Like so many MLB players, Lee takes advantage of the expanding electronic library that has become such a vital part of the sport.

“You check out the starting pitcher for that day,” said Lee, the Cubs power-hitting first baseman. “You can check out your at-bats from the night before to see what you can correct. Sometimes you catch stuff. But most of the time you are seeing how they’re pitching you. When you’re not going good, sometimes you will see if your hands are too low or too high, just different things.”The result is immediate feedback.”

Video technology has taken off at the big league level over the last five or six years. During the playoffs, TBS analyst, Buck Martinez, made several references to how players use video for scouting purposes as well as observing their techniques.

To keep up with the changing times, the role of team video coordinators also has grown. Improvements in the digital age are making their jobs easier.

In recent years, video progressed from VHS tapes to DVD, and now everything is stored on a computer hard drive.

Over the course of a game, it is common for players to hustle in and out of the video room in the clubhouse to review what just took place on the field.

In the age of the VHS and DVDs, it took more time because the video coordinator had to install each players’ tape or disk every time he came to bat. The process included starting and stopping the record button, and the ability to review wasn’t as fast. With everything now filed on a hard drive, managing the action has been greatly simplified.

When the season ended, many players took home with them a portable hard drive that was the size of a calculator. On it was ever play in which they were involved.

As technology improves during the high-definition age, so do the resources for those directly involved in the game.

“When I came up, there was none of this,” said Atlanta’s Chipper Jones, 37, who made his MLB debut in 1993. “You basically relied on word of mouth from your teammates to get the pitcher’s repertoire, and what their tendencies might be.”

Video technology has been a fixture in every Major League clubhouse for well over a decade, but never like today. Players, coaches and managers rely heavily on video for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from correcting a swing or throwing motion to scouting the opposition.

At a players disposal now is virtually every conceivable piece of action that took place during a game.

More than 20 MLB teams are using the Sydex Sports B.A.T.S. video system, which provides pitch-by-pitch data to each video clip.

“We can basically do now in 15 minutes what it took three days to do,” said Marlins video coordinator Cullen McRae, the son of former big league player, manager and coach Hal McRae.

At home or on the road, teams have a video room, which rarely stays empty from the time players arrive and leave the ballpark.

The Marlins, for instance, have four laptops available for the players and coaching staff. Additionally the room has a regular TV monitor, plugged into a computer, to offer a larger picture.

During a game, McRae charts everything he sees: Hits, outs, pitches thrown, balls blocked in the dirt, pickoff and steal attempts. Name it, it is charted. The plays are logged quickly, with the specifics on what took place. So if Hanley Ramirez collects a single to center field off Joe Blanton in the fifth inning, it is appropriately labeled.

Whereas before, players would view their at-bats on their own customized DVD, now it is on a hard drive.

“When I came up, nobody had video,” said Ken Griffey Jr., who broke into the big leagues in 1989. “I’ll check it out now and then when I am not swinging the way I want, but I am more of a feel guy.

“I’ll also watch it to see what a certain pitcher has, things like that. The game has changed a lot over the years, and that’s one of the changes.”

Another enhancement is the video comes in a variety of camera angles.

Each batter on the Marlins can see his swing from a side view, as well as the standard angle — from behind the pitcher — that is provided during every telecasts.

The Marlins converted to the B.A.T.S. system for the first time in 2009, and the program has data on every player dating back to 2006.

“The benefit of this system is everything is at your finger tips,” McRae said. “Any possible scenario. whether it’s for scouting, or watching yourself, any combination. You can get as technical or not as you want.”

Within a few clicks of a mouse, players can view every hit allowed this season by a particular pitcher. They can break it down to all his hits surrendered to left-handed batters or right-handed.

McRae adds an “H” to highlight plays. So if, say, outfielder Cody Ross wants to see all of his highlight catches, they are easily registered. Emilio Bonifacio will watch pickoff moves on the opposing pitcher.

Minnesota All-Star catcher Joe Mauer, the American League batting champion, makes it a daily habit to watch video.

“Every day, but not for that long,” Mauer said. “Usually I’ll look at it to see the next pitcher -– what his release point is or what I’ve done on a pitcher before, to see if we have any history.”

The Brewers also use the B.A.T.S. system. The team has four full-time interns, all with playing experience at some level, who watch and chart every pitch of every Major League game. They are rigorously tested before being hired.

Milwaukee coaching assistant and video coordinator Joe Crawford is in his sixth season with the club. A former left-handed pitcher, he spent 11 seasons in professional ball.

“It’s incredible. I can break it down to on the road, against left-handed pitchers, late innings, bases loaded, two-strike counts,” Crawford said. “I can filter it down minutely. All of that information has already been inputted, so you can spit it out any way you want.”

Players and coaches can watch video pretty much whenever or wherever they want. They view it on airplanes or at home. Many like to leave the game at the park, but in the offseason, players will have all their games logged.

“Yeah, I watch it, but I’m more of a ‘dig me’ guy,” said Brewers slugger Prince Fielder, who travels with DVDs of all his hits. “I don’t sit there and look and analyze the pitches. I just like to watch the hits, not the outs. Not the bad stuff. I don’t need to see the outs again.

“Whenever I feel I need it, I turn it on and watch a few hundred hits. That always makes me feel good.”

Reliever Kevin Gregg, who filed for free agency after a season with the Cubs, is a believer in watching video to see the good and the bad.

“I’ve done it from Day 1,” Gregg said. “There is always something you can learn from the good and bad, because you’ve got to learn from both.

“The video helps us in multiple facets. It helps us to make sure we’re maintaining our mechanics, to repeat them for the entire season. We also use it to watch hitters, and do a little scouting of our own. You
can see how you pitched guys in the past. This is where I’ve had success, and this is where I haven’t had success. It’s made the game a lot smaller. It’s made it a little bit easier.”

The resources available today are unfathomable to players from past generations. Hall of Famer Tony Perez, a slugger on the Big Red Machine, broke in with Cincinnati in 1964. He didn’t even have a hitting coach until Ted Kluszewski — famous for his raw power and sleeveless shirts — was hired in the early 1970s.

“I remember in the 1970s, they taped the games, and they gave it to the hitting coach,” Perez said. “The hitting coach would show it to you. There was nothing like this.”
The common way for hitters in that era to scout players was from talking to their peers.

“When I first came up, I talked with Frank Robinson, and some of the older guys who were like me, power hitters. I’d watch them,” Perez said. “I did a lot of watching. I watched Willie Mays. You had to be your own man. You didn’t have anybody help you through the Minor Leagues. Just the guy who threw BP to you.”

The road ahead promises even more enhancements and options.

“The next wave is high-definition to improve the video quality,” McRae said. “It will be like watching high definition at home. Everything will be real crisp.”

2008 PBVCA Meetings SUMMARY

Bellagio Las Vegas December 10 – December 11, 2008

The Professional Baseball Video Coordinators Association (PBVCA) met in December at the Baseball Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. PBVCA members discussed various topics aimed at improving their performance and contribution to their respective clubs.

Our primary guest speaker was Frank Marcos with the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau. Mr. Marcos outlined the MLBSB Clipss service and how it will benefit clubs’ ability to upload, download and distribute amateur video throughout the organization.

We also had several vendors speak to the group about the latest technological advances in the industry. Each company explained how their product would benefit video coordinators and their teams.

What follows is a chronological recap of our meetings and topics.

MLBAM

• Ordering any MLB games without fee
• Future potential of MLB games and data, compatible with BATS
• Look into PBVCA having input with tech committee

Visitors Clubhouse video feed quality

• Consistent, acceptable video quality in visitors clubhouse at each park
• Future: separate video line run directly from tv truck to vis. Clubhouse
• Wireless/Internet connection in all Visitors Clubhouse
• Make sure each clubhouse has high speed web access

PBVCA website – Adam Hermsdorfer, San Diego SEO company BigTuna Interactive

• Site content. Articles on industry news/changes in technology
• Product reviews
• Avenue for video coordinators to learn/improve their craft
• Vendors. Discounts for teams on hardware/software
• Video Coordinator profiles

2008 Carl Hamilton Award of Excellence presentation

The Carl Hamilton Award, for Video Coordinator of the Year, presented to
Mark Topping of the Kansas City Royals.

MLB Scouting Bureau: Frank Marcos

• Pan-Am Games, World Championship Games, Olympics, WBC
• Pro Scouting video/Amateur Scouting video
• CLIPS – downloading amateur and pro scouting video directly from the MLBSB ftp site.
• Phase 2 of CLIPS is the ability of each club to upload video to their own CLIPS page.
• Will allow teams to share video within the organization (or to anyone we decide to give access to). Completely secure.
• Can use CLIPS however we see fit, whether its Player Development, Scouting or Major League Video.
• Scouts or minor league coaches (for example) can shoot video, capture onto their laptops, and upload the video immediately.
• Not compatible with BATS.

Apple Computer – Xander Blakely

• MLB application – live pitch updater, video highlights, etc.
• iPhone3G
• Baseball Imaging Workflow
• Apple platform for video gives us one consistent platform for entire workflow.
• PACS servers and storage, computer clustes, Mac OSX.
• Share video to iPod, Apple TV and iPhone.
• Getting video to coaches, players, etc. on the road using Apple’s remote management technology (allows you to take over a compuer)

ProMirror – Wayne Ryder

• Touch-screen, indoor-outdoor monitor on heavy-duty tripod, camera.
• Use to record BP, bullpens, soft toss in cage, fielding, etc. with instant access available to player.
• Ability to review video while it is fresh in player’s mind
• New software update allows you to organize video into folders.

Panasonic – Frank Giunnuzzi, Bob Marvin

• Working with MLB Network on ballpark camera system deployed at
  all 30 MLB stadiums.
• P2 Card: professional plug and play. Mix HD and SD, mix any format.
• DVDProHD50/25. Gives you proxy video meta data. IT based workflow. Tapeless.
• P2 compatible – Final Cut Pro/Avid XPressPro/etc.
• Cleveland Indians using new 5 camera setup for HD coaching analysis

Sydex (BATS) – Mike Phillips

• New delivery method for roster updates (Player1 file)
• In Batter/Pitcher Breakdown: Custom locations within various zones
• Customize fastballs in specific areas
• 0-0 fastball, low, strike. “Show next pitch” function will show you the next pitch in the sequence (you can also pull up pitch type, location, etc. for next pitch).
• Useful, for example, if pitcher succeeds with 0-0 pitch and you would like to see what he throws next and where.
• “Decision Pitches Only” now available within Batter/Pitcher Brkdwn
• Pitch types are now available in the zone (not just swing/take/foul)
• Umpire Analysis. Choose umpire and extract all games he was home plate umpire, just as you would with players in Batter/Pitcher Brkdwn
• Look up how umpires call outside pitches from RHP, for instance.
• Stats Inc will provide umpire data beginning in 2009
• BATS Web
• BATS video can be uploaded from minor league stadium or even from a scout.
• For example, someone at the Dodgers offices can pick up the
  Las Vegas game the next morning. It syncs it into the Minor League version of the the MLB BATS system.
• You can use wireless to upload/download, but it depends on
  the bandwidth.
• User just has to connect to the internet and, after BATS Web
  verifies security passwords, the video and data will upload right away.

TVTI – Mark Watson

• HD is here for 2009. 16×9 video will be the format.
• Main angle will be HD for TVTI video.
• HD files are in mp4 format – no storage size increase.
• Still 30 frames-per-second. They will essentially take the 60 frames-per-second HD video and knock it down to 30 frames-per-second.
• On the local side, at each video room, HD capture angles will be more expensive to implement (upgrade).
• Capture card upgrades are needed, for around $2,500 for HD capable card, and $1,500 for a PC that meets the specs.
• It will cost a total of approximately $5,000 to replace Capture A (cf view) with HD capture, and appr. $5,000 to replace each additional angle (1B, 3B, etc.)
• Converter box for appr. $500 could also work to convert the HD signal to standard def, allowing us to use existing Capture A hardware.
• TVTI will recommend a specific graphics card/video card.

OLYMPIC CASE – Justin Timmer

• Field trunks, wardrobe trunks, travel cases, etc.
• Furniture grade birch plywood panels, aluminum alloy.
• All-stell blind rivets, all-steel latches, handles and corners.
• Everything is under warranty for life of case, they will replace or repair all parts and deliver to us in Tampa, Phoenix or ship.
• Pelican Case dealer.

Great Lakes Multimedia – Robb Taylor

• One-stop shopping. Sells media, hardware from most manufacturers.
• Sells Apple products at competitive pricing.
• Microboards DVD publisher dealer.
• Special PBVCA pricing for all products. Will match all competitor prices.
• Call anytime for orders. Attentive customer service.

360 iCoach – Steve Montgomery/Jeff Lucas

• Browser-based video/scouting instruction and recruiting tool.
• SF Giants became a client in 2007 to get their scouting database online in preparation for the 2008 amateur draft.
• High quality video and delivery.
• Fully hosted team portal secure to club and players/coaches.
• Upload and download 4GB files securely via their browser.
• Forum, messaging and comments form players.
• Trainers can use to track medical history (x-rays, MRI’s, etc.)
• All in a bullet-proof, secure environment. Users only get to see what we want them to see. Each “client” has their video targeted specifically however we choose.
• Centrally manage and control content and activity/compliance.
• 100% browser based – rapid deployment.
• Team/Player portal – individually defined user roles and rights.
• Coach designates content by user and user groups.
• Virtual film room.
• Tracking – front office or coaches can track everything a player views.
• If you upload a QuickTime file, it will convert it to Flash.
• The system will house video in any format: AVI, QuickTime, etc.
• Subscription cost model – upfront fee, but pay as you go.

PBVCA roundtable discussion

• Discussed various ways each team records, archives, and distributes
  both scouting and minor league video within organization.
• Various cameras and video capture software are being used by teams.
• HD. Upgrading BATS and other video room equipment to HD.
• Generating scouting reports.
• General discussion on technological changes.
• Best ways to get video to players and coaches (hard drives, dvd, etc.)
• Spring Training video. Installing cameras at stadium, capturing video at Spring Training, etc.
• Travel cases and equipment setup in Visitors Clubhouse.
• Plans for 2009 meetings.

END OF MEETINGS

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The award is given annually to the Major League Baseball Video Coordinator who has demonstrated superior work in the field of video coaching. Topping explained, “This is a tremendous honor and I am grateful to be recognized by my peers. PBVCA has become a great resource helping video coordinators contribute to their respective clubs’ success, and I am excited to be a part of it.”

Chris Fernandez, PBVCA President and Tampa Bay Rays Video Coordinator, believes Topping’s work has elevated PBVCA’s professional status. “Mark’s hard work and dedication has taken our organization to the next level. His commitment to advancing the trade of video coaching has helped every video department in Major League Baseball. Mark is tireless in his communication plans for the organization and is extremely deserving of this award.” The award is named in honor of Carl Hamilton, the Seattle Mariners Video Coordinator for the past nineteen years.

Entering his seventh season with the Royals, Topping oversees the day-to-day video coaching, helping the players and coaches with their game preparation. In addition, he is in charge of the Royals minor league and scouting video, fulfilling all video needs of the Baseball Operations Department. Topping co-founded PBVCA in 2004 and is serving as its Secretary and Treasurer.

PBVCA is comprised of Video Coordinators working in Major League Baseball. Our objective is to elevate standards among all Video Coordinators, facilitate the exchange of information and technical advancements in the field of video coaching, and raise awareness of the role that Video Coordinators play within professional baseball.

One day, Carl made a sales call to the Rangers, and they were really curious about his background and asked a lot of questions. They asked him if they wanted to help out, and of course, he said yes. Each year, they wanted more, and of course he would say “yes – even if he didn’t know how to use the technology”.

When Carl first started, there weren’t that many games that were being televised. So, one of his biggest tasks was to help run the scoreboard. They had this HUGE sony beta deck where they recorded the games if they were televised. They also had two buttons: one that would play the “lone ranger” song, another for the National anthem. Of course they would screw up and press the wrong button. The VCR was so heavy that 2 people had to hold it. After the game they would take the VCR down to the club house and play for the players.

Each year, the Rangers had the goal of improving their operations. During Carl’s 4th year, they had purchased 2 VCR’s and 2 TV’s. Carl actually came up with the idea of side by side comparison.

When Bobby Valentine became manager, he hired Tom House. Tom really started using video for the mechanics of pitchers. They would use high shutter cameras, and digitize swings and pitchers, and then come up with a 3 dimensional stick figure.

Carl Hamilton’s last year with the Rangers was Nolan Ryan’s first year. Nolan Ryan used video and prepared for his opponents by watching they face a pitcher that had a good curve ball.

Carl spent 10 years with the Rangers, and then heard that the Mariners were looking for a video guy. It was a huge decision moving from Arlington to Seattle. He started with the Mariners in 1990. The Kingdom had a very small video room. It had no ceiling and was nestled between the laundry and the weight room. The sounds from the dryers were terrible. Currently at Safeco, Carl has one of the nicest facilities in baseball.

Carl noted that some of the best players in Seattle history have been avid users of video. Edgar Martinez would watch every at bat, Alex Rodriguez would spend 2 hours a day, and Ichiro relies on video.

Carl Hamilton has always been committed to advancing the trade of video coaching. He went to the enhanced performance center in West Point. There, they use video prepare their troops for a war. They can duplicate the actual city, block etc to recreate the atmosphere.

Over the years, Carl has accumulated some stories traveling during the Major League Baseball season. Two different planes have caught on fire. One time in Boston during the late 90’s, they were going through the tunnel, and their bus caught on fire. Everybody had to be rescued. Dan Wilson saved one bus driver’s life by dragging him to different bus.

Favorites:

o Road City: San Diego, Chicago
o Hotel: Westin St. Francis, San Francisco
o Club House: Hard choice: Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Anaheim, Boston

Nationals name new Video Coordinator
Erick Dalton has taken over as Video Coordinator of the Washington Nationals. He most recently served as Assistant-Statistical Analysis for the Nationals. Dalton replaces Tom Yost, who left in September after 3 years in Washington.

PBVCA: Cullen, you come from a baseball family. Can you tell us about your playing experience.
McRae: I played at Manatee Community College for two years before transferring to Florida A&M University where I played second base.

PBVCA: When did you first see video being used in the club house?
McRae: I first saw video being used back in the 1980’s when my dad Hal played for the Kansas City Royals. Everything was VHS and teams didn’t spend nearly as much time using video to prepare for games.

PBVCA: Tell us about your experienced with the Marlins. How many years have you been with them?
McRae: This is my 12th season with the Marlins and 11th as video coordinator, spending one season as an assistant in the Marlins’ Season and Group Sales department

PBVCA: It seems like the Marlins always have the youngest team in the league. What is the normal learning curve on how to use video effectively and get the most out of it? How do you introduce players to your services?
McRae: I try and introduce myself to all new players in spring training and show them what the Marlins feature from a video standpoint. New players help me stay sharp because I have to continually adapt to different teams and systems.

PBVCA: What was the 2003 World Series like? Can you describe your work load and if there were any differences in how the players used video?
McRae: 2003 was great. It was nice being part of a winning organization. After we beat the Cubs in the NLCS I was breaking down video on the Yankees and Red Sox in preparation for the World Series.

Favorites:
• Road City: Chicago
• Ballpark: Kaufman Stadium
• Club house: 1. Tampa Bay, 2. Washington
• Road restaurants: Ron of Japan (best hibachi in the country) and International house of pancake(chocolate chip pancakes)

Check out McRae’s Video Room in Florida.

[View with PicLens]

PBVCA: Mark, tell us a little about your background. You’ve been all over the country, how did you get your start with the Royals?

Topping: I went to Buffalo State College in Buffalo, NY as a Broadcasting major. Worked my way up from smaller television markets to larger ones (Springfield, MO; Toledo, OH; Kansas City, MO; San Diego, CA), eventually landing at the Fox affiliate in San Diego. Got sick of the daily grind of TV news and moved back to Kansas City in 2001.

While shooting football games for a local sports station, a co-worker told me the Royals were looking for a video guy. I had no idea that this meant doing video coaching, etc. Thought it was probably something to do with production or game entertainment. Sent in a resume and got hired 3 days before opening day in 2003. Been doing this ever since.

PBVCA: In your 6 seasons with the Royals, what changes in technology have you seen?

Topping: The technology has changed a lot since 2003. The video room in KC had nothing more than a few old VCRs and monitors. Each player had his own tape, which I would pop into the VCR when it was their turn to hit or pitch.

By 2004, we started using a computerized system where we captured each clip onto a hard drive, but the video quality and efficiency wasn’t quite what we were looking for. By 2007, we upgraded our video system to BATS which was a major improvement. Now we can look up any of our player video (or opposing teams’ video) and data within a matter of seconds.

PBVCA: Have players used video differently? Have you seen any trends or applications of video change in the past couple of years?

Topping: Players are spending more time analyzing their opponents, using both video and data, compared with just a couple years ago when most of our video was used for mechanical analysis. One trend that comes to mind is the use of the portable hard drive. Most of our players and coaches now have their own hard drive, which I update every week or two with the latest video of both the Royals and our upcoming opponents. And, of course, video iPods have become a popular tool. (See Cullen McRae’s video on the Florida Marlins use of the Video iPod.)

PBVCA: The video room in KC had a make-over. Can you describe the changes. What is your favorite addition to the room?

Topping: We had a brand new video room built prior to the 2007 season. The changes were like night and day. Our old video room was a shoe-box with barely enough space for two or three players at a time. The new video room is much bigger. We have 5 video viewing laptops, 6 plasma TVs, along with several satellites and monitors in our video racks. There is plenty of space, including comfortable leather chairs and a sofa for the players to use while watching video.

My favorite addition to the room is our video switch controller. This is built into a few of the computers in the room, letting you route any source into any destination in the video room and even the clubhouse. It adds all kinds of versatility and makes my job a lot easier.

Check out Topping’s new pad in the image gallery below.

[View with PicLens]

PBVCA: Can you give us some quick thoughts on your favorite road restaurants, ballparks, hotels, club houses, and city.

Topping:

• Restaurant: Da Mimmo’s Restaurant in Baltimore’s Little Italy neighborhood. Famous for their veal chop, this is an old-school Italian restaurant in one of my favorite neighborhoods in the American League. I go there every time we go to Charm City.
• Ballpark: Has to be Fenway Park. So historic and colorful. But Camden Yards is a close second.
• Hotel: The Renaissance Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg, with the Westin St. Louis high on my list too.
• Clubhouse: Tropicana Field, and Angel Stadium is number two.
• Favorite road city: Tie between Baltimore and Toronto.

PBVCA: Mark, thanks for your time. We look forward to catching up with you in the future.