Hitting with backspin- Fact or Fiction?

[RayR]

My point exactly....anytime you hit an object below center you will impart back spin on the ball....hitting below center will also create lift....they go hand in hand....this is regardless of the bat path....

In golf - you aim to strike the ball under the center which creates back spin....regardless of the club you are using....driver path will hit on the up path....irons you hit on the down path - but both hit under center....and all clubs create back spin because you are hitting below center....and guess what - the ball goes up....common sense regardless what our internet expert thinks....

[video]http://youtu.be/0mPAlrikWcw[/video]

He says that generally any great swing, e.g. a fast swing where the ball is struck on the good part of the bat, propelling the ball upward at a desirable angle, will likely generate the typical beneficial backspin.

From physics of baseball...

Balls hit for distance usually have appreciable backspin. About 2000 rpm.

Spin generates force perpendicular to motion, in this case basically upward, creating lift.

Lift means reduction in the degree of optimum hit angle. I.e. instead of hitting ball 45', 35' is more optimum.

Lift means ball in the air longer, which means more distance for the type of hits we are talking about.

However, there is a countering force, increased drag on ball due to spin.

Author calculates ball hit 385 without backspin, hit at 35' angle, would travel roughly 400' with 2000rpm backspin.

Author gives caveat that neither backspin or drag effect is precisely known, so his calculations aren't exact, but within a small error.

Later in the book the author states that backspin add distance to long drives at the rate of about 1 foot per 100 rmp of backspin.

A critical point is then made: according to the author, the batter has little control over the spin imparted on the ball (do we believe this?) He says that generally any great swing, e.g. a fast swing where the ball is struck on the good part of the bat, propelling the ball upward at a desirable angle, will likely generate the typical beneficial backspin.

A final note is that author claims that batters who attempt to groove their bat surface in order to generate more bat spin are in reality likely doing little

 

[Chris O'Leary]

My point exactly....anytime you hit an object below center you will impart back spin on the ball....hitting below center will also create lift....they go hand in hand....this is regardless of the bat path....

In golf - you aim to strike the ball under the center which creates back spin....regardless of the club you are using....driver path will hit on the up path....irons you hit on the down path - but both hit under center....and all clubs create back spin because you are hitting below center....and guess what - the ball goes up....common sense regardless what our internet expert thinks....

I'm INCREDIBLY impressed with the level of talent on this board; how many people can do something that even Ted Williams couldn't do.

Also, a golf ball isn't moving, and the club face has grooves, both of which things make it a bit easier to spin the ball.

 

[lhowser]

My point exactly....anytime you hit an object below center you will impart back spin on the ball....hitting below center will also create lift....they go hand in hand....this is regardless of the bat path....

that is true but all backspin is not equal. The reason I posted the video of the ball deforming on impact with a hard object is to suggest that backspin created on a ball via a downward blow has quite a different net effect than backspin created with an upward path. Because of how the ball deforms at contact it is possible to create backspin and not strike the ball below center. That is why bat path is relevant.

 

[RayR]

If you read my post again (seems to be a running theme that you assume the wrong meanings in my posts) - I never stated it was a goal to try and impart back spin on the ball or to try and swing down on the ball...just pointing out that if the ball goes up because it is hit below center there is back spin....back spin allows the ball to carry...top spin will reduce carry but create more roll....btw a driver has virtually no grooves and the ball will still has some back spin if the head comes in square....

Carry on, Mr Perfect....

I'm INCREDIBLY impressed with the level of talent on this board; how many people can do something that even Ted Williams couldn't do.

Also, a golf ball isn't moving, and the club face has grooves, both of which things make it a bit easier to spin the ball.

 

[RayR]

If a bat path has a slight upswing into contact and hits the ball below center compared to a downward path of the bat into contact hitting below center - yes there will be different spin rates

But, you will be much less efficient hitting the ball with a down swing into contact due to a mis matched bat path to the oncoming pitch...the reward of more spin does not match the risk IMO...unless you are playing slow pitch...lol

that is true but all backspin is not equal. The reason I posted the video of the ball deforming on impact with a hard object is to suggest that backspin created on a ball via a downward blow has quite a different net effect than backspin created with an upward path. Because of how the ball deforms at contact it is possible to create backspin and not strike the ball below center. That is why bat path is relevant.

 

[Jim]

Can anyone make out the spin on this ball?

I know I can't.

If you can't conclude from seeing this clip that the ball off the bat has backspin, you've lost credibility with me and I'm sure others.

 

[mrslug01]

He clearly shows two clips earlier in this thread where you can see no spin.

 

[mrslug01]

If you read my post again (seems to be a running theme that you assume the wrong meanings in my posts) - I never stated it was a goal to try and impart back spin on the ball or to try and swing down on the ball...just pointing out that if the ball goes up because it is hit below center there is back spin....back spin allows the ball to carry...top spin will reduce carry but create more roll....btw a driver has virtually no grooves and the ball will still has some back spin if the head comes in square....

Carry on, Mr Perfect....

But the ball is sitting there and the club face in angled to go UNDER the ball creating back spin.

 

[Sweet Lou]

He clearly shows two clips earlier in this thread where you can see no spin.

I don't think anyone is saying you can't hit a HR without backsping. Just that the most of us seem to agree that the majority of HRs are in fact hit with backspin.

I could post images of Byun-Hyun Kim, Chad Bradford and Brad Ziegler as evidence that MLB pitchers throw underhand. It wouldn't change the fact that most MLB pitchers do not in fact throw underhand.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

If you can't conclude from seeing this clip that the ball off the bat has backspin...

I'm impressed that you can see the spin of the ball, given that it's one gigantic blur.