Posted by: Sid Stewart (ss1971@lcc.edu) on Tue Dec 18 11:56:56 2001

>
> From a physics point of view, there are two factors:
> 1- momentum = mass X velocity
> in other words the batspeed times the weight (laymen't terms, not scientifically accurate but good enough for the purpose since we only deal with baseball on Earth)
> the original post specified same 30 oz, 34 inch bat for both hitters. Details include how much of mass is in bathead, etc.
> 2- every action has an equal and opposite reaction
> in collisions, the two objects (ball and bat) carry momentum and direction of that momentum into contact. The bat with much greater mass and in this example 10 MPH greater velocity will result in the bat slowing slightly and the ball careening the in opposite direction some distance.
> You can change a lot of variables in this equation but the original post set them all equal. Joe A's point only shows that it is not only batspeed but bat mass that affect the outcome. Aluminum bats alter the equation because a bat with less mass can employ rebound effects that change the dynamic of the contact. but in the original example it was the same bat, same ball, same velocities, etc.
>
> I think what is being asked is:
> is it possible for two individuals to swing with the same batspeed at contact yet one swings harder at the same speed than the other.
> How could this happen?

I can think of a couple of possibilties, but maybe they are voodoo.

One batter might maintain more batspeed during ball contact. Possibly for a small fraction of a millisecond longer due to greater inertia of his arms and hands ?

Or because of the grip, could the hand mass couple to the bat mass slightly so that the ball "sees" a greater mass colliding with it ?

Sid