Does the riseball really rise???

[cweb]

To me it "looks" like some rise maybe 1 out of 10-15 girls that throw it. I could be convinced that it is an illusion. I will say 100% you can make a softball rise throwing overhand from the outfield so not sure why you cant do it from pitching. I know of guys that I have witnessed throw a ball that starts 6 ft off the ground and climbs several feet before losing power and momentum.

 

[Cannonball]

Thanks for making me think of Scott. Ssarge is missed and, as some of us know, he spent considerable time on this subject. I'll leave the other arguments to some of you.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I've done my share of explaining and just pick my spots now that DD is done. Need some of the newer blood here to carry the torch and dispel the myths!

 

[knightsb]

 

[Rick Pauly]

Great 3rd level riseball.....why throw it in the zone if someone is going to swing at this pitch. The more release angle the more the illusion of rising. When thrown in the zone it is flat entering the hitting zone.

 

[Doug Romrell]

When thrown in the zone it is flat entering the hitting zone.

....often being higher than many batters anticipate.

I still say the tendency when batters miss.... they miss under the ball.

 

[ian]

https://youtu.be/bNt5wZCDVxA

They teach the rise in the MLB.

 

[Shawn]

According to the physics guys (of which I am not one by far) it doesn't rise because it can't rise -- by which I mean suddenly change planes upward at the end. You can't develop sufficient spin to generate sufficient Magnus Effect to overcome gravity.

Mark H has referenced a video study Scott Sargesen (sp?) did on Sarah Pauly that showed the same thing.

But one of the best tests is to DVR some college or Team USA games, and when you see what appears to be a rise ball (or what the announcers identify as a rise ball) watch it in slow motion -- especially from the behind the catcher view. What I usually see is the pitch actually STOPS rising and flattens out. That appears to be the major difference between a rise ball and a fastball that moves up through the zone. The latter continues upward due to trajectory. The former goes up, then stops going up. Perhaps we should change the name to the flatter-outer.

Ken, yes the riseball flattens out and begins to drop, creating an hump over the bat through the zone.

 

[DNeeld]

The most accurate description of what a rise does is that it falls more slowly than a regular pitch. More slowly than the brain expects it to, thus the "jump" illusion.

It is physically impossible for a human to throw a softball - over or under handed - with enough speed and spin to achieve upward movement. The ball is too heavy and the seams too small.

 

[diamond14]

Seems like a good science fair project for an aspiring physic/engineering student to undertake. Borrow school's pitch machine find slow speed camera. Have fun after school for a few days.