What are These Pitcher Parents Smoking??

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Jan 18, 2015
32
0
Last fall at a PGf college exposure tournament, we were playing an 14U elite midwest team. This team had a girl that was consistently cruising between 63-64. I clocked her on ten pitches and none were below 63. We didnt get a hit against her. I saw two Big 10 coaches who were seriously talking to her after the game. The college coaches really didnt pay much attention to 14u, well except this girl.

Is this the same pitcher that's going to Alabama
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
The glove radar uses "dopplar radar" and only measures the speed the last 3 or 4 feet of the pitch. For every 7 feet of distance you need to add 1mph to the reading to accurately reflect the peak velocity of the pitch.

The RevFire device attempts to calculate the peak velocity of the pitch as determined by the correct distance. For example, it has two settings: 40 feet and 43 feet. The catcher needs to be 3 feet behind home plate. It's + or - 2 mph of the peak velocity reading of the radar gun.

Both of the readings for the devices above are influenced by the distance the ball travels. Conversely, radar guns will record the fastest speed, regardless of the distance traveled.

Hope that helps?

Then there is the Stalker series that provides both peak and final velocity, from which you get a pretty good idea of spin rate. Which is why it is the gun of choice for pro baseball scouts. :)
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
The glove radar uses "dopplar radar" and only measures the speed the last 3 or 4 feet of the pitch. For every 7 feet of distance you need to add 1mph to the reading to accurately reflect the peak velocity of the pitch.

The RevFire device attempts to calculate the peak velocity of the pitch as determined by the correct distance. For example, it has two settings: 40 feet and 43 feet. The catcher needs to be 3 feet behind home plate. It's + or - 2 mph of the peak velocity reading of the radar gun.

Both of the readings for the devices above are influenced by the distance the ball travels. Conversely, radar guns will record the fastest speed, regardless of the distance traveled.

Hope that helps?

This is my experience as well. The glove radar seems to be relatively accurate and consistent, but I have found that it can provide some odd readings if you need to move the glove very far. I was clocking a pitcher last week and I needed to move my glove by 2 feet or further for some of the pitches. I was getting back readings like "14" or "17" which I knew were not accurate. Provided you can keep the glove within a few inches, it seems to work well.

I have never had DD clocked with any other radar so I cannot say for sure how accurate it is, however, it seems accurate based on another pitcher I have caught for. At 12u her dad would routinely say she throws "70". At 14u he has since altered that to "low 60s". As I was catching for her, dad was right behind me. When I showed him the consistent "44" and "45" he swore the thing was junk. I estimated her at 51 for top speed because of the distance adjustment. At a recent college camp, she was clocked with a Jugs at 49.
 

JJS

Jan 9, 2015
276
0
Incorrect. The radar gun measures the fastest reading recorded throughout the length of the pitch which is always the speed recorded as soon as the pitcher releases the ball. It doesn't matter if she is pitching from 10 feet or 43 feet the speed recorded will be the same.

If you are using a device like the glove radar or RevFire to measure speed, the length the pitch travels is important to getting the correct speed recording.

So, if we push a player back to 75 feet and put a gun on her then it will say the same as if she is pitching from 35 feet? I never realized that. I guess if it is measuring Peak Speed that is probably correct.

My question then is: Who cares about Peak Speed? I'm more concerned about the speed as it crosses the plate. Enlighten me on what I'm missing. I'm not being sarcastic. I'm just trying to wrap my head around why someone would care what the speed of the ball is when it is just released versus when it crosses the plate.

One last question: I've always stood close to 90 degrees from home plate (think just outside batters box), and aimed the gun at home plate(not moving it Grandpa style,lol). It seems that the reading would be as it crossed the plate. Sounds like I could be costing my pitchers some bragging right in MPH since the ball is slowing down as it travels. Where do you stand when using a gun?
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Most guns measure peak velocity so that is what most people use when discussing pitch speed. For accurate readings you want to be directly behind the catcher pointed directly at the pitcher.
 
Jul 6, 2013
371
0
JJS, most guns tell you that you need to be as close to directly behind the catcher to get the best reading. You may be adding to, or taking away from their actual speed. Bottom line is it just isn't as accurate. There may be some that don't recommend this. Not sure what kind you're using or if this is the case for yours.

On the wondering what you're missing...re the 10U girl who didn't gain any speed....the difference between 35 feet and 43, is, of course, 8 feet. One could assume that she has a larger drive and longer reach at the end of high school than she did at 10. So, in essence, the actual release distance is only 7 feet different. Using the above math, you would subtract 1 mph for every 7 feet of distance from peak velocity that a gun will measure near release. So, the girl who was throwing 54 in 10s actually had a ball that was traveling 1 mph slower by the time it reached the plate in high school.

Eta...didn't read last line of JADs post about being behind catcher...sorry for the redundancy. Lol
 
Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
One last question: I've always stood close to 90 degrees from home plate (think just outside batters box), and aimed the gun at home plate(not moving it Grandpa style,lol). It seems that the reading would be as it crossed the plate. Sounds like I could be costing my pitchers some bragging right in MPH since the ball is slowing down as it travels. Where do you stand when using a gun?

Because of the "Cosine Effect", the farther you get away from the direct line of sight, the slower the speed readings. For the most accurate and consistent readings, you want to position your radar gun directly behind home plate and point the gun towards the pitchers release hand.

While I understand the point that one should track the speed of the ball as it is crossing the hitting zone, but everyone uses top speed as the bench mark. For example, when you see the MPH on TV for baseball and softball pitchers, I'm pretty sure the reading is the top speed, Nolan Ryan could throw 100+mph, but when the ball crossed home plate, it was in the mid 90s.
 
Last edited:
Dec 27, 2014
311
18
So, if we push a player back to 75 feet and put a gun on her then it will say the same as if she is pitching from 35 feet? I never realized that. I guess if it is measuring Peak Speed that is probably correct.

My question then is: Who cares about Peak Speed? I'm more concerned about the speed as it crosses the plate. Enlighten me on what I'm missing. I'm not being sarcastic. I'm just trying to wrap my head around why someone would care what the speed of the ball is when it is just released versus when it crosses the plate.

One last question: I've always stood close to 90 degrees from home plate (think just outside batters box), and aimed the gun at home plate(not moving it Grandpa style,lol). It seems that the reading would be as it crossed the plate. Sounds like I could be costing my pitchers some bragging right in MPH since the ball is slowing down as it travels. Where do you stand when using a gun?

I use a Bushnell when I catch DD. I would always angle trying thinking to catch the speed as it gets closer to the glove. But even changing the angle to right at DD I can't say the reading changes much. Revfire readings are typically 3mph faster than the Bushnell. Now I have a Pocket Radar that is typically 2mph faster than the Bushnell. The Pocket Radar is new to me and I am having trouble getting a reading when on the bucket. I have tested when I shoot the Bushnell and my wife shoots the PR from behind the backstop. She does not have any problem getting a reading but I appear to have some user error with it so far...
 
Jan 18, 2015
32
0
I just looked at her Bio on her team sight, and it indicates this 14u player has commited to Alabama. So I think we're talking about the same person. She is a prodidgy.

Yes she is special!!! My dd has faced her a few times over the years and she appears to be a great kid and teammate as well.
Not sure if we are talking about the same event but this fall I watch college coaches post up and watch her games following her from field to field like they were her parents or grandparents.... Chairs coolers umbrellas they fit right in!!
 

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