Measuring pitch speed becomes increasingly important for pitchers as they rise to higher competitive levels. It is a key component to coaching and scouting. The simplest and most accurate way to gauge pitch speed is with a radar gun. But you can also calculate the speed of a pitch by measuring its distance and timing its duration. More advanced technology measures "effective" pitch speed, taking into account how close the pitcher's hand is to home plate when the ball is released.
Measuring Speed With Tape Measure, Stopwatch
If you don't have access to a radar gun, you can still calculate the approximate speed of a pitch. By measuring the distance of a pitch and timing the duration of the pitch, you can come up with a good estimate. Divide the distance covered in feet by the time elapsed in seconds to get the feet-per-second speed. Divide the feet-per-second number by 1.467 to get the estimated miles per hour
Measuring Speed With A Radar Gun
You can gain a better reading on pitch velocity by using a radar gun. These devices range from portable, inexpensive models to high-end $1,000 models for professional scouts. They are easy to use. Get behind the plate and the screen, point at the pitcher and click at the pitch. Many pitching coaches use radar guns in their instruction. Many amateur and school teams have access to them as well.
Radar Gun Variations
Given the variety of radar guns in use, readings vary significantly. Even at major league ballparks, posted scoreboard readings may differ dramatically from the scouts' readings. Sometimes the discrepancy is deliberate. "Yeah, I've seen teams play with that radar gun," Reds manager Dusty Baker told the Cincinnati Enquirer. Reds reliever Aroldis Chapman, for instance, has hit 106 mph on some guns but came in at just 91 to 94 mph during a game in San Diego. "It kind of threw us off with Chapman the other day," Baker said. "I've seen teams pump up theirs and turn down ours."
Speed Vs. Effective Speed
Sports Illustrated reporter Tom Verducci noted that traditional equipment offers only a partial evaluation of pitch velocity. He wrote: "The radar gun . . . measures only the speed of a pitch at a given point. But when it comes to fastballs, the battle between the pitcher and hitter is decided by time, not by speed: How long does a fastball take to reach the plate once it leaves the pitcher's hand?" New Trackman equipment gauges "effective miles per hour" by taking into account each pitcher's stride and reach. A pitch released closer to the plate is effectively faster than one released further from the plate. This explains why some pitchers appear to have extra "hop" on their fastball.
References
- HittingWorld.com: Radar Equipment
- SI.com; How a Danish Tech Company Is Revolutionizing Pitching Data; Tom Verducci; April 2011
- Cincinnati.com; Dusty Suspicious of Radar Guns; Tom Groeschen; April, 2011
- CSGNetwork.com: Baseball Pitching Speed Calculator
- CalculateMe.com: Convert Miles Per Hour Into Feet Per Second
- OpticsPlanet.com: Bushnell Velocity Radar Gun FAQs
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