Bat Speed -- Baseball Hitting Forum

Posted by: Mickey O (m.p.oconnor@cox.net) on Sun Jun 29 14:06:59 2003

Dr. Alan M. Nathan / has an excellent web site on the physic of baseball at http://www.npl.uiuc.edu/~a-nathan/pob. In his “talks” section he has posted a simplified equation for estimating batted ball speed for “Major League” conditions (MLB baseball COR (coefficient of restitution) and wood bat) that states:
Velocity of Batted Ball in miles per hour = 0.25 times Velocity of the Pitched Ball + 1.25 times Velocity of the Bat at Impact.
Assuming a 90 mph fastball and an 85 mph bat speed, the speed of the ball coming off the bat would be about 125 to 130 miles per hour.

The “Physics of Baseball” by Dr. Adair is a good book as suggested by the previous reply. You may also want to check out “Keep Your Eye on the Ball – Curve Balls, Knuckleballs and Fallacies of Baseball” by Drs. Watts and Bahill. This book has a more advanced discussion on estimating the rotation rate of a ball coming off a bat. MLB Curve balls may have rotation rates of 1600 – 2000 rpm. It is possible for a batted ball to have 2 – 3 times that rate.

Hits! Hits! Hits! Mickey O
www.yorktownrevolution.org

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> Dr. Alan M. Nathan / has an excellent web site on the physic of baseball at http://www.npl.uiuc.edu/~a-nathan/pob.  In his “talks” section he has posted a simplified equation for estimating batted ball speed for “Major League” conditions (MLB baseball COR (coefficient of restitution) and wood bat) that states:
> Velocity of Batted Ball in miles per hour = 0.25 times Velocity of the Pitched Ball + 1.25 times Velocity of the Bat at Impact. 
> Assuming a 90 mph fastball and an 85 mph bat speed, the speed of the ball coming off the bat would be about 125 to 130 miles per hour.
> 
> The “Physics of Baseball” by Dr. Adair is a good book as suggested by the previous reply.  You may also want to check out “Keep Your Eye on the Ball – Curve Balls, Knuckleballs and Fallacies of Baseball” by Drs. Watts and Bahill.  This book has a more advanced discussion on estimating the rotation rate of a ball coming off a bat.  MLB Curve balls may have rotation rates of 1600 – 2000 rpm.  It is possible for a batted ball to have 2 – 3 times that rate.
> 
> Hits! Hits! Hits!  Mickey O 
> www.yorktownrevolution.org

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