Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


5

New System May Revolutionize Baseball Stats

Share

(Newser) – Branch Rickey once complained that “there is nothing on earth anybody can do with fielding,” but that's about to change thanks to a complex new camera and computer system, the New York Times reports. The system, which will be unveiled for baseball executives tomorrow, records the exact speed and location of every ball and every player, giving stat geeks a mountain of new data. The idea is to get a better handle on intangibles such as which outfielder has the best arm.

The system is already being tested in the Giants' ballpark, and it could be in all 30 parks by 2010. MLB's Internet arm wants to make the data public, but teams may keep a lid on some of it for competitive reasons.“It can be a big deal,” says Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro. “You almost have to change the structure of the front office to make sense of it.”

This image from Sportsvision, the company that created the yellow first down line for football broadcasts, shows some of the information the company's new system can provide.
This image from Sportsvision, the company that created the yellow first down line for football broadcasts, shows some of the information the company's new system can provide.   (Sportsvision)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

It’ll be neat to find out what the numbers are. People will learn about playing defense, which has gone by the wayside as people have cared so much about offense and hitting the ball out of the ballpark. - Vernon Wells, Blue Jays player

I would say it would be threatening to more scouts than not — here come the stat rats. - Paul Ricciarini, veteran Astros scout

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
5 comments
VIEWING:
 
gabo
Jul 10, 09 12:00 PM CDT
Baseball already has overanalyzed itself to death. Fans don't need more stats to enjoy a game. Ticket prices should be analyzed, if anything. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
nick
Jul 10, 09 12:26 PM CDT
How about coming up with a computer assisted, wizz-bang system that could accurately determine a ball from a strike ... working off an established, universal strike zone. It's pathetic, sometimes, to see the two pitches, each thrown in the same location, with one called a strike, the other called a ball. IMO, that technology would drastically improve the game.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
hungrydave
Jul 10, 09 12:28 PM CDT
It could be good from a manager's perspective (assuming the stats are relevant) though. It could sort of be a new Moneyball type stat like OBP.
Vote up! Vote down!
-2
IN RESPONSE:
SPH
Jul 10, 09 5:50 PM CDT
nick...I don't think you want a robo-ump do you?....
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
Forderon
Jul 10, 09 2:09 PM CDT
There are already stats like UZR (a measure of a fielder's range) for fielding. This is simply an incremental step above and I think it's awesome. The more the better when it comes to this stuff because there are way too many stupid announcers and TV talking heads who keep spouting cliches and making statements that are absolutely wrong because they're biased, delusional, or simply too lazy to look at the facts. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

1003 Stories

 Want a Yankees 
 Ticket? Shell 
 Out $1,000 

Sky high prices at Yankee Stadium are record for resellers

Nov 4, 09 1:19 PM CST
(Newser) - The average fan might need a loan to snap up one of the thousands of tickets available for tonight’s Game 6 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. The cheapest seats are going for $550 online, the Daily News reports, but the online average is above $1,000.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
MLB • Philadelphia Phillies • New York Yankees • Yankee Stadium • resales • StubHub • baseball • ticket prices • 2009 World Series

Lawmakers Get Sweet Deal on World Series Tix

Critics say face-value tickets should count as a gift

Nov 4, 09 6:59 AM CST
(Newser) - Federal lawmakers have been getting tickets to sold-out World Series through a perk that has some ethicists crying foul. Some 75 tickets for this series have been sold to 15 lawmakers and their aides at face value by Major League Baseball and the teams. No ethics rules are being broken... More »

MORE ABOUT:
ethics • MLB • World Series • ticket • baseball • politician • Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics • perks • 2009 World Series

MLB'S GLASS CEILING

 For Female Umps, 
 No Field of Dreams 

Female umpire speaks out against baseball's 'stained-grass ceiling'

Nov 2, 09 11:38 AM CST
(Newser) - Forget blown calls. The real problem with umpires in the MLB, says Perry Barber: A complete lack of females. Barber, who has been in the business since 1981, works high school, college, spring training, and Independent League games—and tells DoubleX , “ We’re just going to have to storm... More »

MORE ABOUT:
sports • MLB • sexism • umpire • baseball • umpires • glass ceiling • Jay-ZTV • women's issues

1003 Stories


Technology  •  Sports 
TwitterFollow @NewserTech on Twitter

 
sports • technology • MLB • San Francisco Giants • Cleveland Indians • statistics • baseball • defense • Mark Shapiro • Branch Rickey

from our news partners