Rich Hill rejoice, there’s a world where pitch counts don’t exist, and neither do blisters. But there’s a catch, this world is virtual.
New York-based virtual reality company TrinityVR, thinks that its DiamondFX VR platform has what it takes to create “the next generation of Moneyball.”
DiamondFX debuted at this year’s MLB Winter Meetings near Washington D.C. Players, agents, scouts and coaches took turns strapping on a VR headset and stepping into a virtual batter’s box to face New York Yankees hurler Masahiro Tanaka. Inside the TrinityVR booth at the meetings, Tanaka’s virtual twin may have thrown a thousand pitches. His high pitch count for the 2016 season was 110.
Nuts and Bolts
TrinityVR tabbed HTC’s Vive VR headset as the hardware best fit to run its DiamondFX platform. The Vive employs Lighthouse tracking systems, a product of entertainment software giant Valve.
DiamondFX used motion capture technology to fine tune a virtual reproduction of Tanaka’s delivery and paired the result with Sportvision’s PITCHf/x data. For almost 10 years, PITCHf/x’s dual mounted camera system has been tracking the velocity, trajectory, release point and spin rate of every pitch thrown in an MLB game
The DiamondFX platform is designed to allow hitters to use their own bat when facing a virtual opponent. Hitters feel a small rumble when they make contact via a puck-shaped attachment on the knob of their bat. Statistics like bat speed, launch angle and exit velocity are immediately displayed after contact is made.
Major League Baseball leads professional sports in its utilization of advanced statistics and sabermetrics. DiamondFX represents an opportunity for Major League clubs to advance their statistical efforts without having to engage in competition. “In some weird way I think we’re a product that baseball wants and needs, and just doesn’t know it yet.” said Rahat Ahmed, the co-founder of TrinityVR. “Because they don’t know a product like ours exists.”
Historically, data tracked and analyzed by MLB clubs has only been captured as it occurred during a live game. DiamondFX creates a workaround for this limitation.
A virtual reproduction of such incredible accuracy has huge potential implications for the game of baseball.
“We realized that by replicating a pitcher in virtual reality, (we) can have anybody go up against anybody 100, 200 times,” Ahmed said.
Two hundred extra virtual repetitions can result in thousands of new data points.
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Evaluation
DiamondFX’s success is ultimately dependent on the platform’s ability to develop a relationship with its target market.
”It’s going to be feedback from teams and players that’s going to make the difference,” Ahmed said. “We are here for the industry, and we realize we aren’t going to be anywhere unless we work with people who know best.”
An industry historically dominated by human evaluators (scouts) is slowly becoming more tech savvy. In its ideal use case, DiamondFX exists as a high quality tool and information service for scouts and data teams. “We’re not out there to replace anybody,” Ahmed said. “We’re out there to help everybody make better decisions whether you’re a scout, you’re a coach, you’re a manager or you’re a player.”
Major League teams that choose to use DiamondFX stand to benefit at the big league level as well as down on the farm. Clubs will have the means to hold impromptu auditions for minor league prospects against Major League divisional foes, all recreated in VR.
DiamondFX’s impact might be reflected on some big league lineup cards, but others clubs may look to incorporate the new data into their existing protocols, Ahmed said. “We know that we’re coming into an industry where teams, players, everybody uses the products and data differently. So we have a relatively customizable platform that we want teams to be able to modify to their best wishes.”
In the grandstands
Imagine a fan watching a team’s ace on the mound from their chair back, then facing them in a ballpark game on the concourse. DiamondFX makes this scenario a virtual reality. Spectators taking a break from the live action can strap on a VR headset and step up to the plate against a pitcher of their choosing.
It’s like speedpitch 2.0, but rather than chucking a heater into a net with a radar gun, fans will take hacks against their favorite flamethrowers.
National fan leaderboards, and advanced statistical databases running through DiamondFX’s platform can revitalize fan’s allegiance to America’s pastime, Ahmed said. “Baseball, when you really get into it, is pretty awesome … I like to think that one-to-one engagement can bring people back.”
What’s next
TrinityVR plans to incorporate wearable technology to the DiamondFX platform. Devices designed to capture biological feedback will give the DiamondFX software an opportunity to analyze data sets that can potentially prevent injury.
Outfitting a Major League batting cage with the entire DiamondFX system projects to call for a mid five-figure investment from interested clubs — a hefty gamble on the future of analytics in baseball. “We’re looking for developmental partners, especially pro teams, that are interested in working with us at an early stage, Ahmed said. “Because I think this is a bet that’s going to pay off for them.”
TrinityVR has given Major League Baseball something to talk about, and the young company knows it’s all about getting a conversation started.
“I understand that ultimately most of these teams want to make more money and be more valuable, and I think the way be built this product, it helps them do that,” Ahmed said “We have no ego when it comes to this market. It’s all about listening.”