MLBAM to release new defense tracking system

News is just breaking at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston, but it would seem the MLB Advanced Media is releasing data that to this point has only been proprietary.

We have had PITCHf/x and life has been glorious because of it. Now we get to measure defense, the flight of the ball, and the movement of players.

The new analytic systems will use optical tracking to measure every play on the field through x, y, z coordinates -- as has been used to measure movement on the ball -- for the movement of every player. This includes distance, acceleration, flight path of the ball, and run paths of the player.

Here's our first taste of it's use to analyze video:

These systems will be available at Citi Field, Miller Park, and Target Field in 2014, then across baseball in 2015.

The Rays will play at Target Field July 18-20, the series following the All Star Break (also held at Target Field this season).

More tweets from the conference shed light on what will be available:

Looks like MLBAM's new defensive tracking system will have displays for route maps and location heat maps. #SSAC14 pic.twitter.com/2PenEY3Zdw

— Zachary Levine (@zacharylevine) March 1, 2014

The new player tracking system from mlbam samples 20,000 data points per second. Wow. #SSAC14

— Steve Fall (@StatsMan) March 1, 2014

Baseball, your world will never be the same. This is the coolest --> pic.twitter.com/2GUwTG2XT5

— Maury Brown (@BizballMaury) March 1, 2014

Route efficiency for the runner. Oh my.. #SSAC14 pic.twitter.com/vOkasDkA2Y

— Brian Kenny (@MrBrianKenny) March 1, 2014

MLBAM working w Hego Group, TrackMan on new tracking system. Sportsvision's Pitch f/x will still be used in '14. After that TBD. #SSAC14

— Eric Fisher (@EricFisherSBJ) March 1, 2014

MLB.com's full announcement can be read here. It's loaded with quotes on MLB's intent of use for the data, which they say will be "for everyone."