In Constant Flux: A Day-in-the-Life of an MLB Pitcher

The life of a professional baseball player is in constant change. Major League Baseball (MLB) rosters are never stagnant. Players are sent up to the majors and down to the minors at a moments notice. Trades happen often and quickly. Injured lists are always being updated. MLB teams play daily with frequent travel.

This dynamic nature of baseball creates an environment where technology has to keep up with changes. In fact, technology has to be faster. Thats why MLB teams trust Teamworks to provide some stability in a players hectic life. Teamworks helps players like Max Kranick, an MLB pitcher, feel supported amidst the constant state of change.

Something is always happening. Someone’s always going up and down. So just to be able to open the (Teamworks) app and have everything in one place makes things a lot easier for us – Max Kranick, Major League Baseball Player

Kranick knows he can rely on Teamworks to be the one place he checks to get the most current information on everything from schedule details to opposing batters heatmaps to post-game meal menus – even his seat assignment for an upcoming flight.

An MLB Debut and a Rookies Seat Assignment

The first time I was up with the Major League team, I thankfully got a notification from Teamworks with my seat assignment for my first team flight, said Kranick. Otherwise, I would have had no idea where to sit on the plane. You dont want to take an older guys seat, so being able to see my seat assignment before I even got to the airport put me at ease.

For a rookie in the MLB, you are battling new challenges every pitch of the game, so having a reliable, manageable communication system like Teamworks leaves you with one less stress.

The Comfort of Clear Communication

Kranick explains, As a rookie, you don’t really know the staff too well yet, and you probably don’t have everyone’s numbers. So to be able to message someone all in one place definitely makes things much easier for us, whether it’s in season, day of the game, or even in the offseason.

The MLB is full of unspoken rules and ingrained traditions. For instance, being respectful of more seasoned players is not just a polite suggestion, its an expectation. For rookies and generally less experienced players, its important to have clearly laid out bus schedules from the team hotel to the stadium.As a young guy, you want to get to the field early. You don’t want to be on the late bus – thats usually for the older guys if they want it. So, a readily available bus schedule allows you to plan your day with ease, said Kranick.

Teamworks is my digital connection to my team.

Kranick shared that Teamworks consistent digital communication helps players avoid confusion and gives time back to the team staff so they dont have to field messages from multiple players asking about schedules, lineups, etc.

Everyone is on the same page at all times. So whenever there is a quick change, our staff can shout it out to all players. It avoids us having to text, whether it’s our bench coach or player ops, and stay out of their hair. They can send it out, and everyone knows quickly.

Easy Travel Prep with Teamworks as Your Guide

While Kranick is packing up his bags for road trips, especially multi-series road trips, he likes to consult the Teamworks app, where the travel itinerary for each day is clearly laid out.

Before we leave, we know how long we’ll be in each city and what time the plane is taking off, notes Kranick. If we have an off day in between away series games, our schedule will tell us if we are going to spend half the day off in one city before heading to the next. All those days are laid out, so I think it makes things a lot easier to pack and plan ahead.

Part of the Everyday Routine

When I get up in the morning, I usually check my phone to see if I have any notifications from Teamworks. Maybe our bench coach sent us a late lineup change, or someone got injured, any late adjustments, said Kranick. As soon as the game ends, we get a message from our travel secretary with the bus schedule and other important calendar updates. 30 minutes later, we get the opposing hitters’ reports or the opposing pitchers’ reports to tell us who were facing the next day, the lineup, things like that.

Teamworks Hub enables teams to support their players with effective communication. The quick dissemination of information saves staff time and gives players the opportunity to feel involved and secure in their schedules. All members of their organization are safely connected from the moment they are added to Hub.

When theres already so much pressure riding on everything else, like performance, Teamworks alleviates the stress of the everyday logistical and communication pieces. To learn more about how Teamworks Hub can put your players at ease and let them focus on their on-field performance, get in touch.