Customizable Heat Maps!

by
January 31, 2011

At FanGraphs we’re big fans of the heat map. And now customizable heat maps are now available in the pitchf/x sections for all pitchers. Much thanks to Dave Allen for helping me out!

The thing about heat maps is that one size does not always fit all. Depending on the density of pitches and how many pitches are thrown, it’s not always a clear cut case how to display the data. Sometimes you want the points bigger, sometimes you want the “intensity” of each point to be more and sometimes you really want a different color scheme. For instance here’s the same chart, but with the settings changed.

And here is a third chart, with the settings changed one more time, where the points are made smaller but very intense in monochrome.

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There’s a lot to play around with here and a lot of options to try and get the best picture possible.





 

David Appelman is the creator of FanGraphs.

27 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
NM
15 years ago

Win.

7
ledavidisrael
15 years ago

Knees shake.
Palms sweat.
Passes out.

4
Telo
15 years ago

Um, yes. Now this is awesome.

0
Sandy Kazmir
15 years ago

OH. MY. GOD! Thank you

0
New York Necks
15 years ago

DAYUM.

The second one is incredible.

0
DSMok1
15 years ago

Uh.

Wow.

0
Chadam
15 years ago

Wow, you guys are awesome! Keep up the great work!

0
fenwik
15 years ago

Wow. Just: wow.

0
EnglishMariner
15 years ago

Ahhhh, this is simply amazing. Once upon a time I would long for a blogger to analyse my favourite pitcher using snazzy pitch f/x heat maps. And now I can do it myself?! Bravo!

1
Not David
15 years ago
Reply to  filihok

Perfect.

0
studes
15 years ago

This is tremendous, but you guys have really got to add some labels, definitions and legends, and not use so many acronyms. I don’t know what these heat maps are saying.

2
David AppelmanFanGraphs Staff
15 years ago
Reply to  studes

Yep, I am terrible at this. Anyway, this is just a pitch distribution. It’s where the ball was thrown plotted and the heatmapped and that’s about it. It’s from the batters point of view.

0
maqman
15 years ago

Very impressive, well done!

0
brhasMember since 2019
15 years ago

How is this site still free? Incredible.

1
Thomas
15 years ago

Cool! Definitely gonna start using this.

0
Albert Lyu
15 years ago

Will enjoy using this feature for quick lookups, but would like to refer readers to this article (among others) in case you’re interested in drawing conclusions from pfx data: http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-internet-cried-a-little-when-you-wrote-that-on-it/

2
gradygradychase
15 years ago

This is tremendous, but most of reader can use it correctly?

0
MauerPower
15 years ago

This is cool. I’m just starting to understand pitch fx so what do these maps mean?

0
BrianP
15 years ago

Wow. I don’t comment here at all, but the awesomeness of this new tool compelled my to express my amazement and thanks.

-1
Nevin
15 years ago

Boss

0
The Nicker
15 years ago

I have such a huge boner for this.

Check out King Felix’s 4-seamer to lefties:

http://www.fangraphs.com/heatmap.aspx?playerid=4772&position=P&pitch=FA&size=8&inty=40&pal=2

Or perhaps you were wondering why Lester was such a boss with his cutter this year:

http://www.fangraphs.com/heatmap.aspx?playerid=4930&position=P&pitch=FC&size=8&inty=40&pal=2

0
Not David
15 years ago

It looks like there’s some data missing on Liriano’s 2010 fastball map?

http://www.fangraphs.com/heatmap.aspx?playerid=3201&position=P&pitch=FA&size=14&inty=40&pal=2

0
David AppelmanFanGraphs Staff
15 years ago
Reply to  Not David

They have him throwing almost all sliders, two-seamers, and changups now.

http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfx.aspx?playerid=3201&position=P

0
phoenix2042Member since 2016
15 years ago

this site is the best! how is it still free? (side note: please don’t charge!)

0
shibboleth
15 years ago

Heat maps rock my world. FanGraphs rocks my world.

0
buy caps
14 years ago

They have him throwing almost all sliders, two-seamers, and changups now.
I have such a huge boner for this.

0