Bat Plane - True or False

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Aug 20, 2020
79
18
Why exactly are we doing this exercise in mental masturbation?

Here's a simple example of why I think it's relevant. I would argue that:

1. If you hit a specific spot on the ball that is 5 degrees below the equator/center line of the ball (relative to the ground), then the ball will launch at 5 degrees. That, I believe, would hold true regardless of whether the sweet spot of the bat is traveling (again, relative to the ground) down, or up, or level.

2. If you then introduce the concept of friction, which correlates to spin, then you are better off hitting the ball - at that same spot 5 degrees below the equator - with the sweet spot traveling down, because that will result in back spin.

It sounds like something I've heard pro hitters say before.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113

Play around with the 2D collisions to your heart is content (obviously ignore the collisions with the walls). Assumption here is that the collision is planar (2D), involves point masses (so there is no rotation) and the collision is elastic. Solutions (4 unknowns eg 2 components of after-collision velocity for both masses e.g. ball and bat ) with these assumptions are generated using balance of linear momentum (2 equations), conservation of energy (kinetic; 1 equation ) and balance of angular momentum (1 equation).
 
Last edited:

fanboi22

on the journey
Nov 9, 2015
1,138
83
SE Wisconsin
So at what point does one 'barrel up' a ball? Is it that the bat comes in at that same line extended out of the ball at whatever ideal angle that is? Is a barreled up ball one that hits the exact sweet spot of the bat into the exact point in the ball that sends it out in the straight line at whatever angle? I have a hard time thinking that one wants to hit below the equator which would essentially not put all the bats power into the ball just to impart spin to get it to float more. is there any data on spin rates for home runs anywhere? I know they have alot of data but i think it is velo and angles.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
Okay I see what you're saying. Your example imagines hitting a different spot on the ball relative to the ground. Imagine hitting the same spot on the ball relative to the ground. As noted by someone earlier, pool provides a good example. Please forgive the "art" work, but the behavior of pool balls is informative. In the drawing below, the spot on the target ball that needs to be hit is relative to the pocket the shooter is trying to hit into. Regardless of the original location of the cue ball, or from which direction the cue ball travels, if the cue ball hits the spot on the target ball directly opposite the pocket, the target ball will go in the direction of the pocket [note some cue balls can't get to the spot].

7hAFpCa.jpg


In the baseball context, in order for the ball to travel at, say, a 15 degree angle relative to the ground, you simply need to locate the spot on the ball (again relative to the ground) that will produce that angle when a line is drawn from that spot through the center of the ball and out the other side. If the bat makes contact with that spot - regardless of which direction the bat is travelling - the ball will launch at 15 degrees. Again, forgive the "art" work:

pQM1cml.jpg


As you noted, I am discussing only the mechanical behavior/geometry of two round objects hitting each other, and discounting friction, air, force, etc. For those who keep posting pics of a baseball compressed upon contact with a bat, you're missing the point.
Gotcha, thanks for explaining. IMO, both do not lead to the same result because of the other factors we are leaving out of the equation, spin rate being one of them.
 
Aug 20, 2020
79
18
Gotcha, thanks for explaining. IMO, both do not lead to the same result because of the other factors we are leaving out of the equation, spin rate being one of them.
Not the same overall result, just the same initial direction of the ball off the bat.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
Not the same overall result, just the same initial direction of the ball off the bat.
Yes I believe both can have the same initial angle off the bat. Which one do you believe is most effective. Which path (Bat) would lead to a higher % of harder hit balls?
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top