Pitch F/X (PFX) explanation

Pitch F/X was created by Sportvision, Inc. and uses cameras to track the pitch from about 50 feet away from home plate all the way to the very front of the plate. The cameras are usually set up on the first base side and above home plate to get a 3D picture of the pitch. As the cameras are tracking the pitch, a computer algorithm actually does the measuring of a ton of different things with the help of a human operator/technician. This operator sets the strike zone for each hitter in the PFX system and helps the computer "track" the pitches from velocity to release point to a pitch break to the pitch location.

Rather than copying someone elses description of each field that PFX uses, I will have to refer you to Mike Fast's excellent glossary of terms. The main ones I focus on are those involved with release point, pitch location, movement, velocity, and pitch type.

Hopefully this will help give a very basic understanding to how I get these charts and definitions in my articles.