Late Break

Technically there is no such thing, the ball can't spin faster or change axis, just like the rise ball can't really rise above it's thrown trajectory. But here's a look at an interesting possibility. Follow the directions.

http://illusionoftheyear.com/2009/05/the-break-of-the-curveball/

...the ball can't spin faster or change axis...

But it can and does decelerate which is why there is a "late break" which in reality is increased movement at the end of a pitch.

riseball said:

...the ball can't spin faster or change axis...

But it can and does decelerate which is why there is a "late break" which in reality is increased movement at the end of a pitch.

Click to expand...

Spin rate also slows down. Plus when the speed of a pitch goes down so does the magnus force. When an airplane slows down it loses altitude.

Still gets me to crack a smile .....

Magnus force is exponential, meaning the longer the path of travel the more pronounced the movement becomes. You can see this in the attached video. (fast foward to about 55 seconds)



Notice the ball drops relatively straight at the beginning then "breaks" more and more the further it travels.

This is the same principle that causes the "late break" appearance.

DNeeld said:

Magnus force is exponential, meaning the longer the path of travel the more pronounced the movement becomes. You can see this in the attached video. (fast foward to about 55 seconds)



Notice the ball drops relatively straight at the beginning then "breaks" more and more the further it travels.

This is the same principle that causes the "late break" appearance.

Click to expand...

This just describes how the Magnus Force acts on a spinning sphere, I see this flight path every time my golf ball dives into the water hazard on my left. This is how curve balls curve, not a secret. It doesn't address why some curve balls are described as having 'late break'. Some curve balls break more, some break less, but late break doesn't exist.

ArmWhip said:

This just describes how the Magnus Force acts on a spinning sphere, I see this flight path every time my golf ball dives into the water hazard on my left. This is how curve balls curve, not a secret. It doesn't address why some curve balls are described as having 'late break'. Some curve balls break more, some break less, but late break doesn't exist.

Click to expand...

If you haven't noticed, Riseball, yourself, and myself are all saying the exact same thing.

You say there is no such thing as a late break, as in a ball won't travel straight for 30 feet, then begin to break the last 13 feet.

Riseball said "... which in reality is increased movement at the end of a pitch." Which means the ball won't travel straight for the first 30 feet then break the last 13 feet, but rather it will break less in the first 30 feet than it does in the last 13 feet, creating an appearance of a late break.

I reinforced that idea showing magnus force is exponential.

We are all describing the same concept.

"I agree late break is a myth, at least in the sense that the trajectory of pitched balls are pretty much governed by the laws of physics, which tell us that the trajectory has to be pretty smooth. And certainly the constant-acceleration fit to the trajectory is necessarily smooth, as your comment indicates. However, it is also true that there is a *perception* of late break. In my view, the challenge to pitchf/x analyzers is to identify the characteristics of the smooth trajectory that give rise to the perception of late break.

Posted by: Alan Nathan"