Are pitchers throwing harder these days?

[lisiate]

@Cheesesteak

Sure, just not during a game. 98.6mph… at home plate.

Found this nice site discussing the fastest ever pitches and how the exact value is calculated.

That’s an awesome page - which backs up it’s claims with strong citations.

As with cricket I think that pitchers have reached the point of diminishing returns. While you might be able to eke out a mile or two by going even harder it won’t make sense in gameplay terms.

[Peremensoe]

@Novelty_Bobble

Would that make any detectable difference to the force applied to the bat at point of contact or the catcher glove? I suspect not.
It is rather like the “hang time” myth in basketball.

Hitting different kinds of pitches can certainly feel different to the batter, because of the spin; some balls are “heavier” than others.

But I was talking about the force exerted by the pitcher’s arm–depending on the pitcher and the pitch, it’s perfectly possible for some of the hardest thrown balls to not be the fastest ones.

[Novelty_Bobble]

@spark240

Hitting different kinds of pitches can certainly feel different to the batter, because of the spin; some balls are “heavier” than others.

But I was talking about the force exerted by the pitcher’s arm–depending on the pitcher and the pitch, it’s perfectly possible for some of the hardest thrown balls to not be the fastest ones.

Define “hardest” because the only definition that makes sense to me would be the amount of force exerted on contact with bat or glove.

Can you clarify? are you saying that some slower balls can be spun in such a way as to exert more force than a faster ball?

I’m not saying you are wrong but it sounds unlikely to me and I’m not aware of any data that backs that up.

[Peremensoe]

Well, I should acknowledge that “hard throwing” in baseball is usually understood (as in the OP) to mean simply velocity to the plate. I was responding to your use of the phrase “carrying more force,” pointing out that velocity to the plate is only part of the way in which pitched balls embody the energy of the pitcher’s delivery.

Pitches may be differentiated in their action (as opposed to just looking at the pitcher’s grip) by measuring their axis, direction and rate of spin, as well as forward velocity.* It’s the interaction of all these that produces the range of movements in pitched balls (even fastballs). The nature of this movement at the moment of contact with the bat, and the way it translates to the behavior of the batted ball, has long caused batters to perceive some pitches as “heavy.” Whether this is appropriately described, in physics terms, as the pitched ball exerting more force upon the bat, I don’t know.

• In theory. The actual practice of this is a relatively nascent science, as suggested by the complications here.

[Novelty_Bobble]

@spark240

Well, I should acknowledge that “hard throwing” in baseball is usually understood (as in the OP) to mean simply velocity to the plate. I was responding to your use of the phrase “carrying more force,” pointing out that velocity to the plate is only part of the way in which pitched balls embody the energy of the pitcher’s delivery.

Pitches may be differentiated in their action (as opposed to just looking at the pitcher’s grip) by measuring their axis, direction and rate of spin, as well as forward velocity.* It’s the interaction of all these that produces the range of movements in pitched balls (even fastballs). The nature of this movement at the moment of contact with the bat, and the way it translates to the behavior of the batted ball, has long caused batters to perceive some pitches as “heavy.” Whether this is appropriately described, in physics terms, as the pitched ball exerting more force upon the bat, I don’t know.

• In theory. The actual practice of this is a relatively nascent science, as suggested by the complications here.

OK, I see what you are saying here. Same words and phrases, different meanings. I have no problem with that. I certainly see how the “feel” of the ball off the bat will be interpreted differently depending on how it is moving and spinning.

As for nascent science, have a look at the dark art of “reverse swing” in cricket. Equally as much of a black art and mired in myth and legend.