Looking at gaining edge, some players utilize video

Jim Leyland likes how Wilson thinks.

The Tigers manager said there’s a place for video in baseball, but believes it can also become a crutch.

“One of my pet peeves is everybody thinks video is the cure-all,’’ Leyland said recently. “Every time they don’t have a good at-bat, they want to look at video. Every time they give up a hit, they want to look at video … stare at yourself, striking out and giving up runs.

“I can take 1,000 pictures of myself. I’m not very good looking. It’s not going to change.’’

Count St. Louis superstar Albert Pujols among the many players who take full advantage of the video made available by their teams.

“If Albert makes the first out in the inning, he’ll be in here to watch the at-bat before he goes out to play defense,’’ Cardinals video director Chad Blair said. “And the rest of our guys are pretty much the same way.’’

The Cardinals, who have three camera angles at home and one on the road, have the same computer program used by most of the teams in major league baseball.

“We’re putting the game in pitch by pitch as it happens,’’ said Blair, who has four full-time assistants. “As the at-bat ends, a guy’s name pops up. Click your name and there’s your at-bats and all the different angles we have.’’

It works the same way to scout opponents.

Tigers All-Star catcher Alex Avila hit the road this past week with his iPad packed and uploaded with edited video of the Angels and Royals hitters, helping him and the pitching staff get ready to face each team.

“We use it every day when myself and the pitchers go over the game plan,’’ Avila said. “We’ll go over video of their hitters against guys similar in style and stuff and see how they got guys out.

“You have to use it now because everybody is using it.’’

Offensively, though, Avila acknowledges there’s a fine line between doing your homework on opposing pitchers or analyzing yourself at the plate and clouding your mind with too much information for what ultimately becomes a game of reflexes and split-second decisions.