Pro Teams and Amateurs in Baseball Using Pocket Radar to Monitor Health and Effort Levels

Because of their compact size, discreetness and pro-level accuracy, our products are the preferred speed measurement tools of many of the top professional baseball organizations across the globe. They are usually found in the cages or on the field during BP with hitters working on improving their exit velocities, and in the bullpen area with pitchers tinkering with pitch types working on mixing speeds. Another reason they are used by pro teams and amateurs for pitching is to get a baseline of velocity for health related purposes. That is mentioned inside a recent update from MLB.com's Adam Berry, discussing the rehab of Pirates pitcher, Joe Musgrove.

Here's an excerpt from the article found here: Musgrove to throw bullpen session Thursday

Pirates Director of sports medicine, Todd Tomczyk, said the Pirates have been monitoring Musgrove's flat-ground throwing sessions with a "pocket radar" to measure his effort level.

"To have a guy see what the velocity is [and] then put a number behind it, Joe is learning to condition the arm at a certain intensity, yet not put his arm health in jeopardy for recovery," Tomczyk said. "There's still some hurdles that he needs to overcome before he gets back into the mix."

Click on the image below to watch the video and read the story:

This isn't the first time we have seen the Ball Coach radar in use with the Pirates in 2018...

We have been hearing similar feedback from coaches and trainers about the benefits of training with instant numerical feedback, and why it is extremely valuable in not only helping players rehab from injury, but also identify and alert of the possibility of future injury.

Here is a story from Randy Glaze, a father of a youth pitcher who began experiencing arm fatigue and diminished velocity shared with us: "You will be pleased to know that the Ball Coach radar has been working great, as I have used it for every game my son pitches. Also, on a more serious note, because I was able to use the radar at the beginning of the season, I have been keeping records of my sons velocity. After a month of pitching I noticed his velocity falling off 8-10mph from late February, until last week. With that, I knew he had some type of arm injury/problem. We just went to the orthopedic doctor for the Texas Rangers yesterday, where they diagnosed him with bicep tendinitis. Having the Ball Coach really helped me know quickly that he had an arm issue and we were able to get him into a doctors office, where hopefully we were proactive in preventing further arm injury. Thank you guys for a wonder product."

Stories like these make us very proud to create a product that helps not only with training, but also with injury rehabilitation and prevention.

Here are a few more soundbites from some of the top coaches and trainers in baseball discussing the advantages of using radar to monitor arm fatigue and health with pitchers:

Stan Conte, PT, DPT, ATC (23 years of Major League baseball experience in the management, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of the Major and Minor League baseball players injuries):

"The small size makes it ideal for training injured pitchers, as they need to slow their pitches while they recover from shoulder and elbow injuries, and pitchers tend to throw harder when they see a full-size gun. A player knows he is being monitored. It's like taking a picture on a cell phone, it's so small, they quickly forget you're doing it."

Dr. Tom House, founder of the National Pitching Association):

"A break down in mechanics caused by fatigue is almost always the root cause of every pitching arm injury I have come across in my over 30-plus years working with pitchers. Unfortunately, many youth instructors do not realize that a young player has entered the injury risk zone until it is too late. I’ve been waiting a long time for a radar gun that is specifically designed as a training aid for young players, and Ball Coach radar is a perfect complement to our Velocity Plus pitching program as it enables our certified instructors to gradually develop a player’s arm strength and muscle memory with little risk of injury. A drop of just a couple of MPH in pitch velocity can be an indicator that a young player is at increased risk for sustaining a serious arm injury. The Ball Coach radar should be every coach’s early warning indicator for player fatigue."

Mark Prior, Los Angeles Dodgers Bullpen Coach:

"In today’s game where peak velocity is reaching new levels, the Pocket Radar allows us to work with pitchers to teach feel and touch without altering their deliveries. Controlling intensity levels in professional baseball can be a challenge for new professional pitchers. The daily maintenance of a pitcher during a 5 to 6 month period will break down the most physically fit person. The Pocket Radar allows us to monitor arm health as well as instruct players to add or subtract intensity levels based on readings. I encourage our staff to use it as a way to teach new pitches, change speeds on current pitches and control these intensity levels."

Please give is a call toll-free at 888-381-2672 from 9 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time, or e-mail us at info@PocketRadar.com if you have any questions or would like to share your Pocket Radar stories.