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Physics Of Pitching Essay

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In the 2014 season, Aroldis Chapman threw twice as many 100+ mph fastballs than the rest of the league combined. While “normal” pitchers stride 87% of their height, Chapman strides 120% of his height (6’4”), or 7 and ½ feet. Striding is directly related to pitch velocity because of the momentum that is created during striding.
Pitching, it is said, to be the most difficult position on the baseball field. There are lots of different things happening to the pitcher’s body when pitching. For example, Lizabeth Hardman states “When pitching a baseball,the created momentum is transferred through the pitcher’s body movements. When momentum is transferred from a larger object, (the pitcher) to a smaller object (the baseball), it causes the smaller …show more content…

The delivery that comes with the baseball is important too. For instance, Hardman states “When the ball is spinning forward as it moves, the pitcher is said to have topspin on it. When this happens, another principle of physics, Bernoulli’s principle, comes to play. Bernoulli’s principle says that the faster air moves over the surface of an object, the less pressure the air puts on the object. When a ball has topspin on it, the top of the ball is moving in the opposite direction from the flow of the air (relative to the direction of the ball) but the bottom of the ball is moving the same direction as the flow of the air. This creates drag on the top of the ball, and less on the bottom.” (Hardman, 2011) In addition, physics play a big part in one’s body when pitching a baseball.” According to Mechanics of Throwing, “ When one throws a baseball properly they are using their entire body to generate a large force to propel the baseball. The torque in the arm comes from all the forces in their body working together and acting on the arm. During the loading phase of throwing, one’s

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