Now this is something I am incredibly upset I didn’t think of first. On Monday night’s episode of Stick & Ball TV’s Dugout Chatter, the Director of Player Development for the Mariners, Andy McKay, spurted some wisdom that is all too true.
“Delivery is now king. Content is now everywhere.”
The phrase makes perfect sense, is well timed, and speaks volumes about baseball’s technological revolution. Data capture devices are now available to the masses, numbers steer the game, and players seemingly live and die by analytics. With so much information available at our fingertips, the delivery of the information to players is of the utmost importance. Anybody can collect data, but the resulting actions and implementation of a plan is what will set coaches and programs apart in the next wave of development.
I was working towards this theme a couple of months ago in my first blog post when I said:
“Collecting data is meaningless if it is not seen as being valuable by the staff. I immediately found that giving each coach and trainer full data access created instant synergy amongst all support staff, allowing us to better complement one another. The message was clear. We are all in this together to help each player improve, and if each player improves, we improve.”
While Andy’s phrase is obviously more succinct and memorable, it also goes deeper, which is why it is so powerful. I discussed the importance of collecting relevant and actionable data in practice and development planning for the sake of the staff. But the critical next step, which Andy so concisely addresses, is to determine how to best communicate that content to a player or team. When it comes to player development, data is meaningless if it does not achieve its intended purpose, which is to help a player develop. In order for data to do that, delivery is of the utmost importance.
Data collection devices today such as Blast Motion have done a great job of making their technology both accessible to and easily understandable by the masses. Kudos to Blast for going one step further and creating a drills/coaching page so users do not fall victim to performing mindless reps and exacerbating their pre-existing inefficiencies.
The problem I often ran into as a player, often making me a coach’s nightmare, was that I would routinely ask “why.” While not intended to ever be contentious — scratch that, in some cases it definitely was — like most players, I functioned best when I understood the “why.” Without a “why” the likelihood of me giving my best effort or embracing a new technique was low. I definitely have a bias, but that’s one of my favorite attributes of the current generation of baseball players. They have been exposed to so much at such a young age that players no longer bestow trust in a coach just because of the title. Rather, coaches seeking to instruct must earn a player’s trust, and regardless of the sophistication level of the content that is created or presented, a player’s trust can only be earned through effective delivery.
This new reality influenced one of my original 2020 baseball season goals, which was to quantify the impact of communication on player development. Once 2020 became “the season that never happened,” my original data collection plan within the team setting stalled. However, it now gives me a chance to look back, as well as develop new plans for the 2020-2021 season and beyond.
Upon reflection, I am now more convinced than ever that a key first step in earning a player’s trust is to present information in a relatable manner. With virtual communication such as text and videos being so common amongst the current population of players, presenting information via phones or computers is a great place to start. Obviously, Zoom calls (or some video conferencing variant) have become the premier method of communication during the shutdown, but even presenting information in a virtual face-to-face manner is not always beneficial. The recipient of the information, the player in this case, should be allotted time to process anything new. Consequently, this leads me right back to the importance of introductory videos, explanations, and/or comprehension questions. This is where Google Forms has become my pride and joy. If you would like to see more on the use of Google Forms, please check a couple of my other posts here and here.
By providing video and asking questions about data or an analysis, I am able to prep players or the team for a conversation before we ever have it. This practice opens the doors to my agenda, allowing the team/individual to let their guard down a bit due to the previously established trust factor. Currently, I present the team with a new topic and Google Form once every two weeks to discuss everything from drills, to culture, to game/performance reviews. By leading with questions, I open the platform for discussion and growth rather than telling players what to think. The data then becomes evidence within a story, but it is not the whole story.
As to the delivery of content within a practice setting, technology can provide an abundance of readily available data. Video and pitched and batted ball data are now the norm, but defensive or movement metrics have become increasingly common in the most forward thinking programs. In reference to last week’s post, the data collected during practice should directly represent game scenarios. This defines the purpose behind the content collected and drilled within a practice. That said, the manner in which the purpose of any drill is delivered still matters immensely. To paraphrase Derek Johnson, Pitching Coach of the Cincinnati Reds, trying something for the sake of trying something doesn’t serve much of a purpose. Have a plan if you are going to try something. This is where analytics and data can help. Again, this does not put the data on a pedestal, but rather, places the proper emphasis on the application of the data.
Harkening back to a game setting before tech existed — crazy to think about, I know — I want you to think back on your playing days and imagine a time you stepped to the dish and took a monstrous swing only to contact nothing but air as a changeup faded off the plate. If you are anything like me, you can hear your coach screaming at you with every single adjustment that needed to be made. “Shorten up. Drive it the other way. You’re better than that. C’mon.” Exactly what I needed to hear (said with extreme sarcasm).
Now let’s ignore that coach’s poorly delivered content and look at the data collected, albeit subjective. Did you contact the ball? No. Was it a timing issue? Yes. Did you feel good about your swing? Something was off, but you can’t put a finger on it. Have felt this same problem in recent at bats? Yes. When do you feel it? Off-speed pitches. Perfect, now we have some data to work off of.
Data collection, does not always require technology, but the delivery of content still matters. Only the first three questions asked in the above paragraph can likely be analyzed during an at-bat. Anything beyond that becomes a distraction for most hitters, but it does not lessen its importance.
Fast forward to an inning or so later, post-game, or even the next day at practice, and it is time for proper delivery of the information gathered during the at-bat discussed above. Imagine how great it would be for a coach to run through those same questions. You answer the same. Now your coach engages you in constructive collaboration: “your swing appeared a little overly linear or even “lungey.” I think we may be getting a little overly dependent on traditional batting practice. How do you feel about mixing it up with varied pitches and eventually simulated game at-bats?”
Breaking down the delivery of that content, the coach GUIDED me through the process WITHOUT TELLING me what I did right or wrong. He also did not fault me for the struggles, but rather restructured the issue. He then allowed me to take ownership by signing off on a corrective plan going forward. As a player, I am now 100% on board.
Coaches more or less have to operate as live-action historians and scientists with the ability to recall and predict what has happened and will happen in a relatable manner. There is no question the delivery of the collected or predicted information shapes how players progress. In today’s brand of baseball, it is essential to recognize that the content is everywhere and immediately accessible, with or without advanced technologies. As coaches, delivery of this information is now more important than ever. Without trust or an understanding of the way players learn, effective delivery of content is impossible.
Thank you!
Adam Moreau, MBA, CSCS
Director of Player Development and Recruiting Coordinator
Eckerd College
419-250-7243
Comments