You can probably take a jog down memory lane and remember
the baseballs of your childhood that had the built-in computer chip. With that
tiny little display embedded between the seams, hurling a pitch and looking for
your velocity was a practice plenty of kids partook in. The problem was that
the technology wasn’t well developed and had an accuracy level that left a lot
to be desired. Fast forward to today and we have high speed cameras and radar guns
all over baseball fields at every level. What’s maybe most impressive though,
is how accurate the bite sized offerings are.
While in Florida for Spring Training this year, it was
impossible to miss the amount of technology at play all over the fields. From
your traditional radar guns, to those high-speed cameras, and even accessories
on bats themselves, the game has changed to incorporate data at every turn.
When looking to accomplish these things however, it’s always worth wondering
what the accuracy level is going to be from a product designed with a smaller
footprint.
One of the most notable new pieces of tech I came across was
the Pocket Radar. I was able to get my hands on the Smart Coach Radar recently,
and the results were beyond impressive. Utilizing the Smart Coach in
conjunction with the Pocket Radar app, readouts displayed clearly, concisely, and
with a great deal of accuracy. There was little need to assume guesswork or
room for error given the suggested velocities and being able to throw with what
equated to a bonafide radar gun was a blast. I’m not at the point in my life where
throwing 80 miles per hour is a reality anymore but being able to track speeds
was something I hadn’t experienced since college.
This tool isn’t just fun and games though, and the advanced
technology built into the app has significantly more than the casual user can
consume. Being able to export, analyze, and collect data through both the
device and application take the information to a whole new level. The Smart
Coach Radar isn’t just for arm strength either, as it can measure exit velocity
on batted balls as well. Truly a whole field approach to its functions, this is
a tool any coach should have in their repertoire.
Obviously, the use on big league diamonds is far more
nuanced than what I put the device through in my own personal testing. That said,
it should be noted that the barriers necessary to overcome prior to feeling
comfortable with the tool are incredibly low. You can get as far into the weeds
with the information as you’d like, but the simplicity and ease of
understanding remains present throughout the process.
Pocket Radar offers two different products designed for
baseball, with the Ball Coach being the cheaper ($299) entrant. The
functionality at its core remains the same, but it’s the Smart Coach ($399)
that really amps up the ability to generate in depth information. Certainly,
you’d need to assess what needs for the tool you have, and the company does a
great job providing a product comparison defining key features, but there isn’t
a wrong choice here.
Gone are the days of technology taking steps backwards when
looking for similar functionality in a smaller accessory. Pocket Radar has
pushed the boundaries of what can be expected out of a traditional velocity
tool, and the immediate feedback is provided in one of the most usable
offerings ever.
Check out which offering may be best for you directly from Pocket Radar.
Check out which offering may be best for you directly from Pocket Radar.
