Articles recording technological innovations in baseball
Explores the world of professional groundskeeping exemplified by Hanshin Engei at Koshien, covering the science of soil and turf, rain management techniques, and differences between dome and natural grass field maintenance.
Data-driven defensive shifts exploded in MLB before being regulated in 2023. NPB's shift adoption has its own characteristics. This article traces shift evolution and its transformation of baseball.
Traces the evolution of NPB stadium scoreboards from manual boards to cutting-edge LED screens, examining how technological innovation has transformed the fan experience.
Pitch tunnel theory delays batter judgment by routing different pitch types through identical trajectories from release point to a decision zone. This article examines NPB applications, tracking analysis, and the theory's limits.
Will the Automated Ball-Strike system (ABS) advancing in MLB reach NPB? This article examines the clash between those demanding 'accurate calls' and traditionalists who believe 'umpire personality is part of baseball,' along with the multifaceted impact of adoption.
Sign stealing has existed alongside baseball history. From primitive binocular methods to high-tech camera and monitor systems, this article examines the technological evolution of sign stealing in NPB and the cat-and-mouse game with regulations.
Examining smart stadium initiatives across NPB, including IoT deployments at ES CON Field and PayPay Dome, facial recognition entry, beacon-based seat services, and how these technologies are reshaping the fan experience.
Tracing the evolution of pitch velocity measurement in NPB from 1970s radar guns to modern Trackman and Hawk-Eye systems, with key speed records and their impact on pitcher evaluation.
Examining sports science and the training revolution - how physical development changed in npb in depth, covering the era of spirit-based training - the meri..
An in-depth analysis of the evolution of stadium technology - smart stadiums transforming the fan experience, exploring from scoreboards to video displays - ..
An examination of TrackMan's introduction to NPB and the subsequent transformation of the league. This article analyzes how data such as spin rate, movement, and exit velocity have changed player evaluation and coaching, with specific case studies.
A detailed exploration of video analysis technology and the evolution of coaching - the frontline of motion analysis in npb, spanning the dawn of the vtr era..
An in-depth look at VR baseball training adoption in NPB, covering SoftBank and Yomiuri case studies, batting and pitching simulation technology, and the limits of the available evidence on its effects.
Charting the evolution of baseball data visualization in NPB from 1990s broadcast graphics through TrackMan and Hawk-Eye adoption to real-time 3D pitch trajectory displays, examining the dual impact on fan experience and tactical analysis
An in-depth analysis of the development of conditioning science - innovation in player management in npb, exploring from 'fix after breaking' to 'prevent bef..
Tracing the story of the rise of data-driven scouting - how numbers changed player discovery methodology, from limitations of traditional scouting and signs ..
An in-depth analysis of the electronic strike zone debate - can technology surpass umpires, exploring what is the electronic strike zone - how the technology..
The catching technique of 'framing' - making balls appear as strikes - has begun to be quantified in NPB. This article examines how tracking data has made catchers' invisible contributions visible and verifies framing's impact on game outcomes.
Introduces specific AR (augmented reality) implementations at NPB ballparks, examining how real-time player data overlays and virtual effects are transforming the in-stadium viewing experience.
From bare-hand catching to 3D-molded designs, tracing 130 years of baseball glove innovation in NPB with data and craftsman insights.
Around NPB stadiums, noise from trumpet and drum cheering creates serious conflicts with nearby residents. Night game noise sometimes continues past 10 PM, threatening residents' living environments. Can cheering culture and residential environments coexist?
Natural and artificial turf in NPB stadiums directly affects player performance and injury risk. From Koshien's Korai grass maintenance to Tokyo Dome's FieldTurf installation, this article details turf variety selection, drainage engineering, and surface-hardness science with concrete data.
Wooden bats used in NPB are born from a fusion of artisan craftsmanship and modern technology, spanning wood selection from Hokkaido aodamo and North American maple through lathe shaping, weight-balance tuning, and grip finishing.
Examining drones and baseball broadcasting - aerial technology revolution in depth, covering the evolution of broadcasting technology in baseball through the..
Tracing the evolution of instant replay in NPB from the 2010 pilot program to the 2022 remote review system, with specific data on challenge success rates and technological milestones.
Every NPB team has an analytics department, but their inner workings remain largely unknown. This article reveals what they do, how they influence the field, and the tensions between data and tradition.
A detailed exploration of inside team analytics departments - when data transforms managerial decisions, spanning birth of analytics departments to analytics..
Framing, the art of making borderline pitches appear as strikes, has been quantified through advances in tracking technology. This article examines how framing is revolutionizing catcher evaluation in NPB.
The sign system NPB catchers use to communicate with pitchers changes complexity based on baserunners and game situations. This article covers everything from basic sign systems to electronic sign (PitchCom) adoption debates.
NPB broadcasts now layer digitally composited 'virtual advertising' into the footage on top of physical stadium signage. Ads appear only on the broadcast feed and can be tailored by region or distribution channel. We explain the technical machinery, the NPB rollout status, and how virtual advertising is reshaping the broadcast advertising business.
NPB teams now quantify and analyze player sleep data. Wearable devices measure sleep duration, deep-sleep ratio, and heart rate variability, feeding into conditioning programs. As medical science shows that sleep loss directly impairs game performance, we examine the new management baseline wearables bring to NPB and the operational challenges that follow.
Surveys how automated ball-strike systems moved from trials to reality, from MLB's challenge-based ABS debuting in 2026 to the KBO's league-wide adoption in 2024, and weighs the prospects and sticking points for NPB.