The Physics of Baseball

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."

Comments

Forget baseball.

[DR SoB]

It's boring as physics 101 is..

Instead look at the physics of HOCKEY! Now there is something interesting.. A 250lbs player moving on a surface at 45km/h with almost 0 friction, hitting another 220lbs player into the boards traveling in the opposite direction, cause X joules of energy to be transferred to the glass.. :D

Re:Forget baseball.

[DR SoB]

Well thanks for the insight professor.. I guess you skipped English class though, note the word "almost".. And you're wrong anyways, I was only talking about surface friction in that sentence, there are other types, such as air friction..

Oh and BTW: The players crash into the wall all the time due to the LOW surface friction.. Man your 1 sentence is wrong on so many levels it's funny..

Athleticism?

[sunderland56]

Exactly what is athletic about baseball? Stand around in a field for two hours, occasionally catching and throwing a ball.... kinda like playing with a three-year-old. Not exactly an Olympic event.

Pitching is just as athletic as darts, or bowling, or archery. It's an accuracy thing, a skill, not an athletic event.

Randy Johnson is probably in fairly good shape. But look at some of the stars of the game: Mark McGuire is listed as being 6' 5" and weighing 250 pounds when he played - a BMI of 29.6. Than's officially "overweight", and just a tiny hair below "obese", by government standards. That's probably why he used to hit home runs - then he can trot around the bases, instead of actually having to run.

Re:Laws of baseball physics

[Zerbey]

The law by which Red Sox and Cubs are repelled by the World Series and especially by the prospect of each other's presence in it.

The Red Sox, at least claim that they have broken the curse by destroying (in spectacular fashion) the offending ball that ruined their World Series chances last year.

I'm still hedging my bets on a Yankees win this year, though.

Re:Red Sox Fan

[Shant3030]

Red Sox suck

- Yankee fan

btw... its not a rivalry when one team is 26-0