MLB 2019 Preview: ESPN Continues To Up Its Virtual Game With More K-Zone 3D, Statcast Graphics The new season promises a packed start, many marquee events By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Thursday, March 28, 2019 - 3:04 pm
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As ESPN throws out the first pitch on its 30th season of live Major League Baseball coverage today, the network is more focused than ever on using data and virtual technology to differentiate its coverage and bring the game into the modern era. After committing to using K-Zone live on every pitch in 2015 and using K-Zone 3D on all games last year, ESPN is continuing to find new ways to leverage MLB Advanced Media's growing stable of Statcast data to better visualize the on-field story for viewers at home.
ESPN continues to increase its use of MLBAM's Statcast in its coverage
I think we're in an era when we're moving from interesting surface-level statistical notes to deeper analytics that give you a different level of insight into how the game is being played, says Phil Orlins, senior coordinating producer, MLB. And I'm really excited because we've created a virtual environment to visualize those insights. We've made some big strides on the virtual side with the advancement of K Zone 3D, Hit Tracker, and Statcast live virtual [elements]. As the data keeps advancing, we're going to be able to visualize it in even more-incredible ways moving forward.
Evolution of K-Zone 3D: Miniboards, Hit Track, Deeper Pitch Analysis
Developed by ESPN's Visual Technology Group, K-Zone 3D uses a virtual-camera system and virtual strike zone to create an immersive K-Zone experience. Set inside a virtualized 3D stadium and using MLBAM Statcast data, K-Zone 3D allows ESPN to spin the camera angle anywhere around home plate to offer greater transparency in pitch analysis.
ESPN's K-Zone 3D Hit Track virtual graphic debuted for the 2018 NL Wild Card Game
During last year's NL Wild Card game, ESPN began experimenting with inserting a K-Zone 3D graphic in the scorebug in addition to using it full-screen. Although Orlins says viewers shouldn't expect it during this weekend's Dodgers-Rockies Sunday Night Baseball matchup, ESPN will continue to be aggressive with this tactic as the season progresses.
ESPN also rolled out the K-Zone 3D Hit Track virtual graphic during the 2018 NL Wild Card Game, displaying the launch angle, exit velocity, apex, and distance of a hit as a three-dimensional animation. Just like K-Zone 3D elements, Hit Track graphics are available within a few seconds of the ball's being hit - meaning that they can be incorporated into the first replay sequence after a key hit.
This is all data that came in with Statcast in 2015, so it's by no means new data. But our ability to execute this within the first replay sequence, which we did have at the Wild Card Game with a full vivid three-dimensional animation, is very cool. The data isn't groundbreaking anymore, but the visualization of that in such a short time frame is a huge storytelling tool for us.
ESPN also continues to advance K Zone 3D's ability to visualize the movement of a pitch compared with the league average, using MLB PitchCast data. Though noting that consistent use of these elements is still a couple months away (a half dozen appeared on SNB telecasts last year), Orlins sees a huge benefit to viewers in K-Zone 3D animations' displaying how Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino's devastating slider breaks compared with the MLB average slider at that speed.
It's one of the more complicated tasks to articulate how a pitch curves and sinks; It's not commonly measured for the fans, he says. We continue to work with the Statcast team on a process for essentially creating a standard average pitch speed and shape. We want to be able to compare that with, for example, Max Scherzer's strike-three slider and show that it broke 6 in. more than the average 85-mph slider. That's something we're working aggressively on.
Evolution of Statcast: More Alternative Viewing, Shift to GREMI
ESPN will continue to increase its use of Statcast live virtual graphics beyond the battery as well. Last year, the broadcaster extensively used defensive-positioning charts and heat charts for hitters and also began using steal probability and defensive hot/cold zones for outfielders as the year went on.
ESPN's Statcast live virtual graphics include this real-time graphic displaying steal probability
The most obvious success last year was the defensive-positioning chart and charts showing the different percentages for hitters; those were really effective, says Orlins. We also advanced into the more complicated steal predictor that measures the theoretical steal-success percentage in real time, depending on how big the runner's lead is and his speed. And then we also moved into some outfield graphics showing where outfielders are most and least effective going for balls. You're going to see a lot more of all of that this season.
ESPN2's NL Wild Card Statcast crew: (L-R) play-by-play commentator Jason Benetti; MLB.com Statcast writer Mike Petriello; ESPN MLB analyst Eduardo Perez. (Ben Cafardo/ESPN)
ESPN will also bring back the Statcast-fueled alternative-viewing experience (CLICK HERE for video) - which it produced for the NL Wild Card Game (on ESPN2 and online) and MLB Home Run Derby (on ESPNEWS and online) - for several SNB games this year.
Behind the scenes, the Statcast operator for all ESPN's MLB productions will be located at its Bristol, CT, headquarters as part of the broadcaster's continuing GREMI (graphics remoter integration) model. GREMI - which locates servers/equipment for Vizrt graphics, K-Zone 3D, three EVS replay, and Statcast on the truck with the operators in
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MLB 2019 Preview: ESPN Continues To Up Its Virtual Game With More K-Zone 3D, Statcast Graphics The new season promises a packed start, many marquee events By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
