The Sweet Spot is Pretty Sweet
Everyone knows that the sweet spot is the best place to hit a ball on a bat, but what really makes this the best place? The sweet spot is a very important spot on the bat, and without it, the ball will barely leave the infield. When someone hits the ball on the sweet spot, it feels very different from hitting the ball on the end of the bat or by the hands. Hitting the ball on the sweet spot makes it so the batter does not even feel the collision. There will be no vibrations, so therefore no stinging, when the batter hits the right area on the bat. Batters also have a hard time trying to extend through the ball when they do not hit the sweet spot. It is easy to extend and push the ball farther when the ball is
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Since some bats are longer and some are shorter, the exact measurements for the sweet spot are not exactly the same. Although, most sweet spots are located four to eight inches from the end of the barrel. And generally, there is only a 1.57-2.0 inch variation in the location of the sweet spot between all different types and sizes of bats (Baseball). Therefore, all of the sweet spots are in the same general location, and the location of the sweet spot does not differ between bats. The sweet spot on a 33 inch, 21 ounce aluminum softball bat is eight inches from the end of the barrel. Then, the sweet spot on a 33 inch, 33 ounce wooden baseball bat is seven inches from the end of the barrel. Even though the location of the sweet spot does not differ from bat to bat, there are still differences between what the sweet spot does for the bats. Aluminum and wooden bats are the most common types of bats used. These bats have some differences in the sweet spot. One difference, is that aluminum bats vibrate ten times as long as wooden bats do. Therefore, when a ball hits outside of the sweet spot on an aluminum bat, the vibration will be a little longer than wooden bats. Another difference, is that aluminum bats have a wider sweet spot than wooden bats. Usually what this means is that the bat it more forgiving for impacts outside of the sweet spot. So, aluminum bats still make the ball go far and do not sting the batter’s hands much when the ball is not hit on the sweet spot. Overall, the location of the sweet spot is generally in the same location on all types and sizes of bats, but how the sweet spot works is different (Russell, Daniel A., Ph.D.
expanded “sweet-spot”- the area of the bat that produces maximum hitting power. While the sweet spot on a wood bat is roughly 6 to 8 inches long, aluminum sweet spots can be twice that size”(43). James Braham, a writer for Machine Design, says that the new “aluminum baseball bats have actually taken over an estimated 90 to 95% of the market, with wood bats remaining largely in the professional major and minor baseball leagues”(James 56).
Or maybe alloy bats and composite bats The middle of the ball is called the “Cork”. The core of the ball is made of long fiber kapok, in 2004 high-visibility yellow optic covering. Alloy bat son the other hand, are thinner and have more responsive barrels. Alloy bats are also more durable because they are made of aluminum. Composite bats are made of a carbon fiber,graphite, and fiberglass, and some also have kevlar. Kevlar is a synthetic fiber of high tensile strength used especially as a reinforcing agent in the manufacture of tires and other rubber products and protective gear such as helmets and vests. There are many different parts of the bats which is a big part to make the player and who they are on the field. There is a knob which is the very base of the bat. Directly above that there is the grip for the players so they can grip the bat on the handle. Above the grip there is the barrel of the bat where the ball hits, it is also the thickest part of the baton top of that is the end cap on the end of the bat.
Dad said that one of these days I would figure it out, but to this day I am still clueless. I have always been able to throw a decent curve ball; you don’t just throw 6 one hit games in your high school career without one. I have always wondered why and how the ball curves through the air, and it wasn’t until now that I have really had the chance to research a topic that has puzzled me for so long. I would bet that even pitchers in the “Big show” don’t know how or why, but they obviously have the talent and ability.
The game of baseball can be divided into three broad categories: hitting, pitching, and defense. No other facet of the game gets as much attention as hitting. For example, every year the MLB puts on a home run derby. No other part of the game draws as much attention. The traditional statistic that measure hitting ability is batting average (BA or AVG). To find a players batting averag...
Many people might think that swinging the bat straight through the ball would be enough to hit the ball a decent distance off the bat. There's many more mechanics involved in the swinging process. Muscle has only a small part to play in the swinging a bat for power. There are two types of mechanics involved while swinging a bat, Linear and Rotational. Rotational mechanics are the dominant source of power in the swing. Out of the rotational mechanics come the two forces that help generate the speed and power of the swing, torque and the other comes from the energy of rotation. Speed from the energy of rotation comes from the path that your hands follow as you swing the bat. The speed generated by the circular rotation from your hands is like a ball at the end of a string, as long as your hands are moving in a circle then the ball continues to accelerate in a circle. So the bat will also move in at an increasing speed as long as your hands are following a circular path as you swing. Any foward movement of the hands or body in a straight line won't add to the overall bat speed.
Texas Tech has proven that hitting a softball is way harder to hit than a baseball. A softball pitcher is very close to you at the pitcher's mound. If you are in the batter's box it feels like they are right on top of you especially since most softball pitchers can be up to about 6 feet in height. It is scientifically proven that a softball player has less time to react to the ball because of the distance and speed of the pitch. Also, softball pitchers not only throw hard, but they also throw tricky pitches to hit. The pitch that rises upwards is called a rise ball. When this pitch comes in, most coaches will say just let it go instead of risking this pitch. Baseball players throw breaking balls, but unlike in softball they don't suddenly leap up right as you're going to swing at it. Pitchers in softball can also throw a curve ball that curves away from the batter but still in the strike zone. A screw ball moves closer to the batter. Same as a curve ball it is still in the strike zone just right on the edge of it. Softball players throw many more change ups than in baseball. Change ups catch the player off guard causing them to swing and become frustrated with themselves. As you can tell softball pitchers don't mess around using every inch of the plate to pitch the ball and strike the batter
My science report is about whether a corked aluminum bat hits a ball farther than a regular aluminum bat. But first before I get into that boring science stuff, I’ll tell you about the history of baseball. Baseball originated in American before the Civil War (1861-1865) the game was called rounders and was played in sand lots. The first professional team was founded in Cincinnati in 1869. During the 1950’s and 60’s the MLB really took off, it was a time for expansion for the American league and National league. Then new turf fields and new bigger stadiums changed the game forever in the 80’s, But in the 90’s it was all about getting home runs. There have been 245,913 home runs hit in MLB history, and that’s where the physics of cheating in baseball comes in.
The researcher has chosen to write this paper on hitting because she has played softball for twelve years and the perfect softball swing has always eluded her. The softball swing is one of the most difficult softball skills to achieve greatness in. There are a number of great hitters all with different batting stances and styles, each one comfortable to them. There are many different tactics and coaching ideas out there to help improve hitting. In fact, there are several videos now on the market to help the softball player perform better. Coaches often teach hitting drills to improve batting techniques and ability. Confidence is an important factor in hitting. If the player lacks confidence then she will not be a good hitter. Softball is not only a physical game but a mental game.
It’s a Sunday afternoon and the whole family is over at grandmother’s house playing a fun game of pickup baseball until they realize they do not know how to hit a baseball. Luckily it is a rather simple process that can easily be taught and learned.
Baseball is a fascinating sport that is exceptionally fun to play. This assignment is all about understanding the physics of a few key aspects of this sport. One might ask what physics could have to do with baseball? Like most sports baseball involves physical motion. Baseball encompasses all three planes of motion through throwing, hitting, and fielding. All of the classical laws of mechanics can be applied to understand the physics of this game.
When a boy or girl is of age we get “The Talk.” We all know what this “talk” is about and some of us know before we’re even told. Our parents gather us up trying to explain sex through metaphors like, “the birds and the bees”, or the biggest one “Baseball.” As we think about sex at a young age we say “Well this makes sense, Baseball is easy!” with few rules we follow along that baseball is a good metaphor to use, but is it? As we get older, understanding sex seems to be a little more difficult. In order for us to understand sex we have to be willing, so that we can understand the opposite sex. In Al Vernacchio’s speaks about metaphors in his TED Talk. Al says that “Sex Needs a New Metaphor. In today’s society, sex is talked about through baseball,
First off, the knuckle ball. It is called the hardest pitch to hit. A pitch that seemingly floats like a butterfly and then magically drops into the strike zone, dumbfounding the batter and almost always resulting in a strike out. But how is this pitch actually thrown? The name of the pitch essentially entails how the pitch is thrown, the pitcher curls his fingers into his hand, placing the knuckles of his fingers on the ball, and releasing the ball in this manner and fashion. But why does this work? It comes down to the position of the laces. By throwing the ball off the pitcher’s knuckles, the ball exhibits no spin throughout the entire duration of the pitch. This allows different lift forces within the air is passes to exert themselves upon the ball. By doing this, the ball is subject to different planar movements as a result of different lift forces manifesting themselves upon the baseball that is thrown. In a simplistic explanation, this is why a knuckle ball “knuckles” as it is thrown.
Aluminum bats are more durable then wood bats. They are also lighter than wood bats which means the ball coming off the bat will be faster then when it was pitched. Aluminum bats are hollow and wood bats are solid. The wood bat can go just as far an a aluminum bat but the wood bat is heavier then the aluminum bat. Aluminum bats can move a lot faster then when they were first made but the advancements in making the bats have come a long way since then so aluminum bats can hit farther then wood bats because they made them better. Aluminum bats have a bigger sweet spot then wood bats so it is harder to hit the ball farther then if you don't use the sweet spot it makes it harder to hit, if you don't use the sweet spot it will not be a very good hit ball. The sweet spot is the center at which the ball produced the least osculation which gives the maximum output and the ball will travel further. In 1986 they started to put weight limits on bats because the bat performance and impact with aluminum bats were having on the games it allowed grater bat swing speed and better bat control.
Every team requires one, and some say it is the hardest position on the field to play. The hind-catcher is without a doubt a necessity to every ball team’s success. This is the position who can take command of the playing field. If played well, one can have a major impact on how smoothly a team plays together and affect the outcome of the game. There are many requirements for the person who plays the role of the catcher: something as simple as being prepared to play the positon, to having the responsibility of making sure the team has a good relationship with each other. However, the most obvious requirement is the athletic ability required and being physically able to play the position. The position of catcher is not an easy position to play, but is essential to the game of baseball.
Many people don't understand the point in playing baseball. Why would someone swing a stick, hit a ball, and try to get back to where they started before the ball returns? What pleasure is there in that? Why not participate in a sport like wrestling or track where there is an obvious level of individual improvement and therefore pleasure. Well, I play baseball because of the love I have for the sport, and because of the feeling that overwhelms me every time I walk onto a baseball field. When I walk onto a field I am given the desire to better myself not only as an athlete, but also as a person. The thoughts and feelings I get drive me to work hard towards my goals and to be a better person. The most relevant example of these feelings is when I stepped on the field at Runyon Complex in Pueblo, Colorado during our high school state playoffs in 2003. This baseball field will always be an important place to me.