But Can It Core a Apple?

Interesting item in the Times today. Luxottica Group, the biggest manufacturer of eyewear in the world, has signed up to make Google Glasses.

So what, you may think. Well, people

(and also Anonymous), Luxottica makes Oakleys, which are pretty durned popular with MLB players.

Fast forward here a few years to the ballplayer of the future. You've got Tanaka on the mound wearing his Oakley Google Glass shades. He looks in at the batter getting into the box. And there, displayed in his glasses, is everything he needs to know about the guy--his splits, his hitting pattern, what pitches he swings at, what gets him out. McCann is seeing the same thing. The batter, meanwhile, is getting a quick summary of McCann's pitch calling and Tanaka's control that particular day. The outfielders are seeing the resulting cross-section summary of all of this info, and position themselves accordingly.

In this scenario, Girardi's little black binders are gone. Gone forever. (Considering that there are laptops and tablets and Galaxy phones, you have to wonder why he still has them today.) He sees everything they used to have in them and more in his Oakley Googleys. Will this prevent him from sending to the plate a washed-up, buck-and-a-quarter right-handed hitter against a lefty, when he has a left-handed hitter like Ichiro sitting on the bench who hits lefties to the tune of .320 or so? Probably.

But everyone sitting in the stadium wearing their Googlish sunglasses will see what a dumb move he's making.

If you think stats rule the game now, just wait. We might eventually see a lot of unemployed coaches and dugout strategists in the years to come.