There are few people who have their finger on the pulse of what's happening within Major League Baseball at any given time like MLB insider and ESPN reporter Jeff Passan. From breaking trade deals to commenting on social issues around ball clubs, Passan has become an invaluable source for anyone craving baseball news and information all year long.
Passan is constantly visible, both on TV and social media, so I checked in with him to ask about the gear and gadgets that have helped him work through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the social media tools and the apps he finds valuable. Technology permeates every industry, so I also asked him about what aspect of tech he sees being a key piece of Major League Baseball moving forward.
How do you do remote TV or video spots? What are some devices used?
When I first learned I wouldn't have a camera in my house but instead an iPad, I was confused. I didn't realize that the TVU [Anywhere] app and the iPad's front-facing camera could produce a broadcast-quality picture.
To dial in for audio, I use a flip phone, which is always fun, and a custom-molded earpiece, which is an absolute must because my ears are terrible and the standard IFB [interruptible foldback] ear cones don't fit. I've got lighting in the ceiling, but whenever I have to take a kit on the road, I try to bring a ring light, because the awfulness of hotel-room lighting can never be underestimated.
What advancements in technology around Major League Baseball interest you the most at the moment?
While I'm a robot ump advocate and think we're getting closer and closer to the day they arrive in Major League Baseball, the present tech that excites me the most is tailored to hitters.
For years, pitchers have had a leg up in the technology race with high-speed cameras and radar systems that allow them not only to objectively judge their pitchers but encourage them to tinker with them at such a minuscule level that they're designing new, optimized pitches. The same principle is now being used in reverse.
Multiple companies have designed pitching machines that input the data of major league pitches and replicate them. Want to see a 102-mile per hour fastball from Jacob deGrom? The machines oblige with a ball flung from his release point—and with the same movement. Hitters don't know if the machines can even out the advantage pitchers currently have, but they're excited to find out.
What apps or services help you use social media for work?
I use Echofon on my iPhone because I'm old, and I always found it a better client than the Twitter app. There's an app called Greenfly that's great because our social team can pull videos from TV appearances, upload them and send them to us, ready to post, across multiple platforms.
As for Twitter itself, I try to abide by the less-is-more principle.
What does your tech travel bag look like?
When I'm on the road, I bring:
- MacBook Pro: Typically what I write on
- iPad Pro: For entertainment and also good to write on during long flights
- Three battery packs: one 20,000 mAh with two USB ports, one 5,000 mAh with lighting and USB-C outputs built-in, and one lipstick charger with a USB port and 3,350 mAh
- Two lightning cables (in case one craps out)
- One Mini-USB cable
- If I'm in a city without a crew, my TVU [live video transmitter] kit (iPad, tripod, fisheye lens, charging cable)
- Bose 700 headphones (for noise canceling)
- AirPods (for convenience)
- Notepads
- Pens
- Toothpicks
- Aleve
What's your favorite gadget (or electronic device) you bought this year?
I got the iPad Pro this year. I've long avoided iPads. Why even bother? What does it do that a laptop can't? Yes, I'm a fool—and, apparently, a hopeless Luddite. It does everything well. I can write with Google Docs, I can stream Disney+, I can use the Magic Keyboard's trackpad and, if I'm in a pinch, I can even go on TV with it. I also got the Bose headphones and appreciate them every time I walk on a plane.
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Tyler Hayes is a product reviewer for Newsweek. He has contributed extensively to WIRED, The New York Times, Fast Company, ... Read more
