The Physics of Baseball 366
beatleadam writes "After seeing Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitch a perfect game (coverage here), I searched Slashdot in the hopes of reading more about what the Slashdot readers thought of this feat of athleticism and science and to learn more about the physics of baseball (More information to be found here and here). As nothing was posted, I submit for your viewing pleasure a "course" in the Physics of Baseball and the subtle science that is pitching."
Re:Baseball happens in the real world... (Score:5, Insightful)
What other sport do you have stats like: Batting average with runners in scoring position, two outs, late innings, versus a right handed pitcher.
Baseball stats scream "geek".
Re:A perfect game? (Score:3, Insightful)
> Perfect game means no one reached base. You could actually pitch a perfect game in 27 pitches, all first pitch hits.
Quite right. And, you could also have a non-perfect game known as "facing the minimum" with 27 pitches. On the first pitch to a batter, the ball hits the batter, and he gets first base. Next pitch is grounded into a double play. This is also a no hitter. You could also face the minimum throwing 27 pitches without it being a no hitter if one or more first pitches are hit for singles followed by first pitch double plays.Imagine being the 27th batter. Do you swing at the first pitch no matter what?
The pitcher is not alone (Score:1, Insightful)
The pitcher gets too much praise for when most of the work is actually done by his teammates.
Re:Forget baseball. (Score:3, Insightful)
Why do people find it necessary to shit all over anything they don't like? Maybe submitting a story about the physics of hockey would be more constructive.
Re:The pitcher is not alone (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:The pitcher is not alone (Score:3, Insightful)
I'll agree with this in principle, but in this particular game, it didn't really look like the Diamondbacks needed anybody besides the local high school's 8 to secure the perfect game. See the 27 outs [mlb.com] if you're skeptical, but I'll summarize:
13 strikeouts
7 routine fly balls (one was basket-caught, of all things)
4 routine ground ball outs
a close out on a leadoff drag bunt
and a couple of decent plays by the shortstop. Nothing a big leaguer would take any credit for.
So in this case, while you certainly needed a AA-level first baseman and maybe a AAA-level shortstop, I don't think there was much else going on.
But if you're arguing that you needed warm bodies in the outfield and a third baseman to stand there and do nothing, I guess everybody did contribute.
Re:Perfect games more common now than before (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't see any way that media coverage affects a perfect game. And hitting talent being thinned should be canceled by the increase in population.
By the way, Nolan Ryan pitched seven no-hitters, which is an unmatched feat, but he never threw a perfect game. A perfect game has no walks as well as no hits.
Re:Perfect games more common now than before (Score:2, Insightful)
Since genuine home run hitters were few and far between, having a guy on first just meant you'd bear down on the next guy that much harder, as the run would only score on a long double or a triple. So, you could complete the game, but at the cost of a few extra base runners.
These days, nearly everyone fancies themselves as a home run threat, so you've got to get everyone out.
Just a thought.
Psychology (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Baseball (Score:3, Insightful)
==>Lazn
Re:Baseball - ultimate nerd sport? (Score:4, Insightful)