Where is pitching speed calculated?

[Bs61sdad]

I wont get into the whole rise ball rises or drops less than gravity would dictate argument in this thread...

But either way, there is no acceleration involved. No engine or source of force being applied to directly to the ball - no acceleration. Laces/etc may effect direction or break but it cannot effect acceleration positively - only negatively. Laces do not provide energy.

I was hoping spin could be a temporary force and some physics guru could tell me how to get spin to increase speed using laces to soar until the spin died out. I'll go back to the concession stand and break the bad news to all the other dads. The moral of this story is to use movement pitches and not rely on a fastball. Also, speed isn't everything, as I eluded to at the beginning.

 

[marriard]

I was hoping spin could be a temporary force and some physics guru could tell me how to get spin to increase speed using laces to soar until the spin died out. I'll go back to the concession stand and break the bad news to all the other dads. The moral of this story is to use movement pitches and not rely on a fastball. Also, speed isn't everything, as I eluded to at the beginning.

Yeah - sorry - not under the physics rules of this universe. Depending on where the pitch is actually released from the hand (i.e. the last time force is applied to the ball) you can make a pretty straightforward math equation for the amount of speed lost over the distance of a pitch.

This guy gets most of this right if you like math (baseball distances though):
http://spiff.rit.edu/richmond/baseball/traj/traj.html

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Make sure your team changes the batteries in the ball every year too.

Not a bad idea to fill the bats with nitrogen. You will get a more consistent pop across different field altitudes.

Then the last recommendation I have is cooking oil for the bottom of cleats. This easily takes a second off the home-to-first times.

;-)

 

[kenb63]

Also, be aware that movement pitches don't work as well on the Summer Solstice (June 21) because the gravitational force of the Sun in it's northernmost altitude affects the spin of the ball (btw, this would apply to December 21st in Australia and NZ). On June 21 most coaches worth their salt know to go with fastballs all day long, especially when the sun is to the catcher's back, as the added gravitational pull adds MPH.

 

[MandM]

Kidding aside, I have a question about the rate at which velocity declines once the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. Is this rate of decline the same for every pitcher? My DD's PC has remarked on more than one occasion that her pitches - maintain speed compared to her other students. She said normally you'd expect a 4-5mph decline, but DD's pitches are only 1-2 mph-different (DD pitches 55-56) is this a real phenomenon? I have tried to wrap my brain around it and can't seem to get it to add up.

 

[quincy]

Kidding aside, I have a question about the rate at which velocity declines once the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. Is this rate of decline the same for every pitcher?

Yes, all the same.

 

[MandM]

sadly, that makes perfect sense- thx

 

[Bs61sdad]

If anyone goes back and reads this, I was being facetious last March. I was looking for where to aim the gun but I got caught up in the fun. I was asking because the WCWS was emphasizing speed...Do you aim the gun to pick up the ball right out of the release or near the plate? Does the gun accidentally pick up the arm whip instead? My DD is reaching the age where all the pitchers will throw basically the same speed.

 

[JAD]

I don't think speed is everything, but how do you calculate a pitcher's speed when the ball is accelerating all the way from release to glove?

I would suggest you watch "Big Bang Theory" on a regular basis and hope some of it sinks in.

 

[JAD]

If anyone goes back and reads this, I was being facetious last March. I was looking for where to aim the gun but I got caught up in the fun. I was asking because the WCWS was emphasizing speed...Do you aim the gun to pick up the ball right out of the release or near the plate? Does the gun accidentally pick up the arm whip instead? My DD is reaching the age where all the pitchers will throw basically the same speed.

Maximum velocity of the ball will be achieved immediately after release from the pitchers hand. You need to guard against measuring the arm speed vs. the ball speed by gunning too early.