Rapsodo’s 2.0 pitching and hitting monitors. (Courtesy of Rapsodo)
Portable tracking technology company Rapsodo has released 2.0 versions of its pitching and hitting systems and enhanced its cloud analytics.
The pitching tracker received the most significant update. Previous versions required placement on a tripod six feet behind the catcher for proper calibration. That might sound simple, but not every bullpen has six feet of depth. Wind could also wobble the tripod. And the catcher movements could interfere with the device’s line of sight, and prevent Rapsodo from registering accurate readings.
Now, Rapsodo’s 2.0 pitch monitor is placed on the ground 15 feet in front of the plate. Not only does this location solve for those measurement issues, but this also enables the device to capture data on the pitcher’s release point. Many analytically inclined pitchers and coaches find value in release point data in addition to the velocity, movement, and spin metrics of a throw.
“We’ll give you a measurement based on where that ball is being released in relation to the center of the rubber, so with our break data and our trajectory, we can give you a full tunneling experience,” said Rapsodo’s GM of North America, Art Chou.
Pitching dashboard. (Courtesy of Rapsodo)
Having the release point data enables Rapsodo to overlay the movement of up to six pitches to aid the development of tunneling. This is the concept whereby pitchers try to make their fastball and off speed pitches look the same out of their hands—i.e. starting along the same trajectory—to maximize deception. The app dashboard graphically represents the ball flight of those pitches in a three-dimensional rendering that can be spun around to every angle.
The 2.0 hitting monitor has a faster processing time. Chou said the software and computing engine both received a boost so that result data on launch angle, exit velocity, and the like can be displayed in about three seconds. When that lag was longer, the Rapsodo device would sometimes miss occasional pitches during fast-paced batting practice sessions.
Rapsodo’s combined radar and camera tracking system has become an increasingly common part of baseball development. Chou said 26 MLB organizations are under contract to use the device, three more have made verbal agreements, and the 30th and final club has scheduled a spring training demonstration. The Mariners and Giants are among those that have publicly talked about their use, while pitchers such as the recently retired Craig Breslow have used the device in personal training. Rapsodo is also an essential part of many independent training facilities, such as at Driveline Baseball. Chou added that 500 college baseball and softball programs across all levels also use the trackers.
Hitting dashboard. (Courtesy of Rapsodo)
The Rapsodo cloud platform is also billed as a 2.0 upgrade. The company developed a proprietary scoring methodology to give a total score—a pitch, for example, could be graded on accuracy, movement, and velocity. That composite statistic can be used to compare with peers in the same age group and to track one’s own development over time. Scouts and coaches, meanwhile, can identify prospects with that information, too. Rapsodo has been used at MLB-sanctioned showcases.
“We’re giving a much more detailed analysis of what that data is and what it means, both the pitching and hitting side,” Chou said, before adding: “We’re hopeful that the ranking system is embraced and can be used as a metric for scouting and for player evaluation.”
