by Cyrus Shirazi Rising Junior at Bates College (Lewiston, ME) - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Relationship between Arm Slot and Various Pitching Metrics by Cyrus Shirazi Rising Junior at Bates College (Lewiston, ME) Political Science Major

Many Thanks to: Rapsodo and Rockland Peak Performance

Background: “Delivery Angle Determines Pitch Movement: Evidence from Biomechanics and Pitch Tracking” – by Daniel Brooks, Glenn S. Fleisig and Harry Pavlidis “Arm Slots Revisited” - by Matt Lentzner “The Hardball Times: A Mechanical Model of Pitching” - by Matt Lentzner October 30, 2008 “Factors Determining the Spin Axis of a Pitched Fastball in Baseball” - by Jinji Tsutomo, Sakurai, Hirano. “Direction of Spin Axis and Spin Rate of the Pitched Baseball” - by Jinji Tsutomo, Sakurai

Purpose of the study was to determine the impact of a pitcher’s arm -slot on various pitching metrics including: ➢ Velocity ➢ Total Spin and True (Useful) Spin ➢ Horizontal Break ➢ Vertical Break ➢ Spin Axis ➢ Total Linear Movement

Equipment: • Rapsodo Camera System • Motus Sleeve and Sensor • 60 ft. pitching mound

Methodology: • Data collection was performed as part of a Pitcher Development program at Rockland Peak Performance (RPP in Sloatsburg, NY)

Methodology: • 8 college-level pitchers • 6 Weeks, bullpen sessions • 2x per week • Synchronized Rapsodo data with Motus Sleeve during recording • Collected over 2,000 Rapsodo data points, with 491 useable data points

Summary of Data • Information collected with Rapsodo camera included: ➢ Spin axis (hour clock) ➢ Velocity (mph) ➢ Total spin (rpm) ➢ True (Transverse) spin (rpm) ➢ Spin efficiency (%) ➢ Vertical and horizontal Break (in.) • Information collected with Motus Sleeve ➢ Arm slot

Data Selection: Data doesn’t care about pitch type, it just • gives you the facts Research study focused on the upper right • hand quadrant-only where we could compare data in a specific region • 4-seam FB • 2-seam FB • Change-ups Horizontal Axis Vertical Axis

Summary of Data Spin Arm Slot Total spin True Spin Efficiency (degrees) Velo (mph) (rpm) (rpm) (%) Average 55 77 1835 1718 94% Max 90 88 2297 2189 95% Min 23 65 1173 964 82% Vertical Horizontal Linear Break Break Movement Spin Axis (inches) (inches) (inches) Average 1:08 15.8 10.5 19.0 Max 1:52 25.6 18.6 26.0 Min 0:04 1.3 1.2 14.6

Arm Slot vs. Velocity Velocity (mph) Arm Slot (degrees) Correlation Coefficient R = -0.09

Arm Slot vs. Total Spin Total Spin (rpm) Arm Slot (degrees) Correlation Coefficient R = -0.02

Arm Slot vs. True Spin True / Useful Spin (rpm) Arm Slot (degrees) Correlation Coefficient R = -0.04

Arm Slot vs. Vertical Break Vertical break (inches) Arm Slot (degrees) Correlation Coefficient R = 0.64

Arm Slot vs. Horizontal Break Horizontal break (inches) Arm Slot (degrees) Correlation Coefficient R = -0.71

New Concept: Linear Movement Total Linear Movement VB HB

Arm Slot vs. Linear Movement Total Linear Movement (inches) Arm Slot (degrees) Correlation Coefficient R = 0.00

Arm Slot vs. Spin Axis 3:00 pm Hour Clock (spin axis) 2:00 pm 1:00 pm 12:00 pm Arm Slot (degrees) Correlation Coefficient R = -0.71

Arm Slot Correlation Review: High Correlation No Correlation Spin Axis Velocity Total Spin Vertical Break True Spin Horizontal Break Linear Movement

Summary Conclusion • Arm slot: ➢ Significant influence on the direction of movement ➢ NO Influence on the amount of movement

Relationship between Arm Slot and Various Pitching Metrics by Cyrus Shirazi Rising Junior at Bates College (Lewiston, ME) Political Science Major