New PG Stat -bat speed

We already do this. It's in the unpublished notes, but often left out of published reports unless it's a very impressive number.

Bat speed and exit velocity are not always the same thing. For example... You can have plus bat speed and not so good exit velocity if you lose leverage or don't square up the ball.

Awhile back an old time scout bought one of those devices that measure bat speed. He would use it at clinics he was involved with and he recorded all the information. He called me up saying he just recorded a kid that hit the highest bat speed number he had ever seen. That player we knew very well, between our leagues and high school, he hit one HR in two years.

Later the same scout saw the kid at another camp and the kid did it again. So the scout asked the kid... "that is twice you have hit the highest bat speed I've recorded... How do you do that."

The kid told him that when those bat speed devices first came out my dad bought one and I figured out how to get the highest reading.

He was snapping his wrists through the zone that recorded the reading somehow. But there was no way he could actually hit that way.

Anyway, the most important exit speed is in a game. Bat speed is evaluated by eyesight. High exit speeds in games are always noted, but you don't see them all that often. And the angle of the batted ball can through off the reading. Often parents of pitchers watching the gun will see and think their kid just threw a 92 mph fastball, when the 92 was off the bat. They seem to forget that their son topped out at 85 other than that one pitch. I suppose it is possible that someone all of a sudden could throw a pitch 7 mph faster than any other pitch, but it is highly unlikely and nearly impossible.

It could be done on a nationwide scale, but some clarification would be in order.

Bat speed is the speed of the bat only. Every hitter would have to use the same type and weight bat.

Ball exit speed is the speed of the ball. This is impacted by the type/weight of the bat, and the speed of the incoming pitched ball (*). So, you would have to use a wood bat (within a narrow weight range) off a tee, or calibrated pitching machine at an exact speed for all hitters.

* ex. a 95 mph FB would create a 2 mph (5 mph - corrected by 3finger below) better exit speed than 85 mph FB. The balls bounce at half (.50 COR) of the given speed ( plus the bat has it's own COR-type rating) .

(I guess you could adjust the measured speed to create a "90mph equivalent")

Of the two stats, ball exit speed would be the best measure, IMO.

Of course, even better, you could have kids simply see how far they can hit the ball off the tee (or preset pitching machine), measured using a Trackman or similar device. This would have the added benefit of seeing how well they imparted back-spin on the ball (which isn't measured in ball exit speed).

bat speed is useless ifd you do not hit the ball

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
bat speed is useless ifd you do not hit the ball

But, wait, don't they do the same with pitchers?

u are all getting too hung up on pitchers---- I PREFER MY EYE TELLING ME WHAT THE PLAYER IS DOING

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
bat speed is useless ifd you do not hit the ball

LOL!

quote:

* ex. a 95 mph FB would create a 5 mph better exit speed than 85 mph FB. The balls bounce at half (.50 COR) of the given speed. (I guess you could adjust the measured speed to create a "90mph equivalent")

A 95 mph FB would produce a batted ball speed about 2mph more than a 85mph FB, not 5mph. See for example Characterizing the Performance of Baseball Bats

Thank you. I meant exit bat speed. No, I didn't mean to say it was the all important measurement. I just figured it was another "pretty good" measurement of many. For instance, the 60 time doesn't always translate to baseball speed (but usually does). How often have we all seen kids throwing 90+ that can't find the strike zone. High exit bat speed doesn't always translate to being a power hitter (but again, it usually does). Just another tool of many for scouts and coaches to consider. If we use the rational that watching is the only way to evaluate then, we shouldn't measure anything. Thanks for the response. It was just an idea.

3finger, you are absolutely correct. Thanks for pointing that out. I forgot that the bat has it's own COR type rating. I corrected the original post.

For other readers, there is also another paper discussing this fun and exciting topic

Guys, your taking this too far. Exit bat speed is suppose to be measured on a tee with a wood bat. All other exit bat speed measurements allow for too many variables.

quote:

Originally posted by SouthGeorgia:
Exit bat speed is suppose to be measured on a tee with a wood bat.

I think we agree.

quote:

So, you would have to use a wood bat (within a narrow weight range) off a tee

Occasionally you will see a note that a 60 time was done on a wet ground. But what about spikes vs. turf shoes, elevation, baseball pants vs. shorts, sideways stealing starts vs. front starts; you see what I am getting at. You can take this silly baseball physics too far. At some point you have to just say; RUN.

We, The Complete Showcase, have started to add bat exit velocity to the evaluation process.

We record it off the bat during batting practice.

Here is a video with examples of how we measure it