Oakland Athletics first base coach Tye Waller discusses data, coaching, team’s success in 2014
By Hayden Kane
HK: The success of the A’s in recent seasons has been characterized as a group of misfits who have been put in the best position to succeed once they arrive in Oakland. How do you see your Filemaker solution and the use of data contributing to that success?
TW: It’s a team effort starting with the front office. They acquire the type of players that have been cast off in some way but are in a good place once they get here.
(Manager) Bob Melvin has been a key piece in creating that environment, along with what the front office has given us, to allow these guys and our coaches to come together and just put these guys in the right place. I think there is a certain camaraderie here where the guys come from other places and they are able to fit right in pretty quickly and just sense what’s going on here.
Every day is the same here, whether we win or lose. We take the approach that it’s today’s game: let’s find a way. Whether we won big or lost big yesterday, today’s just another day. And I think Bob Melvin has created that attitude along with the environment within the club house and that vibe carries over day to day.
HK: As far as your day to day preparation goes, do you find that the players generally buy into the information you present them? Have you ever been met with resistance by any players in terms of the data you’ve gathered?
TW: No, I think the solution really is a product of the coaches, the players and what the front office wants us to accomplish here.
For me, I’m in charge of baserunning and the outfield. When we create these charts it’s an accumulation of information that we think makes a difference on the field. So, sometimes there’s a chart that’s even created from the input from a player and what he thought was important.
Coco Crisp is a student of opposing pitchers. When he gets on the base paths he can break down a guy and understand what he’s doing so that he can get the best opportunity to steal a base. So one of the things I did this year, I added a field where I can put in what I call “Coco notes.” In there he can define what he sees on the pitchers and then we can make comparisons. When we get in the game, if he sees something, I can add it in there. There’s more information that is being input to the solution.
The beauty of ‘Filemaker’ is, you can go in there and make changes relatively easy. For me it’s the simple things. I can’t say I can write the script that easily, but the things I’ve learned I can go over there and make a new chart relatively easy in the program. That way I can give these guys the information that makes them feel more confident about what needs to take place on the field.
Coach Waller welcomes any feedback or questions about the iPad solution he has created using Filemaker and how it can be used at all levels. He can be reached at TyeWaller46@gmail.com for more information.