Virtual reality technology continues to make inroads in the sports industry as of late. Several institutions are looking to incorporate VR training capabilities. The Arizona Diamondbacks, one of the MLB teams, is looking to do the same. Several other baseball clubs already use this technology for game preparation purposes. The Diamondbacks’ president Derrick Hall feels VR can be the next big trend in baseball.
VR Keeps Making Inroads in the MLB
It is good to see more MLB teams focus on virtual reality moving forward. It makes a lot of sense to incorporate this technology into game preparation. While it is not the same as effectively playing a game, it is the second best thing one can enjoy. Not just for conditioning purposes, but also to prepare new tactics and experiment with different ideas. It is also a more than viable alternative in case the field would be unavailable for whatever reason.
More specifically, the Diamondbacks CEO feels VR can be a great way for hitters to prepare for opposing pitchers It is always difficult to prepare this part of the game, as one can’t train against a pitcher unless he is in front of you. Virtual reality would allow teams to effectively simulate how opposing players pitch and ensure players adjust accordingly Do keep in mind this is not a foolproof solution by any means, but it will certainly allow teams to get a different kind of practice. It is certainly possible we will see more MLB teams focus on this technology.
Although the Diamondbacks are only in the exploratory phase of incorporating VR technology, the tone is set for the future. Virtual reality training can help all kinds of players, ranging from pitchers to pinch hitters, home run superstars and even those players who are recovering from injury. It is a tool waiting to be used, although it remains to be determined how beneficial it can be. It is more of a complementary tool rather than a replacement to the existing training methods.
Considering how the league has seen more strikeouts every year since 2005, it is evidently something needs to change. Proper preparation with traditional methods is no longer sufficient, by the look of things. Virtual reality may be the tool so many clubs have been looking for. Baseball is exciting to this very day, but no one would mind a few more doubles, triples, and home runs. Whether or not VR will be the tool to achieve this goal, remains to be seen.
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