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jtotheizzoe: The Physics of Baseball Pitches Five ounces of cork, yarn and leather is all it takes to produce high-velocity, mind-blowing physics. The movement of a baseball through the air is due to three things: The pitcher’s arm (moving it forward), gravity (moving it down), and air resistance from the spinning seams (which causes side-to-side, sinking and “rising” motion). Gravity will always pull a pitch down as it travels to the plate, but back and side spin create areas of high pressure on one side of the ball (“The Magnus Effect”, named for its discoverer). This creates a force that pushes the ball in the opposite direction, whether it be sideways (likea  slider), down (a sinker), or causing it to sink more slowly than normal (the “rising” pitch illusion). Check out: The physics behind 7 famous baseball pitches All about The Magnus Effect A 1959 paper studying the aerodynamics of a pitched baseball (where they wind tunnel shot above came from). A Science Channel video all about the physics of pitching For the truly curious, a REALLY in-depth and technical look into the physics of moving baseballs Some believe that current pitchers have reached the biomechanical limits for pitch velocity and movement. When you consider the sheer neuromuscular perfection seen in this jaw-dropping overlaid GIF of the Rangers’ Yu Darvish, I can see how that might appear to be the case (via Reddit): Perhaps more than in any other sport, baseball pitchers embody the astonishing combination of precision and power in the heart of our motor neurons: Producing unbelievable force and grace, with nearly identical repetition, a couple hundred times a week. 
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jtotheizzoe:

The Physics of Baseball Pitches

Five ounces of cork, yarn and leather is all it takes to produce high-velocity, mind-blowing physics. The movement of a baseball through the air is due to three things: The pitcher’s arm (moving it forward), gravity (moving it down), and air resistance from the spinning seams (which causes side-to-side, sinking and “rising” motion).

Gravity will always pull a pitch down as it travels to the plate, but back and side spin create areas of high pressure on one side of the ball (“The Magnus Effect”, named for its discoverer). This creates a force that pushes the ball in the opposite direction, whether it be sideways (likea  slider), down (a sinker), or causing it to sink more slowly than normal (the “rising” pitch illusion).

Check out:

Some believe that current pitchers have reached the biomechanical limits for pitch velocity and movement. When you consider the sheer neuromuscular perfection seen in this jaw-dropping overlaid GIF of the Rangers’ Yu Darvish, I can see how that might appear to be the case (via Reddit):

Perhaps more than in any other sport, baseball pitchers embody the astonishing combination of precision and power in the heart of our motor neurons: Producing unbelievable force and grace, with nearly identical repetition, a couple hundred times a week. 

2013 Mariners Intro Video

This is some amazing editing.

Let’s See How Far We’ve Come

It’s been an incredibly busy season already for the Seattle Mariners. Nobody could have predicted all that has happened so far. So here’s a quick recap of the moves that have happened in the past two weeks.

  • Outfiedler Casper Wells designated for assignment
  • Outfielder Jason Bay signed
  • Kameron Loe designated for assignment
  • Starting pitcher Aaron Harang acquired from the Colorado Rockies just days after being traded from the LA Dodgers
  • Starting pitcher Blake Beaven moved to the bullpen from the starting rotation to accommodate Aaron Harang.
  • Outfielder Michael Saunders placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right shoulder after crashing into the outfield wall during a catch
  • Outfieder Endy Chavez selected from AAA to replace Michael Saunders
  • Outfielder Michael Morse out of the game for a week after fracturing his pinky from being hit by a pitch
  • Outfielder Franklin Gutierrez is playing on a touch-and-go basis with leg stiffness.
  • Lucas Luetge optioned to AAA after the Mariners exhaust their bullpen in a 16-9 loss to the Astros when Brandon Maurer failed to make it out of the fist inning of his first home start
  • Reliever Bobby Lafromboise called up to replace Luetge in the bullpen
  • Reliever Stephen Pryor placed on the 15-day with a torn lat muscle (corresponding move TBA)

Have you ever seen a team fall apart so fast? Dealing with all of this, the team rests at a record of 6-8 as of 4/15/2013, which is their first off day of the season. 

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