Twins using new system to track Kernels

CEDAR RAPIDS - There is no such thing as having too much information. Even in the minor leagues.

The parent Minnesota Twins are employing a system this season called TrackMan Baseball that gives them instant and extensive data on every Cedar Rapids Kernels game at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

This goes well beyond just the result of a play, the type of pitch a pitcher throws and its velocity. Starting pitchers not throwing that night still sit in the stands and keep charts for that stuff.

This is about physics and helping a player mechanically. TrackMan claims to 'quantify 27 different measurables on the baseball field.”

Things like the spin on a pitch, tilt (the direction the ball is spinning as it leaves the hand) and a pitcher's extension (the distance from the rubber a pitch is released). On the hitting side, TrackMan measures things like the speed of a batted ball, its distance, hang time and launch angle.

This is high-tech, advanced stuff, using a 3D Doppler radar system that is mounted on the bottom of the press box.

Through the Kernels, the Twins have hired a couple of local men to take game information and input it into a computer for immediate observation. One of those men is Jason Shaner, who moonlights from his regular job as Corporate Sales Executive for the next-door Cedar Rapids RoughRiders hockey club.

He sits in the pressbox with his laptop, signs on to TrackMan and away he goes.

'I love baseball a lot,” Shaner said. 'I had just kind of told the Kernels that if they had any summertime openings to let me know. One thing led to another, and here I am.”

TrackMan originally was used to track the trajectory of golf balls. It was available in just three major league parks last season (Minnesota's Target Field, Milwaukee's Miller Park and New York's Citi Field), though Major League Baseball wants to have it set up in all 30 as soon as possible.

'Lots of numbers,” Kernels Manager Jake Mauer. 'It's good. There's no doubt it's good. But my personal belief is I try to be careful to what I expose these guys to. It's tendencies, not the bible. Just because a guy might throw a fastball 70 percent of the time doesn't mean you're going to get a fastball.

'These young guys don't understand. So you've got to be careful.”

LOCAL/AREA PLAYER UPDATE

- Chad Christensen (Cedar Rapids Washington): Outfielder missed most of the week for high-Class A Fort Myers (Twins) because of injury. Went 1-for-7 Friday night in his team's 17-inning loss to St. Lucie.

- Jon Keller (Cedar Rapids Xavier): Relief pitcher threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings and got the win against Wilmington earlier in the week. Is 1-1 with a save and 2.31 ERA this season for high-A Frederick (Orioles).

- Derrick Loveless (Solon): Outfielder with high-A Dunedin (Blue Jays) is hitting .273 in 44 at-bats. Also has a double, a home run and five RBIs.

- Colin Rea (Cascade): Pitcher continued his red-hot beginning for Double-A San Antonio (Padres), throwing 7 1/3 innings of three-hit shutout ball against Springfield in his last start. Is 0-1 with 0.86 ERA in three starts this season.

- Scott Schebler (Cedar Rapids Prairie): Outfielder for Triple-A Oklahoma City (Dodgers) is hitting .160 in 50 at-bats, with three home runs and seven RBIs.

- Jake Yacinich (University of Iowa): Shortstop has hit in eight of last nine games for low-A Burlington (Angels) of Midwest League. Hitting .278 in 54 at-bats, with seven RBIs.

AROUND THE MINORS

- The award for best hitter in the Midwest League through two weeks definitely goes to South Bend's Cael Brockmeyer. The catcher went into Saturday hitting .400 in 50 at-bats. That included eight doubles and nine RBIs. The Cubs prospect also had posted 10 walks.

- On the pitching side, Bowling Green's Hunter Wood has been as close to unhittable as you can get. In four relief appearances spanning 15 innings, the Rays prospect had allowed but two hits and struck out 21.

- Twins super prospect and former Kernels outfielder Byron Buxton has had a slow start to the 2015 season. At Double-A Chattanooga, Buxton was hitting just .180 in 50 at-bats. Manager Doug Mientkiewicz gave him Thursday and Friday off to try and clear his head.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com