GOODYEAR, Arizona – Advanced technology doesn’t demand faith to understand, just acceptance, which is why a promising Cincinnati Reds pitcher named Tony Santillan is listening and nodding as pitching coach Derek Johnson talks to him about the spin rate on Santillan’s fastball.
They’re using an Edgertronic camera to capture Santillan’s delivery and a Rapsodo machine to break down its component parts, most important of which is the spin on the baseball. Did you know that?
Pitchers aren’t exactly sure, either. They’re told it will make them better pitchers, so they do it. Here is new Reds starter Sonny Gray, to The Athletic:
“I have a high-spin-rate four-seam, but a low-spin-efficiency four-seam because of my slot, and because I cut it a little bit.