With the start of another season, I thought I would discuss the science of baseball.
It is a discussion dominated by physics. It's not really all that surprising since physics is the study of interactions and forces, and most sports involve a lot of interactions.
However, not all aspects of the game of baseball are determined by physics alone.
For example, the question of whether or not to steal a base depends not only on the running ability of the player on base, but also on the psychology of the pitcher/catcher combination and the base coach.
It is an interesting example of psychology in action since both the pitcher and the runner are trying to guess whether the other is making a legitimate move or bluffing.
A pitcher throwing over to first hopes to catch the runner leaning with their weight transfer leaning towards second and not back towards first. If they guess right, the result will be a pick off. If they guess wrong, a wasted throw.
The runner, on the other hand, has to wait until the pitcher commits to the pitch before taking off for the next base. They must keep in mind that if the ball is actually hit, then they need to identify whether or not it is likely to be caught and act accordingly. But with the sound of the ball striking the catcher's mitt, they know their only safety lies in sliding into the next base.
Of course, once everything is set in motion, physics does take over. Scientists can calculate the reaction times and work out the optimal paths.
Physics tells us on any pitch other than a fastball, a good base runner will always make it. And even if the pitch is a fastball, getting a runner out requires a very precise throw from the catcher. Base stealers are generally more successful than not.
Another area of the game where psychology comes into play is catching the ball, specifically in the outfield. In the infield, it is purely a question of reflexes. There isn't sufficient time during a line drive for the brain to reflectively get the mitt on the ball.
And infield flies aren't really hard to catch. But in the outfield, there is enough time between the hit and the catch for the player to make a multitude of decisions.
How do players so effortlessly manage to get to just the right spot to make a catch?
The first issue is simply covering the ground. In a standard major league ball park, outfielders typically stand about 300 feet from home plate. And a ball hit to the outfield might stay aloft for five seconds.
This gives the player a short interval to cover a lot of ground. How much can they cover? World record sprint times would see an Olympic sprinter cover about 147 feet in that time. While fast, most outfielders are not that fast. They might cover 120 feet.
They also have to determine in which direction to run. As anyone who has ever played in the outfield knows, a few steps in the wrong direction can turn an easy catch into an unmakeable play. But with the right decisions, a good outfielder can cover the distance while the ball is in the air so most of the outfield is within reach.
The direction decision is also sometimes called the "outfielder problem" because it is difficult to determine just what clues a good fielder uses to decide where to run.
For example, both the power of the swing and the sound of the contact are definitely incorporated in the decision, but which dominates?
Most outfielders are fooled by a powerful swing resulting in a mishit and a little Texas league blooper. For most outfielders, it would appear the visual clues outweigh the auditory.
With a ball hit straight at them, it is much more difficult for an outfielder to judge distances. A ball hit to one side or the other provides an angular view letting the outfielder judge the speed. While running, the fielder keeps the ball at the same angle relative to their horizontal path.
Ensuring the ball moves upwards in the visual field at a constant velocity is also part of the mental equation.
A proper combination of these two angles will assure that a catch is made.
However, on a ball hit straight at a fielder, there is no horizontal component. Now it is purely a question of tracking the ball in the vertical direction and positioning the body to watch for a smooth vertical motion. Not anywhere near as easy.
But no one ever said catching is easy.
Indeed, catching anything is hard but catching a major league hit is truly a skill in itself. Baseball is a game of physics, psychology and science.
