PITCH MODELING
One of the core features of the iPitch is the ability
to simulate any pitcher by using measured data to replicate their pitches.
To do this, you must understand spin angle (also called spin direction)
and spin efficiency.
Spin angle
describes the direction the ball is spinning, which is also the
direction it will break. It is common practice to use an analog clock face
to define the spin direction as seen from the pitcher’s point of view. See
Figure 4 above for some examples. Of course, individual pitches vary,
which is the whole point of creating custom pitches.
Spin efficiency
is a measure of how much of a pitch’s spin is useful in
generating break. Only spin that is perpendicular to the ball’s path
causes the ball to curve. In other words, gyro spin (also known as rifle
spin or football spiral spin) does nothing, but topspin, backspin, and side
spin do. Pitching machines always throw with 100% spin efficiency (no
gyro spin), so if you want to accurately simulate a pitch with a low spin
efficiency, you must reduce the spin rate setting as shown in the equation
below.
machine setting = (actual spin rate) X (spin efficiency)
For example, if you want to throw a slider that has an actual spin rate of
2200 RPM and a spin efficiency of 75%, set the machine to a spin rate of
2200 RPM x 75% = 1650 RPM.
This value is also known as the effective spin rate or active spin rate. If
you are setting the machine to mimic a specific pitch, be sure to check
whether your data is actual spin or effective spin.
DATABASES SCREEN
The iPitch
®
app uses a combination of
online databases and locally defined (created at the tablet) data to define
three types of data: pitches, pitchers, and sequences. Each of these
three types may be factory defined or user defined. Spinball controls
factory defined data and we will update and expand that data on an
ongoing basis. Factory defined data may be deleted or modified at the
tablet level as desired by the user, and it can always be restored from the
online database. User defined data is optional, but it is stored and used
in exactly the same way as factory data.
Google Sheets online spreadsheets are used to store data online. There
are a total of 6 Sheets used in the iPitch app:
1) Factory pitchers
2) Factory pitches
