Thread: cages lie. I realize not everyone can afford to have a launch monitor like @rapsodo at their facility, & honestly it was a gratuitous purchase for us that has strapped us, but it’s been highly beneficial. If you cannot afford one I implore you to make markings in your net

At various launch angles. And here’s why: we are running a hitting league and one of the participants just looked like they were raking. And I’m well aware of what balls play in accordance to where they hit on the net. However, in hitting tunnels it’s easy to get sucked in ans

Mesmerized by 8-12degree line drives hit between SS & 2B. On the flip side, it’s easy to see a 30deg ball pulled or hit opp between the LF or RF & the foul lines. These balls do not travel far enough to gauge how well they were hit. Many times an apparent well struck ball hit

Up the middle at a low launch is a routine out, yet a ball crushed at directly over a corner OF head travels only a few feet before it hits the net and looks awful. Case in point, the aforementioned player put on what appeared to be a show, yet scored ok when it came to hits &

Actually performance, yet another hitter who seemed to not do as well scored exponentially higher bc they were living line to line, in the gaps, & between 18-35deg at a pretty decent exit velocity.

More examples, a girl I was working with hit a ball that I thought was merely a pop up and she said, “that felt awesome” my response was “sounded like you barely hit it” she turns to the monitor, 72mph 224’. Ball hit the net so quickly there was no way to judge how well she

Actually struck the ball. Take home point: coaches/parents, find a way to measure. Even if it’s just with string/rope in a net. CAGES LIE.