Chaim Bloom half-jokingly predicts AI Armageddon during Cardinals event

On Saturday evening, the St. Louis Cardinals were kind enough to invite some 20-odd bloggers and podcasts to Busch Stadium for some food and time with President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom. Prior to the start of the second game in a series against the Chicago Cubs, several bloggers and podcasters got to ask Chaim Bloom an array of questions ranging from condiments on food to his approach at the trade deadline. One question in the middle got perhaps the greatest response from Chaim.

I was invited to the Bloggers and Podcasters Day this year, my first invitation in nearly three years of writing at Redbird Rants. My appreciation for the Cardinals and Carson Shipley is great, and I was overjoyed to be included amongst other online legends who have been covering the Cardinals for far longer.

When it came time to ask a question, my lovely wife, my plus-one for the evening, gave me a unique idea for a question.

Chaim Bloom has been talking about being a forward-thinking organization while maintaining an awareness and respect for one of baseball's most storied franchises. One way in which the Cardinals can overtake their peers in their forward-thinking approach could be Artificial Intelligence.

AI in baseball is still new; the Miami Marlins use AI in baseball to analyze high-frame-rate video footage and build predictive models. Over 15 million data points per game are analyzed via AI. The San Diego Padres are using PLNU Biomechanics Lab and AI to improve player performance.

Many organizations are just now learning how to implement AI into an otherwise old-school sport, but it's certainly the next frontier for organizations looking to surpass their rivals in an age of data.

For Chaim Bloom, AI can be a tool to supplement what is already happening for the St. Louis Cardinals.

When I asked Chaim about how the Cardinals are using AI both on the field and in the background, he gave a tongue-and-cheek answer at first.

"It's actually, in some ways, it's a little scary, not just because I think I don't see this doesn't end with the robots killing or enslaving us all," said Bloom to a chuckling audience. "When I become a battery for a machine, I would like to have one World Series ring on my finger."

"Candidly, we still have some work to figure out how to leverage this really well," said Bloom. "

Chaim then discussed that he's at an age now where AI feels "native" to him. He's learning how to use AI as a tool and to push himself to use it. "What I've gleaned from some of the research I've done, is that really, I think, right now it can really be a force multiplier for really talented people." Bloom discussed trusting his staff of 200+ people to use AI to do their jobs better rather than rely on it as a replacement for the human workforce.

"When we talk about the competition that we're in, I like to think of this as it's not me versus Jed (Hoyer) or Matt Arnold. It's our couple hundred people versus his couple hundred people versus his couple hundred people.

"If we're using this well, it's going to feel like a lot more than that because we can scale our work better."

Bloom did have concerns about using AI in baseball, however. "I think where you get in trouble with it right now is when you just try to offload stuff. We're not there yet. Maybe we'll get there eventually."

Bloom did not go into detail on exactly how the Cardinals are using Artificial Intelligence in baseball, but it certainly is the next frontier. With every fan having access to advanced data via websites like Baseball Savant, organizations must utilize other aspects of player development and data analysis to differentiate themselves. AI could be that avenue.

The St. Louis Cardinals are looking for any way to pass up their competition both on and off the field. Artificial Intelligence could be the next frontier, one that was formerly occupied by predictive models and advanced analytics.

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