As technology changes at a rapid pace, the average person can learn so much more about their bodies on their iPhone. With even more advanced technologies, sports teams can begin to learn what each of their players are going through at any given moment with wearable tech, such as heart monitors, geo-trackers, etc.
Now, MLB is joining in on the fun, as the rules committee has approved two devices for use this season: a sleeve to measure stress on the elbow and a heart monitor to measure heart rate and breaking levels.
The rules committee has also approved two sensors to be used in bats during batting practice and pregame workouts.
The technologies could be used to help identify trends and detect injuries before they happen, although there are still concerns about player privacy and how the teams use this new vast wealth of information. Further discussions between the league and the MLBPA are coming later in the year to discuss further technologies that could be approved in the future.
Data from the approved devices cannot be transferred or transmitted during games, and must be downloaded after they are concluded. Teams are also only allowed to share this data internally among staff and with the player in question, and cannot disseminate it to broadcasters or other media outlets.
But players aren’t completely in on the new technology quite yet.
“The next thing you know, the pitcher’s going to have a phone in his pocket taking selfies,” New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner said.
One area where it could be useful is with rehabbing players. Mets doctor David Altcheck explained using the rehab of pitcher Zack Wheeler from Tommy John surgery as an example.
“Zack Wheeler, it’s very hard to keep him below 85 percent now,” Altchek said last month of the Mets pitcher who had Tommy John surgery last year. “Even though it’s his first couple days off the mound, he just wants to bring it, and we don’t want him to bring it. If we had an absolute measure of him, we could say … dial it down.”
[AP]