There is a scam working across the country. Supposed hitting instructors using data to convince their players or their fathers that they got better. They get an initial reading. Then they train you. Then they show you a new reading that is better. And claim you are a better hitter.

But the kid still can't hit.

Don't fall for it.

There is one truth detector and one truth detector only that measures a kids ability to be the best he can be. And that truth detector is video. It is THE STANDARD that makes all other supposed standards turn into fools gold. Side by side video of a player next to an accomplished pro will clearly point out differences in their pattern. And those pattern differences are very significant but have little to do with the resultant exit velocities. The resultant EV's of both players are often the same. Some times the amateurs is better than the pros. But the amateur can't hit and the pro can. Those pattern differences that are obvious in a side by side video show exactly why one hitter barrels the ball consistently and the other struggles to barrel a ball. It has everything to do with a players ability to barrel both the fastball and the offspeed/moving pitch. EV off 70mph bp is useless if the hitter can't square 90+. EV off 90+ is useless if he doesn't have the adjustability to drive the offspeed or moving pitch. Your player and the pro are vey likely to have equal exit velocities. And equal launch angles. Yet, the pro is good and your hitter can only hit in bp. The new data craze is a scam. Do not fall for it.

The only use for data is the hitting instructor's ability to get another hundred out of your pocket and into his. IT MEANS NOTHING MORE THAN THE EYESIGHT of the scout/coach/gm. It gives him nothing he didn't already have.

I currently work with nearly 50 professional hitters. And almost everyone of them come to me from facilities/instructors that TEACH launch angle and exit velocity. They are great bp hitters. But fail in games. Their swings are long. Slop filled. And easily exploited by quality pitchers.

There is a common theme among all of them. Read this next line. Read it several times. Ponder what it is saying.....

Their exit velocities and launch angles are as good as the norm for the players playing in the major leaguers. Yet....they can not hit as consistently as the major leaguers.

Tell me again what good those numbers are.

The Zepp, Hittrax, Diamond Kinetics, Flightscope et al (sorry if I missed you) are just instruments of scam. Money is being cheated out of players/dads/facilities pockets Players futures are being cheated.

Don't fall for it.

Many times the scam artists use golf and golf's use of data in their swing instruction as an example of why baseball should go to it. Then they use throwing/pitching as another example. Amazing. Amazing ignorance. Actually.....its either ignorance....or out right dishonesty.

There is no launch quickness necessary to hit that golf ball. There is no launch quickness necessary when pitching. The golfer can swing whenever he wants to. The pitcher can throw whenever he wants to.

All hitting failure comes down to not being able to square the ball. It's not about how far you can hit it. It's about how often you can hit it far. And that depends on your ability to catch up to fast pitching while being able to adjust to offspeed. It has little to do with EV and LA.

NONE of the scam artists are producing high level hitters.