ST. LOUIS, May 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rapsodo, the company known for helping athletes achieve their maximum potential by providing advanced data in real time, announced its PRO 3.0 device released an update this week that allows users to measure Seam-Shifted Wake (SSW) Break, one of the most talked-about yet untapped metrics in baseball today. This software update establishes the PRO 3.0 as the first training device to ever record SSW Break.
SSW Break works in tandem with seam orientation, which is the position of the ball’s seams relative to the spin axis. Seam orientation may cause the wake formation point to occur at a position earlier or later on the ball than it normally would. When this happens on one side of the ball but not the other, the presence of the seam causes a “shifted wake.” The shifted wake has an unbalanced pressure distribution, leading to an additional force acting on the ball which affects how the pitched ball moves. Pitchers can adjust their seam orientation by gripping the ball in different ways, ultimately leading to more movement on a pitch due to the additional force.
The PRO 3.0 uses radar and camera-based technology to measure both hitting and pitching metrics. Since the PRO 3.0 sees both how the ball actually moved compared to how it should have moved based on how it was spinning, it can determine an estimation for how much of the total break in each pitch is due to SSW. This effect differs based on air properties like humidity, temperature, elevation, etc., meaning you will see different results on a ball pitched in cities with different climates, like Los Angeles and Denver.
John Garrett, analytics engineer at Rapsodo, is a pioneer in SSW and has been researching the aerodynamics of baseball since 2019. He began his research at Utah State University’s Experimental Fluid Dynamic Lab as a mechanical engineering student. Garrett and his team used Rapsodo’s early devices to test their theories. He joined the Rapsodo team in March 2022 after a stint with MLB and has spearheaded the implementation of SSW Break into the PRO 3.0.
“With elite athletes now having the ability to track SSW Break, I believe we’re going to see changes at all levels of baseball,” Garrett said. “Pitchers will be more in tune with why their pitches move in certain ways, which could ultimately result in pitches that are much tougher to hit. A good understanding of the relationship between seam orientation and SSW Break could potentially be the difference between a great pitcher and an elite pitcher.”
In January 2023, the PRO 3.0 underwent an update that granted users access to seam orientation. Prior to this being a reportable metric, pitchers had to rely on feel and taking notes. Rapsodo’s seam orientation metric is geared to increase the efficiency of pitchers’ experiments with grips. The metric shows a pitcher the orientations they have already tried that have or have not worked for them. When paired with Vertical and Horizontal Break, pitchers can learn how to maximize movement on their pitches. By looking at Rapsodo’s seam orientation data with SSW Break, pitchers will be able to hone in on the ball orientation to get the best movement for each pitch.
“This is one of the most innovative upgrades to a Rapsodo device ever,” Batuhan Okur, CEO of Rapsodo said. “The effect SSW Break will have on elite baseball could be significant, and I’m thrilled Rapsodo has led the way in applying this metric to the sport.”
Since SSW Break is directly related to seam orientation, pitchers may discover the seam orientation they are using for a pitch type is in fact subtracting from the pitch’s total movement (SSW Break in the opposite direction of Total Break), or find that they can directly add movement due to SSW by slightly adjusting their seam orientation. Rapsodo’s Seam Orientation and SSW Break metrics are two powerful tools to help pitchers create elite movement on their pitches.
Anyone who has the PRO 3.0 device can now access Seam-Shifted Wake Break metrics. You can learn more about the unit here: https://rapsodo.com/pages/rapsodo-pro-3-baseball-training-equipment.
About Rapsodo:
Rapsodo develops data-driven sports technologies designed to empower athletes and coaches to cost-effectively analyze and improve their game, which is used by thousands of professional and collegiate teams, including all 30 MLB teams. Founded in 2010, the company developed the first affordable golf personal launch monitor, distributed in the USA under SkyTrak. In 2019, Rapsodo released its Mobile Launch Monitor which has since received many accolades, including MyGolfSpy’s 2021 Best Personal Launch Monitor. The company continues to focus on delivering a variety of sport training and simulation technologies that allow users to better understand performance through reliable statistics. This ultimately translates into Rapsodo's motto of "Measure to Master." Devoted to growing its business and customer base, Rapsodo was recognized as part of the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in 2021 and 2022. To learn more, visit Rapsodo.com.
Media Contact:
Patrick Lloyd
Uproar PR for Rapsodo
813-422-2450
plloyd@uproarpr.com
