Nowadays, sports are becoming more and more competitive and players are using every possible tool to squeeze every ounce of performance. The use of analytics in the MLB and other sports have greatly improved the competitiveness of the game.
Gone are the days of MLB stars partying all night and showing up to the diamond with a hangover. Now, athletes and teams focus on a data driven approach to prepare for every game.
MLB in facing a huge crisis at the moment. Every other weak, pitchers are getting injured and currently everyone is placing the blame on the new ‘Pitch Clock’. Currently multiple pitchers including Gerrit Cole, Spencer Strider and Shane Bieber are out because of injuries.
In an interview, Bieber said that he can’t pin point the reason of his injury. He said, “For me, I’m not ready to say what it is. I guarantee it’s a combination of a number of factors. And also, all of that on top of logging a lot of innings from now all the way back into college and high school.”
Overuse of Analytics in MLB?
However, former MLB star Mo Vaughn believes that the over use of these data tools and analytics in MLB is the root cause of the increasing number of injuries.
In an interview with TMZ, He said, “When you’re out there giving max effort every pitch,” he said, “you are going to get hurt. That’s my philosophy behind it.”
He explained that ‘years ago — before Sabermetrics and Statcast had a stranglehold on MLB execs — guys would just cruise at lower velos … before ratcheting it up in big moments when they needed the explosive pitches. Vaughn says there’s definitely a place for analytics in the game .. it just “can’t be end-all, be-all.’
Mo Vaughn in the MLB
Mo Vaughn’s MLB career spanned over a decade, during which he is well known for his time at the Boston Red Sox. He amassed 328 home runs, 1,064 RBIs, and a .293 career batting average.
Read More: 50k likes and I’ll Unretire – Tom Brady NFL Return; Can it Really Happen?
