Which one would go farther?

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Jul 27, 2015
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Lets say there's 2 Hitters.

Hitter Number 1 has a bat speed of 60 mph at contact, but swings all arms

Hitter Number 2 has a bat speed of 60 mph at contact, but uses all the muscles in the body to hit the ball.

Which one would go farther? I'm think Hitter 2 would go further because that would be more Mass being used to hit the ball right?
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Same bat, same ball, same weather, same bat speed, same contact point, same swing path and bat angle at contact...same distance.

Assuming the same batter is hitting the ball, then it's the same total mass, but in reality, the "mass" hitting the ball is the bat, not the batter. The batter is generating the bat speed.

A heavier bat with same bat speed equals more force imparted to the ball, but the size of the batter doesn't make any difference. Everything else being equal, a small person who generates high bat speed will hit further than a big person with a slower swing.
 
Last edited:

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Bat speed isn't "everything". How the bat hits the ball is more important.

Regardless of bat speed, a hit "on the screws" is more desirable and will produce better results than fouling it behind the backstop.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Same bat, same ball, same weather, same bat speed, same contact point, same swing path and bat angle at contact...same distance.

Assuming the same batter is hitting the ball, then it's the same total mass, but in reality, the "mass" hitting the ball is the bat, not the batter. The batter is generating the bat speed.

A heavier bat with same bat speed equals more force imparted to the ball, but the size of the batter doesn't make any difference. Everything else being equal, a small person who generates high bat speed will hit further than a big person with a slower swing.


So just to be clear: With the bat and speed being equal, the 5'-0" girl weighing 110 pounds will hit the ball just as far as the 6'-6" steroid infused Neanderthal tipping the scales at 250 pounds?
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
So just to be clear: With the bat and speed being equal, the 5'-0" girl weighing 110 pounds will hit the ball just as far as the 6'-6" steroid infused Neanderthal tipping the scales at 250 pounds?

With EVERYTHING else being the same / equal; as I said a couple of times, it's not just about the bat and ball. Everything else being equal, if the smaller player can generate the same bat speed, why would the results be any different?

BTW...My kid has a team mate who is 7 inches taller and at least 40 pounds heavier. The girl swings an adult-sized 34" bat. My kid swings a lighter 32" bat. Guess who can hit it further?
 
Last edited:

ian

Jun 11, 2015
1,175
48
I allways get hung up on this question.. my guess is 1lbs of feathers weighs less than 1lbs of bricks. Am I right? What did I win?
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
So just to be clear: With the bat and speed being equal, the 5'-0" girl weighing 110 pounds will hit the ball just as far as the 6'-6" steroid infused Neanderthal tipping the scales at 250 pounds?

Correct. The reason for this is that the time duration of contact (ball and bat) is so small that it doesn't matter.

All other things being equal.
 

ian

Jun 11, 2015
1,175
48
no 1lb of feathers is less dense

Im gonna need scientific proof that dropping a pound of feathers on my head is going to hurt less than getting hit with a pound of bricks. Anyone want to help with the experiment?
 

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