Almost all sports leagues have accepted technology with open arms, and Major League Baseball, or MLB, is one of them. This change is inevitable, especially since we live in the digital era.Therefore, let’s expect that MLB will be different moving forward. The league has already employed technology in their processes and games. Let’s familiariaze the top five tech advancements that the MLB is starting to adopt.
Pitch Analysis Technology
Pitchers nowadays are undeniably improving the speed of their pitches thanks to the help of the technological advancements that the MLB is utilizing. The pitch analysis technology uses advanced cameras and tracking devices to provide real-time data on pitches.
Pitch analysis technology is installed on bullpens to read pitches from practicing pitchers. Moreover, this technology is also being mounted on minor league fields and MLB stadiums.
With this technology used in baseball, analysts, coaches, and pitchers will instantly know vital data about the pitches made, like the spin rate, velocity, spin axis, vertical break, horizontal break, and pitch path. Having this information instantly will help pitchers address what’s lacking and improve their pitches even more.
However, this technological advancement also caused paranoia in baseball teams due to pitch tipping. Pitch tipping occurs when the pitcher unintentionally telegraphs the pitch he’s about to throw to the hitter. It has been noticed that pitch tipping becomes more prevalent with the usage of multi-camera video systems installed around the ballparks.
As a result, opponents can easily pick up the pitcher’s movement through these high-tech cameras, thus allowing the hitter to prepare for the upcoming pitch.
Betting Technology
Technological advancements don’t only affect the games and the field in MLB. Even the betting side of baseball is also influenced by technology. For instance, the rising popularity of online betting is undeniable.
Online betting has opened new doors in MLB betting. The increasing smartphone usage and internet connectivity improvement have allowed sportsbooks to launch mobile apps. You can now download sportsbook apps on your mobile phone to place a wager for MLB anytime and anywhere.
Aside from having the chance to wager on MLB anytime, sportsbook mobile apps also allow you to gain access to the major league baseball odds at any time of the day. That said, you can be constantly updated with the standing of your favorite MLB team with only a few clicks on your smartphone.
Another way that betting technology reshaped the MLB is the advanced analytics tailored for bettors. Advanced analytics offered by the betting tech allows you to acquire detailed information about weather conditions on the day of the game, player performance, and another crucial factor that affects the outcome of a baseball game.
Swing Tracker
We always hear the saying, “Practice makes Perfect.” This saying became popular because it’s true. In sports, including baseball, players must constantly practice to produce an almost-perfect performance to increase their chance of winning.
In baseball, all players must practice their roles to improve. It has been discussed that pitchers practice their pitches using pitch analysis technology. Meanwhile, the designated hitter or batter uses a swing tracker to accompany them in their practices.
Thanks to the swing tracker, they don’t need to rely on repetition every practice session. This technology uses a sensor attached to the bat to capture and track the batter’s swinging motion data. The data is gathered in real-time, giving you a chance to view the data on the Swing Tracker mobile app.
As a result, you will be able to know what went wrong with your previous swing and make a better attempt the next time.
Wearable Technology and Injury Prevention
Wearable technology isn’t only popular outside the sports industry. Even baseball players nowadays are starting to use wearable technology like sleep trackers, heart rate monitors, and smartwatches. This technology contributes significantly to monitoring and maintaining the overall health of MLB players.
Using wearable technology will help players manage their workload properly. It also helps prevent injuries that could affect their team’s success. One tool that has shown to be helpful in injury prevention in baseball is the biomechanical analysis software.
This tool helps analyze the player’s movements so that the coaches can spot inefficiencies in the player’s body mechanics and adjust accordingly to prevent injury.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality technology, or VR, isn’t only used for video games but has also started to creep into real sports. In baseball, VR was already introduced to fans. In 2016, the San Francisco Giants offered a virtual reality experience to their fans.
It allowed the spectators to see the game in a closer range without getting physically close to the field. The fans saw and heard what Hunter Pence did on the batting stage through the VR headset. It was complete with sounds and allowed 360 visuals. It was indeed an unforgettable experience for the fans.
With the amazing experience VR offers baseball fans, the MLB has even opened stations that cater AR or VR betting in all 32 league ballparks. This station allows bettors to experience the game at a whole new level.
VR doesn’t only benefit the fans. It has also been used in baseball training. VR Training is designed to offer training exercises to amateur and pro baseball players. It is, of course, made possible with the help of artificial intelligence.
Additionally, VR training allows players to gain confidence while practicing alone in a calm, low-pressure setting. This way, they can better assess themselves and make their performance better. Many players claimed they have positive experiences using VR training, especially regarding confidence and relaxation.
Moreover, VR training is like turning your practice sessions into a video game, making it more fun. Many players, especially young ones, always look forward to VR training sessions with their teams or alone. As a result, more and more players are engaging in practices, making them perform better on the field.
Final Thoughts
Technology is unstoppable. It has already influenced all the industries around the world. And there is no stopping it from reshaping Major League Baseball. Fortunately, the impact of technological advancement on MLB is positive, which means that the sport is expected to improve in the coming years.
