could be something else entirely.

I don't get it? You can read, study, look over spread sheets till your hearts content, but in the end you still have to throw the baseball and they have to hit it!

TPM and SoS,

It was explained to me (five years ago) that there were other cameras around the stadium by one of the coaches, so I think your best guess of Pitch f/x is probably on the mark. If it isn't Pitch f/x it is something like it. BTW....this school went to the College World Series in 2006. I don't think this tool hurt their chances.

Also, I was blown away (5 years ago) that they had wireless in that college baseball stadium....so basically anyone could walk in, watch the game, and get connected. I got a lot of work done at that stadium that year! Now wireless is everywhere, but this school had the foresight to set this up for anyone who wanted it with guest access.

quote:

Originally posted by PGStaff:
…Technology has affected nearly everything in our lives, so in a game where every possible advantage is important, technology is going to play a big part in the game.

It sure has changed scouting at all levels.

I think what’s the next major revolution’s gonna be, at least at the MLB level, is electronically called pitches. With all the replays available, its inevitable that it won’t be too long before enough people want to make the strike zone something that hitters and pitchers don’t have to “guess at”, and that changes with each umpire.

A really interesting article. The data is now available for those motivated enough to find ways to utilize it. Hitting remains the most difficult skill in sports!

For the hitter, it's even more apparent now a days that you must adjust to survive! He has to ask, "How are they trying to get me out?" What are they throwing and where are they trying to put it? But you know what, hasn't it always been that way?

The better hitters figure it out and will continue to do so. The biggest impact, and I agree with the article, is the sophisticated defensive alignments.

I think the pendelum has already moved back towards a hitting style that is less pure pull power oriented but geared more towards staying inside the pitch and using the entire field. That will negate many of the "pull field" defenses that are currently successful against the Ryan Howards et al.