Tracking Exit Velocity,Throwing Velocity

Blast measures batspeed and pocket radar exit velo. Those are related but different things.

both things are good to track, blast also tells you some other interesting stuff about your swing but EV also tells you about your contact quality.

In my mind, pocket radar is the safe bet. It will last and come in handy for the next 5 years for a couple fundamental measurables. It will help let you know if doing a showcase is worth your time BEFORE you drop hundreds on it. I always recommending knowing your results before you get to the showcase.

As far as Blast goes, I can you tell it’s not for everybody. My son (a 2021) tried the DK Swingtracker a couple years back and it was collecting dust in no time. This spring he wanted to try the Blast so I bought it. That lasted about twice as long as the DK, but that’s not saying much. It’s now collecting dust. I think those items attract a lot of attention with great marketing, packaging, etc. but don’t produce much at all. We have a good deal of improvement-hungry kids (and parents) around here, but I can’t name you one whose story credits a Blast with anything. I’ve yet to meet one kid whose hitting improved noticeably and when people ask him how it happened, he says it was due to the Blast. I’m sure some would disagree, but all the important things those gadgets track are things coaches have been looking at forever. They just didn’t have a fancy number like 27.54 AV (g’s) assigned to them.

When my son visited the schools he’s since committed to, the coach pointed to a couple Rapsado machines they have. He said “we use them every once in a while, but I don’t need to hook your son up to a machine to be able to tell his throws have carry.  I can see it with my eyes. How the ball travels.”  Good coaches got by for years without knowing the precise angle of a kid’s approach plane. They still won, developed players and sent them on to higher levels. All without Bluetooth connectivity. Imagine that.

Just curious as I was messing around with a pocket radar for fun a couple months ago.  Noticed that a smoked LD/FB (you know the ones that hit the back upper corner of the net) read lower on average than pull side grounders (1 or 2 hoppers to MIF). I had the pocket radar straight in front of tee, but obviously on the other side of the screen. Is this true or is the pocket radar just not picking up the ball when it is hit in different angles? 

Sorry didn't mean to hick-jack the thread, but topic reminded me of this issue.

It will read most accurately if the target (ball) is tracking directly toward or away from the gun. As the angle increases, the error also increases, by measuring lower than the true exit velocity.

So, in a cage with the radar gun behind the tee, if the speed off the bat is equal, you SHOULD get higher readings on the balls hit directly back up the middle.

From the Stalker manual:

I don't have specific experience with the Pocket Radar, but everything I've read says it is more susceptible to distance and angle than the Stalker.

@2025prospect posted:

Hi, if i’m trying to measure progress and track my exit velocity/throwing velocity, what do you guys recommend I get? Blast motion sensor or Pocket Radar? Any apps? Any advice is appreciated 🙏

Be more concerned with getting good instruction and learning how to be a better player. Don’t chase numbers. Numbers won’t get you recruited. Instead, chase becoming the best player you can be. That’s what will get you noticed. Be different than your teammates. Learn how to practice with a purpose. Pay attention to your body language. Bring positive energy to the field every day. Treat playing baseball like a job - but treat it like a job that you love doing. And by all means take care of your grades in the classroom. Along the way find someone that has cred in the baseball community that will be your advocate. This could be a travel ball coach, a HS coach, an MLB scout, a private instructor, etc. You get the idea - but it can’t be a parent. It has to be someone that has relationships with college coaches.

@ReluctantO'sFan posted:

Just curious as I was messing around with a pocket radar for fun a couple months ago.  Noticed that a smoked LD/FB (you know the ones that hit the back upper corner of the net) read lower on average than pull side grounders (1 or 2 hoppers to MIF). I had the pocket radar straight in front of tee, but obviously on the other side of the screen. Is this true or is the pocket radar just not picking up the ball when it is hit in different angles?

Sorry didn't mean to hick-jack the thread, but topic reminded me of this issue.

I use a Stalker Pro2 and have found that I get the best results with the gun behind the tee. We also try to only look at speeds on balls hit up the middle.

@T_Thomas posted:

It will read most accurately if the target (ball) is tracking directly toward or away from the gun. As the angle increases, the error also increases, by measuring lower than the true exit velocity.

So, in a cage with the radar gun behind the tee, if the speed off the bat is equal, you SHOULD get higher readings on the balls hit directly back up the middle.

From the Stalker manual:

I don't have specific experience with the Pocket Radar, but everything I've read says it is more susceptible to distance and angle than the Stalker.

I think I get it, lol.  A batted ball that hits the back upper corner of the net probably left the bat at somewhere between 15 to 30 degrees. Therefore, it has anywhere between a 3.4% to 13.4% error. Were as the sharp 1 hopper to SS came off a 0 degrees. I was only thinking of angles as being left to right, not up and down. Makes more sense when you add the extra dimension.   

I read, somewhere , that the highest exit Velo from an MLB player was something like 126.9 MPH. Hit by Giancarlo Staton to a  SecondBaseMan for a double play. Balls hit up at an angle have to fight gravity a bit and may slow down a bit faster than a line drive or one that is slightly lower than perfectly horizontal. Yikes, sounds that we need an astrophysicist or aeronautical engineer, to explain. 

Reason is not really gravity. EV is highest when AA and LA match. Average attack angle at contact is maybe like 6-15 degrees for mlb.

Balls hit higher than your AA will have backspin and lower will have top spin and the energy that is used to make the ball spin can't be used to make the ball travel faster.

Because of this higher or lower hit balls will be hit "thinner" and thus be a couple MPH slower.

The reason why pocket radar reads  lower is a different one though. If you don't hit exactly in line with the "radar beam" the ball will travel a longer distance through that area causing a lower read.

You can counter that by using an angled tripod angling the beam a little. So if you want it to read highest at 15 degrees angle it that way.

You still then need to hit it consistently at that angle then.

Because of this pocket radar is not ideal for example to track in game EVs. It is fairly accurate on close distance and if set up exactly but you need to be directly in line so it isn't good for scouting from the stands either.

If you want to track game EVs or gun pitches from the stands you need a different gun.

I have been looking for a good thread for this post - and this one is as good as any.

I came across a video of TCU HC Jim Schlossnagle talking about recruiting. I’m paraphrasing but essentially he said, “today’s HS players throw harder and hit the ball harder than ever before. But they don’t know how to play the game. Pitchers can’t command the baseball.  Fielders throw the ball to the wrong base and they don’t know what to do if the ball isn’t hit to them.  Hitters don’t know how to run the bases, etc. Freshmen  have no idea how to do the things that help win games. We have to spend the first year teaching them those things before we can put them on the field.”

This is the same message that that has been delivered by some on this board (including me) that seems to fall on deaf ears. There is too much focus on chasing numbers and not enough focus on learning how to be a better player. If you want to be on the field you have to be able to help your team win games. Looking good in a uniform won’t do it.

@adbono - I agree with the premise of what you are saying, but why do you think these kids are chasing numbers?  The simple truth is all the command in the world will not get you as far as having 95 in your back pocket.

@ReluctantO'sFan posted:

@adbono - I agree with the premise of what you are saying, but why do you think these kids are chasing numbers?  The simple truth is all the command in the world will not get you as far as having 95 in your back pocket.

Most kids have no chance of ever throwing 95 mph. At an earlier age they would be better off learning good mechanics and how to properly deliver the baseball. If that is done early on the velocity will develop. Even the really hard throwers have to learn how to pitch at some point. Might as well begin with that. Trust the process and the results will come. Don’t focus on immediate results. Same is true for hitters. If they learn good swing mechanics first the results will show up later. Anything that happens in youth baseball prior to playing on a full size field is pretty meaningless in terms of advancing up the ladder in HS and beyond. Kids and parents chase numbers because they think it’s the key to being recruited. It’s not. Schlossnagle is clearly saying that a player can’t get on his field at TCU unless he can help win games. Same is true everywhere - to varying degrees. Why do you think that coach’s kids always get recruited? They almost always have a higher baseball IQ.

My last sentence (95) wasn't really meant to be taken literally, but you can't deny that the premise holds true. Guys that would normally sit low 80's (85 max) with control are chasing 90 in hopes of reaching the next level. This isn't really a new concept, and like I mentioned I don't disagree with you in the 1st place. As far as the IQ of coach's son ??? Really depends on the coach, lol

I understand all the issues. But I also believe in being realistic. Playing high level D1 baseball is not a realistic goal for the overwhelming majority of HS baseball players. It’s a pipe dream. I tell the kids that train with me that unless MLB scouts are visiting you in your home you aren’t good enough (today) to play in the SEC, ACC, Big12 or any other competitive D1 conference.  That’s why I promote the JuCo route for so many players - it gives you a chance to develop and reach a goal in a couple years that’s unattainable today. Every player needs to understand who they are - what are their strengths and what are their weaknesses. Mitch Thompson (HC @ McLennan CC) told me once that he can find a RHP that throws 85 mph on any street corner in every town in Texas. And he is right - he can. There is a place for a RHP that sits mid 80s IF he has good secondary stuff. But it’s not high level D1 unless the secondary stuff is off the charts. So understand who you are and fish in the correct pond.

Adbono, here's my question: are there enough players to fill D1 slots who can do both?  That is, pitch 90 mph AND also know how to pitch?  Hit balls hard/run a sub-7 60 AND know how to field and run?  My assumption has always been that there are plenty of kids who can do both, and those are the ones who are D1 recruits.

@anotherparent posted:

Adbono, here's my question: are there enough players to fill D1 slots who can do both?  That is, pitch 90 mph AND also know how to pitch?  Hit balls hard/run a sub-7 60 AND know how to field and run?  My assumption has always been that there are plenty of kids who can do both, and those are the ones who are D1 recruits.

Jim Schlossnagle says there aren’t enough. TCU recruits the best players they can get but they aren’t D1 ready as freshmen. My point is more about setting a realistic goal and having an achievable plan to get there.

I think the challenge that some have across the country in non baseball hotbeds is that they/I want my kids measurables to get him on the radar of schools that might be a fit for him. Or at least have those measurables not be an eliminating factor. Low measurables and there is not even a reason for a coach from another part of the country to find out if a kid's baseball IQ and pitchability is off the charts or just as bad as his measurables. 

Is TCU having those issues with their freshman (low baseball IQ) because they are recruiting based on metrics? And are they recruiting on metrics because they know they can teach them what they need to know once they get there? You would think if it was a big problem, they would do more homework and make sure they have the IQ before they get there and recruit based on that. Sorry, just thinking out load.

"I came across a video of TCU HC Jim Schlossnagle talking about recruiting. I’m paraphrasing but essentially he said, “today’s HS players throw harder and hit the ball harder than ever before. But they don’t know how to play the game. Pitchers can’t command the baseball.  Fielders throw the ball to the wrong base and they don’t know what to do if the ball isn’t hit to them.  Hitters don’t know how to run the bases, etc. Freshmen  have no idea how to do the things that help win games. We have to spend the first year teaching them those things before we can put them on the field.”

^^^This got me thinking from a different approach as the Tweet refers to WINNING BASEBALL^^^

From my experience, the issue really starts at the youth travel ball level. Most people would be surprised how many "winning teams" are truly not taught the innate game of baseball from real coaches. These "winning teams" at the youth level are composed of kids that are usually both chronologically and biologically advanced to their peers. So they win without the need of understanding proper mechanics/fundamentals. All those split second decisions that require repetition to master are never taught. However, these same kids will eventually hit a wall of competition that can't be beat based on just being the big kid.

Maybe this leads into the TCU head coach wondering why so many kids don't understand the pure game of baseball. Its because for so many of the kids they were never taught. They just relied on there "measurables". After all, if you win a lot of baseball games then you must be good, right? 

I've seen a large portion of kids over the years that fall into this category. They are usually categorized as being "Raw Talent/Skills", despite having played TB for many years.

The other thing that Schlossnagle is doing  (without actually saying it) is indicting the current travel ball/showcase system AND HS coaches all in one fell swoop. He is saying that the players he is recruiting don’t know enough about how to play the game and, FWIW, he is right about that. And he doesn’t want to have to teach them once they get to his campus. This I don’t agree with as much. I think coaches should teach the game at every level. P5 D1 coaches have a business to run and are more concerned about that than teaching their players. P5 D1 is an absolute grind and, with rare exceptions, it’s a cold hard existence. Unless you are draft talent, give me the competitive mid-major. IMO that’s where you can still find high level D1 baseball AND a coaching staff that cares about their players. It’s not easy but it’s possible. Here are a couple real life examples. In Texas, I believe that Texas State University fits the profile. In Florida the same seems true for Florida Atlantic. Players at those schools work hard, play hard, and (for the most part) enjoy their college baseball experience. The same can’t be said for most of the players at P5 schools. An area scout told me that at 3 of the biggest name college programs in the SW US many of the players are miserable and can’t wait to move on. So be careful what you wish for.

@adbono posted:

The other thing that Schlossnagle is doing  (without actually saying it) is indicting the current travel ball/showcase system AND HS coaches all in one fell swoop. He is saying that the players he is recruiting don’t know enough about how to play the game and, FWIW, he is right about that. And he doesn’t want to have to teach them once they get to his campus. This I don’t agree with as much. I think coaches should teach the game at every level. P5 D1 coaches have a business to run and are more concerned about that than teaching their players. P5 D1 is an absolute grind and, with rare exceptions, it’s a cold hard existence. Unless you are draft talent, give me the competitive mid-major. IMO that’s where you can still find high level D1 baseball AND a coaching staff that cares about their players. It’s not easy but it’s possible. Here are a couple real life examples. In Texas, I believe that Texas State University fits the profile. In Florida the same seems true for Florida Atlantic. Players at those schools work hard, play hard, and (for the most part) enjoy their college baseball experience. The same can’t be said for most of the players at P5 schools. An area scout told me that at 3 of the biggest name college programs in the SW US many of the players are miserable and can’t wait to move on. So be careful what you wish for.

Having had a son go thru the process, this is an EXTREMELY accurate post. D1 P5 baseball is not for the weak. It is a dog eat dog world with much less instruction than one would ever believe.

@anotherparent posted:

Adbono, here's my question: are there enough players to fill D1 slots who can do both?  That is, pitch 90 mph AND also know how to pitch?  Hit balls hard/run a sub-7 60 AND know how to field and run?  My assumption has always been that there are plenty of kids who can do both, and those are the ones who are D1 recruits.

A lot of players enter D1 ball as potential P5 (or other top teams) players or potential mid major D1 players. Their coaches and they don’t find out they’re not actually players at that level until after they arrive. It’s why half of recruits are gone from programs within two years. Most of them transfer down, whether it’s P5 to mid major or mid major to D2 or D3.