Related papers: Scattering of a Baseball by a Bat
Experiments are done by colliding a swinging bat with a stationary baseball or softball. Each collision was recorded with high-speed cameras, from which the post-impact speed, launch angle, and spin of the ball could be determined. Initial…
New measurements are presented of the lift on a spinning baseball. The experiment utilizes a pitching machine to project the baseball horizontally; a high-speed motion capture system to measure the initial velocity and angular velocity and…
In 2024, Major League Baseball released new bat tracking data, reporting swing-by-swing bat speed and swing length measured at the point of contact. While exciting, the data present challenges for their interpretation. The timing of the…
The problem of the mechanical evolution of a shock between a cylindrically symmetric bat and a spherical ball is solved in the strict rigid approximation for arbitrary values of the initial conditions. The friction during the impact is…
The speed-accuracy tradeoffs are prevalent in a wide range of physical systems. In this paper, we demonstrate speed-accuracy tradeoffs in the game of cricket, where 'batters' score runs on the balls bowled by the 'bowlers'. It is shown that…
We introduce a three-step framework to determine at which pitches Major League batters should swing. Unlike traditional plate discipline metrics, which implicitly assume that all batters should always swing at (resp. take) pitches inside…
We address the value of a baserunner at first base waiting to see if a ball in play falls in for a hit, before running. When a ball is hit in the air, the baserunner will usually wait, to gather additional information as to whether a ball…
Inspired by the turf-ball interaction in golf, this paper seeks to understand the bounce of a ball that can be modelled as a rigid sphere and the surface as supplying an elasto-plastic contact force in addition to Coulomb friction. A…
When a ball hits a surface, does the angle of reflection always equal the angle of incidence? Not at all! Depending on the interplay of the ball's spin and speed and the force of friction, the ball's behavior after the bounce may differ…
This study focuses on the rotation of the hips and shoulders during a baseball bat swing, analyzing the time-series changes in rotational angles, rotational velocities, and axes using marker position data obtained from a motion capture…
A ball rolled over a shallow step will experience an increase in velocity along the direction perpendicular to the step. This causes a deflection in the ball's trajectory. In this paper we derive the equations that describe the motion of a…
The baseball game is often seen as many contests that are performed between individuals. The duel between the pitcher and the batter, for example, is considered the engine that drives the sport. The pitchers use a variety of strategies to…
If a tennis ball is held above a basket ball with their centers vertically aligned, and the balls are released to collide with the floor, the tennis ball may rebound at a surprisingly high speed. We show in this article that the simple…
The problem of a disc and a ball rolling on a horizontal plane without slipping is considered. Differential constrained equations are shown to be integrated when the trajectory of the point of contact is taken in a form of the natural…
A detailed set of experiments are described that capture over a 1000 different instances of the bounce of a golf ball. Video analysis is used to capture velocity and spin immediately prior to and subsequent to each bounce for a wide variety…
In the game of cricket, the result of coin toss is assumed to be one of the determinants of match outcome. The decision to bat first after winning the toss is often taken to make the best use of superior pitch conditions and set a big…
There is a widespread notion in cricketing world that with increasing pace the performance of a bowler improves. Additionally, many commentators believe lower order batters to be more vulnerable to pace. The present study puts these two…
In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of the home team bunting in extra innings of Major League Baseball games when the game is tied in the bottom of the inning. Using methods rooted in causal inference, we show that teams choose…
From 2020 to 2023, Major League Baseball changed rules affecting team composition, player positioning, and game time. Understanding the effects of these rules is crucial for leagues, teams, players, and other relevant parties to assess…
Spin plays a pivotal role in ball-based sports. Estimating spin becomes a key skill due to its impact on the ball's trajectory and bouncing behavior. Spin cannot be observed directly, making it inherently challenging to estimate. In table…