Either my Pocket Radar is inaccurate...

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May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
I have seen that many a time. Truthfully if the batter swings you cannot be sure of the pitch speed. I have also had sensitive guns setup at short distance pick up the laces and not the whole ball giving very high readings.

Could be bat speed. I don't even consider that. Whatever the case, I feel pretty confident that our P didn't have an 8 mph jump in her speed on one pitch, which she has never been able to repeat - lol.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
So that brings up a good point, where is the PR measuring speed, off of the hand, halfway there, at the batter? I don't know how much speed you lose over 40' but it must be quite a bit. PC used PR on DD and got 52-54 (2nd year 12u) during lesson but what does that really mean?

This is a good point. The reading will be different depending on where they are recorded.

Just watched the movie Fastball on Netflix last week and was interesting to see the various ways they measured velocity over the years and what assumptions they used to "standardize" the readings from different eras. Highly recommend the movie to any baseball fans who are pitching fans. Was an interesting documentary.
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
When the DD was 14 she played TB with a girl whose father installed police radios, lights, radar and other equipment on squad cars. He gave me a police radar to use. Set it up and checked the DD's speed. She was hitting 60 consistently on it.

Has anyone ever compared a RevFire to a PR? I'm curious what the readings are.
 
Dec 12, 2012
1,668
0
On the bucket
When the DD was 14 she played TB with a girl whose father installed police radios, lights, radar and other equipment on squad cars. He gave me a police radar to use. Set it up and checked the DD's speed. She was hitting 60 consistently on it.

Has anyone ever compared a RevFire to a PR? I'm curious what the readings are.

Rev Fire will show a slower speed. It calculates an average speed using the release and stop of the ball. Use it for spin not speed unless you are only interested in checking for velocity increase and not a specific number.
 
Dec 12, 2012
1,668
0
On the bucket
This is a pet peeve of mine.

HS #1 pitcher was said to be clocked by the local college at 63 during our playoff game. If she was actually throwing 63, then I'm a self made billionaire.

However, it was the talk of the town especially between the coaches and pitcher's Dad. Sad because she went to a camp a few weeks later where they never showed her over 58 and Dad was freaking out. He even called the pitching coach (while we were there during a lesson) and said he couldn't believe all their radar guns were so wrong! SMH

I always say 60 is a threshold. It looks different. It sounds different. You will know it when you see it. If you don't know what I am talking about, then you haven't seen it in person.
 
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
I think the pocket radar is pretty accurate. I've noticed that sometimes on low pitches it seems to read 1-2 mph faster. If I'm off to the side 5-10 feet instead of being almost directly behind, its 1-2 mph slower. What I tell people is I think its pretty accurate, but all I'm interested in is relative speed of pitchers and to measure increase of speed of my DD.
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
I, too, use a pocket radar - rarely. When I am catching I have a pretty good read on their mph.
- 35 mph, I am sitting there, with a face mask on chatting with the parent.
- 40 mph, I have put on shin guards and still talking.
- 45 mph, I have shut up
- 50 mph, I have on full gear
- 55 mph, Bring your own catcher.
- 60 mph is a unicorn. I never see it.
 
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
I, too, use a pocket radar - rarely. When I am catching I have a pretty good read on their mph.
- 35 mph, I am sitting there, with a face mask on chatting with the parent.
- 40 mph, I have put on shin guards and still talking.
- 45 mph, I have shut up
- 50 mph, I have on full gear
- 55 mph, Bring your own catcher.
- 60 mph is a unicorn. I never see it.

This is greatness. But I might asd 5 to each haha!
 

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