# MLB. Could the catcher wear a helmet camera? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 11, 2018, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211 "2018-04-11T12:46:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/1 "2018-04-11T12:46:43Z")
We have many camera angles of a thrown pitch. But, I would like to see the batter’s view. I am sure the technology exists. Why hasn’t a helmet cam been employed? Or has it? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/2 "2018-04-11T13:37:39Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > We have many camera angles of a thrown pitch. But, I would like to see the batter’s view. > > I am sure the technology exists. Why hasn’t a helmet cam been employed? Or has it? [Cricket has a helmet cam](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl5NlhhnOeQ). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/3 "2018-04-11T14:00:41Z")
Do you want the catcher, or the batter? Your subject says one, and the body the other. I suspect that umpires would be opposed to this, as it would make it even clearer just how bad their calls are. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/4 "2018-04-11T14:35:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I suspect that umpires would be opposed to this, as it would make it even clearer just how bad their calls are. They already have the strike zone camera technology, a helmet cam wouldn’t make anything worse. Here’s some video from various catcher or umpire helmet cams [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcQe-FBLaCo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcQe-FBLaCo) Unless the person wearing the cam stays still and keeps their head in one location, I’m not sure how helpful it would be. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/5 "2018-04-16T01:45:34Z")
Hell, I would like to see a bat cam. Right on the sweet spot. It could be done by sinking the lens into the wood. You would need a slo mo recorder. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/6 "2018-04-16T15:11:49Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Hell, I would like to see a bat cam. Right on the sweet spot. It could be done by sinking the lens into the wood. You would need a slo mo recorder. > > Dennis Isn’t that corking a bat? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/7 "2018-04-16T15:35:49Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Do you want the catcher, or the batter? Your subject says one, and the body the other. > > I suspect that umpires would be opposed to this, as it would make it even clearer just how bad their calls are. Actually, umpire calls are highly accurate. People have been trying to devise electronic methods to call balls and strikes, and the umps calls are more accurate. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/8 "2018-04-16T18:17:46Z")
What a bizarre thing to say; it is completely false. What’re you talking about? The automatic systems to track pitches are EXTREMELY accurate and would almost never confuse a ball for a strike or vice versa. The current system, Trackman, accurately places the ball’s location to far less than the width of a baseball, and can figure out its speed, flight, and the rotation. Its predecessor, PitchF/X, was scarecely less accurate. The systems have been used to try to improive umpire performance because they are so much more accurate. No umpire has ever been remotely as accurate as Trackman or PitchF/X and never will be. Umps blow about 12% of all ball/strike calls, which sounds okay, but that figure includes really obvious calls, like wild pitches and strikes right down the middle. They probably blow about 25-30 percent of all calls that are not very obvious. There is also very considerable variance between umpires, with some umpires blowing over 25% of all ball/strike calls. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/9 "2018-04-16T18:36:18Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Actually, umpire calls are highly accurate. People have been trying to devise electronic methods to call balls and strikes, and the umps calls are more accurate. According to who? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/10 "2018-04-16T18:39:09Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Actually, umpire calls are highly accurate. People have been trying to devise electronic methods to call balls and strikes, and the umps calls are more accurate. Not sure where you got info from, but absolutely not true, ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/11 "2018-04-16T19:03:49Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Actually, umpire calls are highly accurate. People have been trying to devise electronic methods to call balls and strikes, and the umps calls are more accurate. This is counterintuitive to me. How would one measure the fact that umpires are more accurate than the most advanced electronic measurement system? ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/12 "2018-04-16T20:09:03Z")
I would like to see, in real time, what the batter sees. They have about .3 seconds to determine where the ball will be when it crosses the plate. To me, it is a miracle that they even make contact. That is why I suggested the helmet cam. I wish we had one. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/13 "2018-04-16T20:35:14Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Actually, umpire calls are highly accurate. People have been trying to devise electronic methods to call balls and strikes, and the umps calls are more accurate. Fake News!!! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/14 "2018-04-17T01:12:26Z")
Umpire calls are highly accurate by definition. 100% of the time, what the umpire calls exactly matches what the pitch is officially considered to have been. Their results are less impressive when you compare them to what the rules say the pitch should have been. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/15 "2018-04-17T02:36:24Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Umpire calls are highly accurate by definition. 100% of the time, what the umpire calls exactly matches what the pitch is officially considered to have been. > > Their results are less impressive when you compare them to what the rules say the pitch should have been. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iuUOJGFaYac/hqdefault.jpg "MLB Worst Calls") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuUOJGFaYac) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/17 "2018-04-26T15:26:02Z")
> [@Natalen](#): > > I think it’s possible What is possible? ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/18 "2018-04-26T15:37:46Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Hell, I would like to see a bat cam. Right on the sweet spot. It could be done by sinking the lens into the wood. You would need a slo mo recorder. The first solid contact would disable it. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/19 "2018-04-26T15:40:01Z")
> [@Natalen](#): > > I think it’s possible Of course it’s possible. It works phenomenally well in tennis, and some of those guys serve at 130 MPH. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/20 "2018-04-26T17:29:55Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > The first solid contact would disable it. And that would be an improvement. A bat-cam? A camera that gives a view of some random direction 80% of the time (sky, ground, batter’s back), and the rest of the time a blur and maybe a flash of off-white horsehide if the batter makes contact at the sweet spot. (Only a nauseatingly wide-field camera would have contact in view anywhere else up or down the barrel.) As to a catcher mask-cam, don’t forget that framing to catch the pitch means that a lot of time the ball disappears behind the mitt well before the catch. It’s not as if you’ll see the full path of the ball from pitcher’s hand to catcher’s mitt. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211/21 "2018-04-26T17:40:16Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Of course it’s possible. It works phenomenally well in tennis, and some of those guys serve at 130 MPH. A fastball pitch struck by a bat has [116% the kinetic energy](http://wearefanatics.com/comparing-sports-energy/) of a fast serve returned by a tennis stroke. And there’s no way to mount a camera in a baseball bat that wouldn’t affect either its striking ability by affecting the barrel shape, or weakening the structural strength (by embedding the camera), whereas there’s a lot of places to attach a camera to a racquet that can’t affect ball play. “Works in A, must work in B” is a fallacy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-could-the-catcher-wear-a-helmet-camera/812211.md?page=2)