Major League Baseball has been criticized in the past for taking far too long to adjust to the times in which we live. However, a new deal with technological giant Apple that allows teams to now feature stat-loaded iPads into the dugouts during games shows the game isn’t afraid to evolve.
In addition to the recent reversal that allows teams to laptops and smartphones in dugouts, the Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) MLB and Apple have joined forces to provide teams with up-to-date information, videos and analytics to be used in real time as the game is happening.
It’s much like what the NFL did with Microsoft recently, and it should be the beginning of a new era in baseball.
Batters will now be able to quickly get in a last-minute film session in on a pitcher they’re about to face before stepping into the batter’s box. Managers will have information about batter’s trends at their fingertips, rather than having to rely on their memories.
Is this a good thing?
Back in the day, anyone who had a phone knew every number they dialed on a regular basis by heart. But nowadays we all scramble for our smartphones to dig up numbers, having no clue about what they actually are any more because they’re available at the push of a button.
For convenience’s sake, this new development seems to be quite amazing. That said, maybe there is something to be lauded about how things used to be. Either way, there’s no turning back now. Oh, you can be sure many of the managers will take time to move away from their traditional methods. But in five years they’ll likely all have converted.