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Baseball · Level 6: Advanced · Sub-level 6.4

Pitch Tracking and Design

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 28 October 2026 · markdown

Tracking systems, spin rate, spin axis and efficiency, induced vertical break, horizontal movement, extension, pitch design labs, seam-shifted wake, stuff models, and pitching to the data.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1Tracking systemsTake a test

  1. PITCHf/x was the first league-wide pitch tracker.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Statcast combined radar and cameras from 2015.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Hawk-Eye cameras replaced the radar-based setup.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. TrackMan's Doppler radar measured the ball's flight.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Player tracking gives sprint speed and fielding range.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Small trackers bring pitch data to bullpens and colleges.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Precise data lets pitchers test changes and see results.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. About 2006, 2015 and 2020.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. See, follow, compute, display.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Hawk-Eye cameras track every pitch and player.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 2Spin rateTake a test

  1. Spin rate is given in rpm.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Elite fastball spin sits around 2,500 rpm or more.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Backspin fights gravity, so the ball falls less.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Changeups and splitters kill spin to drop.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Grip aids boosted spin; umpires began checking pitchers.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. League-wide spin fell once checks began.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. More spin, used well, means more break.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Curveballs often spin most, changeups least.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Checks happen between innings.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Since 2021 umpires check pitchers for grip aids.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 3Spin axis and efficiencyTake a test

  1. Only part of the spin turns into movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Gyro spin points along the flight and adds little movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Gyro sliders break late with little sweep.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. The axis sets which way the ball moves.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. 12:00 is pure backspin, 6:00 pure topspin, as the hitter sees it.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. More of its spin becomes movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Efficiency and axis change how spin becomes movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Gyro spin adds little movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. 12 is backspin, 6 topspin.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Spin along the flight path is gyro spin.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 4Induced vertical breakTake a test

  1. IVB shows how much spin holds the pitch up against gravity.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Elite 'riding' fastballs reach about 19 inches or more.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. The ball stays above where the hitter expects it.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Topspin makes a curve drop more than gravity alone.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. A sinker's tilted spin gives less lift, so it falls more.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Riding fastballs miss bats at the top of the zone.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. A flat approach at the top of the zone is hard to hit.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Four-seamers hold up most; curveballs drop most.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Riding fastballs belong up.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. The gap above the gravity path is IVB.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 5Horizontal movementTake a test

  1. Sinkers and changeups run to the pitcher's arm side.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Sweepers move far across the plate to the glove side.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Statcast split sweepers from other sliders in 2023.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Pitches breaking in opposite directions are hard to cover.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Arm-side run takes it in on a same-handed hitter.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Movement is shown in inches from a spinless path.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Wide differences stretch the hitter's coverage.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Sinkers run arm side; sweepers sweep glove side.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Curves are oldest; 'sweeper' is the newest label.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Movement charts show each pitch's break in inches.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 6Extension and perceived velocityTake a test

  1. Extension measures release distance in front of the rubber.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Big, long-striding pitchers get 7 feet or more.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Releasing closer to the plate gives the hitter less time.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Extension can make a 94 mph pitch play like 96.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Height and a long stride move the release forward.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. A low release and good ride give a flat approach angle.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. A different release can tip which pitch is coming.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Longer extension gives hitters less time.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Longer extension raises perceived speed.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Releasing closer to home cuts reaction time.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 7Pitch design labsTake a test

  1. Pitchers change grips and release to reach target movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Driveline helped popularise pitch design and velocity training.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Thousands of frames a second show grip and finger action.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Edgertronic high-speed cameras show release in detail.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Training with heavier and lighter balls targets arm speed.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Pushing arm speed can stress elbows and shoulders.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Small changes are tested against the tracking numbers.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Target, try, check, use.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Release detail, flight data, then season results.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Labs test pitches with cameras and trackers.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 8Seam-shifted wakeTake a test

  1. The seams' position changes airflow and adds movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Some pitches moved more than their spin predicted.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Grips that put seams in certain spots create extra run.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Rotating the seams in the grip can add movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Spin cues suggest one movement, the ball does another.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Slow-motion video reveals how the seams sit.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. With barely any spin, air on the seams pushes it about.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Fastballs move by spin; knuckleballs by seams and air.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Video, grip change, extra run, weak contact.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Seams can tilt the airflow and add movement.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 9Stuff modelsTake a test

  1. Stuff+ grades velocity, movement and release, not results.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. As with wRC+, 100 is set as average.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Pitch quality shows up quickly, long before results settle.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Command of the zone is graded apart from stuff.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Great pitches that miss the target can be hit or walked.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. It joins the shape of pitches with how and where they are thrown.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. Throwing the highest-graded pitches more often can help.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Higher is better; 100 is average.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Throw, track, grade, adjust.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Higher Stuff+ marks the stronger pitch.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Test 10Pitching to the dataTake a test

  1. Data showed riding fastballs up in the zone beat modern swings.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  2. Pitches that look alike early are hard to tell apart.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  3. Opposite heights and movements upset the hitter's timing.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  4. Clubs pushed pitchers to use their best breaking ball more.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  5. Pitch mixes moved towards sliders and sweepers.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  6. Pitches that miss a hitter's bat path get swinging strikes.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  7. It shows how often a pitcher gets hitters to miss.

    Source: General baseball reference · recall

  8. Mixes shifted to ride and sweep.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  9. Review, spot, use, result.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

  10. Modern mixes lean on ride and sweep.

    Source: General baseball reference · applied

Sources

General baseball references, WBSC and league material, coaching manuals; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered rules belong to the Rules category.

  • General baseball reference100