Natural drop movement on fastball?

[Bob516]

When a pitch moves significantly more in the last 25% of the time of flight than it does in the previous 75%, what is that if not a late break? More break?

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Reminds me of my days when I was a physics major. Made me smile, and glad I switched my major.

Can anyone explain why a ball will break more in the last 25%?

 

[Bob516]

Here's one that's a little easier. The scale is not correct, but it helps one see how break appears to be greater in the last third.

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Based on riseball's NASA is the ball really moving in a circular arc?

 

[shaker1]

Can anyone explain why a ball will break more in the last 25%?

Because the ball has slowed down, you will see more break with less speed.

 

[sluggers]

Do you mean players only, or even lame-rear dads? Myself included.

LOL...

I'm a LAD, and I've learned how to pick out the real stuff. The day my DD threw her first real drop ball almost cost me an eye. We were on a wooden gym. The ball was dove about 15 feet from the plate, hit the ground about 3 feet in front of the plate, and then came up like tennis forehand. I then started wearing shin guards and a mask.

One thing helpful is not to listen to the softball TV announcers when it comes to pitches. They are terrible.

There are several good drop ball pitchers around.

Good riseball pitchers are very rare. Don't believe it until you see it. Kelly Barnhill has a great riseball.

 

[Ken B]

Assuming a circular arc: a ball thrown from the left of the rubber to the opposite side of the plate, the ball will move more from the initial trajectory in the last few feet than a ball thrown straight.

I don't know if a ball actually curves more as it slows. I'd guess the same friction causing a decrease in MPH would also slow RPS.

I do believe the brain perceives less movement the farther the ball is from the eyes and sees more as it gets closer. Think about standing on the sidewalk of a straight stretch of highway, with a BMW M3 traveling towards you at 100 MPH. At 1/2 mile away, it's difficult to guess the speed. At a 1/4 a mile, it dawns on you that it's moving pretty quick. At 50 yards it blurs by you in a flash.

I suppose good hitters anticipate trajectory early on with good success whereas great hitters are able perceive and adjust later.

 

[sluggers]

Do you mean players only, or even lame-rear dads? Myself included.

LOL...

I'm a LAD, and I've learned how to pick out the real stuff. The day my DD threw her first real drop ball almost cost me an eye. We were on a wooden gym. The ball was dove hit the ground about 3 feet in front of the plate, and then came up like tennis forehand. Luckily for me, her control sucked. She missed my head by six inches. I then started wearing shin guards and a mask.

One thing helpful is not to listen to the softball TV announcers when it comes to pitches. They are terrible. Watch the spin and the movement.

There are several good drop ball pitchers around.

Good riseball pitchers are very rare. Never believe someone is throwing a rise until you see it. Kelly Barnhill has a great riseball.

 

[Bob516]

Because the ball has slowed down, you will see more break with less speed.

Does the rate of the break not change during the flight of the ball, it is just a matter of the viewer's perception?

 

[Bob516]

LOL...

I'm a LAD, and I've learned how to pick out the real stuff.

You don't sound like a LAD. I struggle to see any difference in pitches. For years I watched MLB and couldn't tell when a change up was thrown. I definitely couldn't tell a slider from a curve. Well, at least I could identify a knuckleball.

I am finally beginning to see change ups in softball, but nothing else.

 

[Rocketech1]

Anyone consider the fact that, just like velocity, the revolutions per second (RPS) on a drop ball decreases as soon as the ball leaves the hand?

 

[Ken B]

Can't believe no one has called me out on my mistake!

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