In this post, I explore the relation between several MLB hitters’ bat-tracking data and attack productivity. Among several swing metrics, I specifically focus on the Attack Angle, Attack Direction, and Swing Path Tilt.
Attack Angle measures the vertical direction that the sweet spot of the bat is traveling at the moment it hits the baseball.
Ideal Attack Angle is the percentage of his competitive swings that fall within the 5-20° attack angle range.
Attack Direction measures the horizontal direction that the sweet spot of the bat is moving at the point of contact with the baseball (or the point the bat and ball cross paths on a swing-and-miss).
Swing Path is a metric that tells you the shape of a hitter's swing on the way toward contact. The tilt of the swing is defined as the vertical angle formed by the bat path compared to the ground.