Radar mats

[Softball.Mom.72]

Is the mat in front of the catcher? You really want the velocity at release, not at the plate. Pocket radar displays the highest speed recorded, which will be immediately after release. I would not waste your money on a mat that is in front of the catcher.

No catcher at all. You just throw the ball into the mat.

 

[wheresmycar]

No catcher at all. You just throw the ball into the mat.

Is it close to the pitcher, or where the catcher would normally be?

 

[Softball.Mom.72]

Is it close to the pitcher, or where the catcher would normally be?

Probably where the catcher would be. Maybe a little short of it

 

[wheresmycar]

Probably where the catcher would be. Maybe a little short of it

Right, that is going to show a lower velocity than a radar gun, which measures speed at the release point. I would opt for the pocket radar, which has an app, so you can display/track velocities. FWIW

 

[_MIA_]

Right, that is going to show a lower velocity than a radar gun, which measures speed at the release point. I would opt for the pocket radar, which has an app, so you can display/track velocities. FWIW

If you want to brag about speed on FB, I agree. If you are just using it to track progress it doesn't matter.

 

[wheresmycar]

If you want to brag about speed on FB, I agree. If you are just using it to track progress it doesn't matter.

Or, if you want a device that is mobile, so you can track velocity at home, at lessons or during games, vs a big heavy mat, that you likely won't drag around.... And you can take it out, and verify for yourself if the FB bragging is legit, or sketchy...

 

[_MIA_]

Or, if you want a device that is mobile, so you can track velocity at home, at lessons or during games, vs a big heavy mat, that you likely won't drag around.... And you can whip it out to verify for yourself if the FB bragging is legit, or sketchy...

I wasn't commenting on whether the radar mat was worthwhile..only on your justification for why it wasn't.

 

[wheresmycar]

I wasn't commenting on whether the radar mat was worthwhile..only your justification for why it wasn't.

I'm just trying to save softballmom some money on the mat, and then eventually getting a pocket radar anyway...

 

[The Man In Blue]

Just my opinion ... but the speed of the ball at the plate -- where the hitter is hitting -- is far more important than the speed leaving the pitcher's hand. Not that there is that much difference, but there is a difference.

Maybe I'm confused on this mat ... does it lay flat and the ball passes over it, or is it hanging like a curtain and measuring impact?

 

[wheresmycar]

Just my opinion ... but the speed of the ball at the plate -- where the hitter is hitting -- is far more important than the speed leaving the pitcher's hand. Not that there is that much difference, but there is a difference.

Maybe I'm confused on this mat ... does it lay flat and the ball passes over it, or is it hanging like a curtain and measuring impact?

Actually, it's the speed between release and the decision point, which determines how long a hitter has to decide to swing... Once they have committed to swing, it's location and movement that make it difficult to hit at the plate... speed at the plate is just timing. Timing is determined by when they started the swing, when the ball passed through the decision point.

Anyway, from a practical standpoint, the Radar Gun/pocket radar is the tool of choice at all levels of the game, and radar guns measure the highest speed recorded while you press the button/trigger, which will be the speed at release. While the mat might be useful to track your personal improvement, if you want to see how your velocity measures up against your peers, you need to measure speed the same way they do, which is a Radar gun/pocket radar.