BIG LEAGUES EMBRACE BIG DATA
Technology is revolutionizing the sport to help players boost their statistics and health
Major League Baseball has long been thought as “America’s pastime,” often with images of a more relaxing and sportsmanship-like appearance than other sports.
Behind the scenes, however, technology has been quietly revolutionizing key pieces of the sport as players and their statistics are being placed under more microscopes in this new Moneyball-inspired era.
“We have been using different technology these last few years when it comes to tracking sleep, movement, energy output, rotational forces and other things to better manage our health and recovery,” Toronto Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista said in an interview, adding that he’s heard it’s still in the early stages because of negotiations between the league and players over who owns the large amount of data.
“All of that information is going to lead to new research, and all that research is going to lead to new methods not only at a professional level but the amateur level for the next generation,” he added. “You’re going to have 12-year-old kids knowing exactly what to eat, what time to eat, how much sleep to get, or how to train. And who knows, maybe in 10 or 15 years, you’re going to have these super athletes who can play until they are 50.”
From MLB’s perspective, the league takes strict governance over technology that is worn during the game with clear agreements in place with equipment manufacturers, said Chris Marinak, senior vice-president of league economics and strategy for Major League Baseball in New York.
“Major League Baseball controls all the data from a game and we make that data available to the player for his use,” he said, adding that outside of a game, the league is more liberal with arrangements.
“If both the team and a player wanted to use a device in a practice and the vendor said they own the data and will publish it online, Major League Baseball still wouldn’t say you couldn’t do that. I’d presume teams and players may not be interested in that arrangement … but we don’t have any governance over how that works.”
One of the biggest additions recently to MLB that quickly changed the workflow for players and coaches is the introduction of iPad Pros to all 30 teams’ dugouts and bullpens as part of a multiyear partnership with Apple Inc.
The devices are pre-loaded with a special application called MLB Dugout, designed by both the league and the California-based tech giant. The app is interactive and data focused, allowing coaches and players to dig deeper into baseball analytics during games on things such as scouting reports, key matchups, spray charts, heat maps and video content. This means players are more informed at the plate, giving them a chance to incrementally boost their statistics.
“There are not a lot of secrets about what a pitcher can do, how his ball moves or what his tendencies and preferences are, but you can make quicker adjustments if you have the information and video readily available to you instantly in the dugout,” said Bautista.
“If a hitter sees a pitcher’s tendencies are changing, he can make adjustments. So everyone is going to force each other to make adjustments constantly. Back in the day it was slower, but now that a lot more data is available everything is just quicker.”
The iPad Pros only work on MLB-approved Wi-Fi networks, meaning coaches must load content in off-field areas such as the clubhouse and are restricted from accessing live videos during the game in the dugout. And though the device and app have the usual benefits of saving paper and relieving coaches from lugging around large books — something many consumers can relate to with in the shift to e-reader devices — a big differentiator here is unlimited capacity and preparing for the unexpected.
“When you talk about a printed book, there is only so much capacity,” said Marinak. “The iPad literally allows you to load everything on there … So when that relief pitcher comes in that you may not have expected to play, you can go to the iPad, pull him up and get spray charts, videos or whatever you need on him.”
When it comes to comparing how well teams in MLB adopt new technology, Bautista said the Blue Jays organization is willing to experiment but not necessarily be the first mover on something — though things have “definitely been getting better” under its new management.
For example, the team recently brought in new technology for training and injury recovery, which include machines that use stickers with electronic pulses on the body for better circulation and pain reduction, or lasers and pumps for massaging.
“We’ve done a ton of upgrades over the last two to three years when it comes to new technology,” he said. “And, really, there aren’t many teams that are way ahead (of us), maybe just a handful. It’s not necessarily being a bad thing being in the group we are in, because a lot of times you run into duds from companies that over-promise and under-deliver so you end up wasting a lot of time, money and effort.”
As players continue to see an “increased scrutiny and accountability on production” when it comes to statistics, according to Bautista, the league said it’s open to working with teams on new technology.
“Baseball, since it was created, has always been a statistics and information-based sport,” said Marinak. “We don’t take a position on ‘too much’ or ‘not enough.’ We want to set up a framework that enables people to use it if they think there is value.”
There are those who push back at technology’s growing prominence in MLB due to fears it will negatively affect the pureness of the sport though, not unlike when innovation happens in other industries. However, with the continued emphasis on statistics and long-term health, others see value.
“You can’t just stay in the dinosaur ages,” said Bautista. “And I don’t think it changes the purity at all. I think, if anything, it’s making the game tougher, better and more challenging for the athletes. If you can’t make the adjustments quick enough, you’re going to get pushed out.”
You can’t just stay in the dinosaur ages. ...I think, if anything, it’s making the game tougher, better and more challenging for the athletes.