Plakers14 (August 11, 2008 at 4:24 pm)

Hey that helped my K-Ball, pushing it as long as possible! w/good arm speed

PAbaseballa15 (June 27, 2008 at 8:05 pm)

hey that really helped thanx

davidemerling (May 23, 2008 at 1:37 pm)

Sure, as you say, it has "something to do with it." But, like I said, once a baseball is thrown over 50mph, by far, the overriding factor in far it goes is BAT SPEED and the MASS of the bat. A heavy bat, swung very quickly, will make the ball go furthest. Of course, it is difficult to swing a heavy bat quickly and that's where the trade-off comes in for the batter. A squarely hit 68mph knuckleball is just as likely to go "yard" as a squarely hit 95mph fastball.

bigzach1000 (May 23, 2008 at 1:39 am)

The speed of the pitched ball does have something to do with the velocity off the bat. It is simple physics; a ball thrown harder against a wall will bounce back farther than a ball thrown softly. I believe that they use the batting practice pitchers who throw softer because they are more consistent, and therefore more fair for everyone.

mediumsteve (March 12, 2008 at 5:14 am)

Wow, this video actually has well-informed and interesting comments. A YouTube first.

dickenine (September 18, 2007 at 1:06 pm)

Suggesting that a knuckle ball is an old man's pitch is purely complimentary, since most of the old men pitching in the bigs right now throw their share of surprises.

dickenine (September 18, 2007 at 1:06 pm)

It's one thing to have a P next to your name on the roster. It's an entirely different thing to actually know how to pitch. And you see that in the bigs too. Those kids who come up are coming up to LEARN how to pitch. I don't care how hard you throw, someone can hit you. But if you learn the batters (watch swings, remember other at bats, etc.), learn your "self" and, as this dude says, throw a surprise in there, you can keep hits down.

ricevillage (August 18, 2007 at 2:30 am)

Bat speed is definitely a key, according to Dr. Adair's The Physics of Baseball. Also consider launch angle, and also how bat speed may change if the batter uppercut swings. The Home Run Derby may be set up to get the kind of BP pitching they're used to seeing, which brings the pitcher in so the batter can have the ball arrive where he wants it at the time he'd expect it from release from the rubber... and it's easier to locate those pitches. Contact Dr. Adair about your comments; he'll answer.

davidemerling (August 17, 2007 at 10:38 pm)

Bat speed is overwhelmingly the biggest factor with regards as to how far a batted ball will travel. Once a baseball reaches over 50mph, it is just as easy to hit it out of the park, if hit squarely, as a 90mph fastball. If this weren't true, batters competing in the Home Run Derby would prefer a pitcher throwing 85mph versus the 68mph they are typically seeing. Yet they opt for the slower pitching.

davidemerling (August 17, 2007 at 10:18 pm)

Successful knuckleball pitchers (of which there have been very few) have never been noted for "mixing" their pitches. It would be unusual to throw as many as 3 fastballs in an entire game. Frequently, they throw zero. Knuckleball pitchers seldom rely on the element of pitch selection surprise. It's "Here it comes - good luck hitting it!"