Twins - Technology and Scouting

[Bob Sacamento]

As a baseball fan who lives close to several Spring Training Complexes as well as Florida State League teams, I get to see many of the organizations' "behind the scenes" scouting and how the Twins' still evaluate their players is quite interesting and perplexing to me.  Whether it's intentional or not, the club still seems very old school in terms of MiLB and draft analysis much more than their counterparts.

 

Case in point, Baltimore  and Houston use state of the art evaluation equipment of spin rate out of the pitcher's hand, exit velocity out of the pitcher's hand as well as off the bat.  This is the same equipment, that Trackman uses when scouting Perfect Game Tourneys (high school kids).

 

TrackMan Measurements
Pitch Release  --  Extension  -- Release Slot  --Angles   --Classification  --Velocity 

Pitch Movement  --   Spin Rate Breaks  --Spin Axis/Tilt   --Trajectory 

Plate Location --  Time Of Flight   Approach Angles  --Location --Velocity

Batted Ball  --      Distance Velocity    --Position at 110 feet  --Launch Angles -- Exit Speed  --Trajectory --Bearing --Hang Time  --Spin Rate

In comparison, the only quantitative measure I've ever seen out of Twins' head of scouting Mike Radcliff, Scouting Director Deron Johnson, and a few other Twins' scouts are stopwatches and Radar Guns.  Elsewise it's strictly the eye test and trusting your scouts.  Guess that's what happens when you have basically the same crew running the show the past 20 years.  Am I the only one who seems to be bothered by this?

[Mike Sixel]

You probably won't be the only one disappointed in the Twins' progress in this area, no. It also is NOT surprising at all, if true.

[Seth Stohs]

As Steve Buhr pointed out a couple months ago, there is Trackman at Cedar Rapids, and I assume there is in Ft. Myers too. Not sure if they use it in the GCL or E-Town.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

 

As Steve Buhr pointed out a couple months ago, there is Trackman at Cedar Rapids, and I assume there is in Ft. Myers too. Not sure if they use it in the GCL or E-Town.

Seems like the investment in as much technology and data as possible at ALL levels would be worth it, and save us money in the long run.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

As Steve Buhr pointed out a couple months ago, there is Trackman at Cedar Rapids, and I assume there is in Ft. Myers too. Not sure if they use it in the GCL or E-Town.

I can tell you for certain there isn't one in GCL and I'm fairly certain there isn't one in Hammond Stadium (Ft. Myers) at least as of yet but I'll confirm with Florida Operations Manager Brian Maloney this weekend.

[Guest]

 

I can tell you for certain there isn't one in GCL and I'm fairly certain there isn't one in Hammond Stadium (Ft. Myers) at least as of yet but I'll confirm with Florida Operations Manager Brian Maloney this weekend.

This is the first year Trackman has been used in Cedar Rapids. I was told early in the season that the Twins used it at high A last season and that Hammond got new technology as part of the remodel down there in FtM. CR then supposedly got the Trackman equipment that had previously been used in FtM and that the Twins now use it at all full-season levels.

[Mike Sixel]

 

This is the first year Trackman has been used in Cedar Rapids. I was told early in the season that the Twins used it at high A last season and that Hammond got new technology as part of the remodel down there in FtM. CR then supposedly got the Trackman equipment that had previously been used in FtM and that the Twins now use it at all full-season levels.

 

Thanks! Good news.

[whydidnt]

I'd be curious to hear if the equipment is used. Is it installed at Hammond, but the scouts ignore it and rely on their eyes and radar guns? Kind of like how the Major league team has an analytic staff but we don't really see much use of their work (other than Molitor's shifts this year).

[drjim]

I'd be curious to hear if the equipment is used. Is it installed at Hammond, but the scouts ignore it and rely on their eyes and radar guns? Kind of like how the Major league team has an analytic staff but we don't really see much use of their work (other than Molitor's shifts this year).

I heard the scouts still use slide rules.

[Rosterman]

Some even put on their glasses when they watch the game.

[TRex]

 

I heard the scouts still use slide rules.

... and abacussessesss, or abaci, or however you conjugate abacus!

[whydidnt]

Joke all you want, but I think it was a legitimate question, considering the original post and the organization's history regarding "new school" thinking.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I'd be curious to hear if the equipment is used. Is it installed at Hammond, but the scouts ignore it and rely on their eyes and radar guns? Kind of like how the Major league team has an analytic staff but we don't really see much use of their work (other than Molitor's shifts this year).

 

I doubt that they spent the money to install it so they wouldn't use it.  It's likely one more data point that goes into a player's file/evaluation.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

 

Joke all you want, but I think it was a legitimate question, considering the original post and the organization's history regarding "new school" thinking.

 

I agree. Questioning things like this is due to past history and an urgency for becoming a top organization in areas that a mid market team NEEDS to be good at.