Advanced MLB analytics break game down into specifics

Cassandra Negley

Advanced MLB analytics break game down into specifics image

Students always rhetorically ask their teachers, "When are we ever going to use this?" Well, pull out your high school physics and math knowledge, because it's about to come in handy. 

MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM) announced Saturday  a new way to analyze every play on the field through the lens of new technology in order to tie everything together in a neat package for player and game analysis.

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Instead of telling your friends baseball is a game of inches, you can now tell them precisely how many inches, at what velocity and how inefficient the play was. (OK, so you probably don't need that high school knowledge. You can thank MLB.)

"This is going to be pretty exciting," said MLBAM CEO Bob Bowman, who made the announcement at the eighth annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston. "We think it's going to change the way we argue about the game, but we don't think it's going to settle any debates. We hope it starts more."

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For now, the tracking system technology is only available at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Target Field in Minnesota and Citi Field in New York. MLB plans to introduce it to the rest of the stadiums throughout the season with the goal that all are operational for opening day in 2015.

The new analytics will help batters (while they're in the box and while they're on the bases) and fielders. 

For batters, the angle the ball is hit will help in analyzing how to better approach a pitch for a home run. Lower angle with same power means a longer distance. As MLB.com analyst Jim Duquette explained to the website, the exit velocity also will show whether a batter is late or ahead of pitches. That, in turn, can help a manager or player position his outfield. 

The advanced tracking has a bigger affect on defensive metrics. 

Fielders, fans and scouts can now analyze a play by viewing exactly how quickly a player reacted. It's also easier to see the speed and acceleration of a player. In the play above, Atlanta Braves center fielder Jason Heyward got a quicker first step (by 0.03 seconds), accelerated quicker than left fielder Reed Johnson could and hit a faster speed. All that enabled him to cover the 80.9 feet between him and the ball quickly enough to rob the New York Mets' Justin Turner of a hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. 

All of that information will be packaged to help outfielders take more efficient routes. It's one thing to make a diving catch, but it's most impressive (and efficient) to do so without the added hoopla. Think second-guessing a ball's trajectory and waiting to make a first step. 

MORE: Extra details, video of Heyward's catch

The analytics remove subjectivity from player evaluation and replace it with meaningful numbers that can be used compare players. Fans and managers can judge one outfielder vs. another by their reactivity and quickness. They can also see why a play didn't happen. The new stats will show how much faster baserunners need to be to reach safely or how much larger a lead they should take. They also will give players a benchmark to hit ("get a 0.02-second faster burst out of the box") instead of an abstract goal (run faster"), which will make achievement more attainable.

"The goal over time, and hopefully certainly by this season, is to make these plays available in real time and start the debates," Bowman said. "But we have to make sure baseball operations sees it and they agree that these are accurate renderings. But this year, fans will be able to see these data and these videos."

MLB said it made sure the analytics "virtually recreate the game using the geometric data" and will continue to be accurate and fair.

Cassandra Negley