View Full Version : Could you hit a MLB fastball?
Ltlabner
09-15-2006, 08:13 AM
Kind of a goofy Friday question....
Do you think you could hit a MLB fastball, about 91-94MPH, right down broadway ?
Regulation scenario...standing at GABP, normal mound, distance to the plate, etc.
Do you think you would actually hit it or just foul one off? By "hit" I mean, put the ball in play. Not just make contact.
BuckWoody
09-15-2006, 08:27 AM
Not in a trial of a hundred years. I might be able to foul off a couple around year 86, though.
note -- I can hit some wicked liners and the occasional HR at the 90 mph booth in the HoF...so I got that going for me. ;)
Not with a wood bat, but maybe with an aluminum bat that has a 1 3/4" barrell.
TOBTTReds
09-15-2006, 08:33 AM
Well, here is the obvious over-analytical question: Who is pitching? Chris Michalek, yes. Justin Verlander, No. I bet 90-92 would be my limit to float one out to right, but I haven't faced live pitching in a few years.
Ltlabner
09-15-2006, 08:44 AM
Well, here is the obvious over-analytical question: Who is pitching? Chris Michalek, yes. Justin Verlander, No. I bet 90-92 would be my limit to float one out to right, but I haven't faced live pitching in a few years.
Can Michalek even reach 91-94MPH and get it over the plate at the same time? :evil:
HumnHilghtFreel
09-15-2006, 09:02 AM
I could probably hit it. How far is another question entirely.
zombielady
09-15-2006, 09:11 AM
I could probably hit it. How far is another question entirely.
Even if, by some miracle I did, it would probably break my arm...
scounts22
09-15-2006, 09:14 AM
I probably could if I just stuck the bat out and didn't swing. :D
MrCinatit
09-15-2006, 09:21 AM
What, are you kidding? I would bail before the ball left the guy's hand.
cumberlandreds
09-15-2006, 09:37 AM
It would be suicidal for me to try. I doubt that I could foul off the slowest of any MLB pitcher. Then again I am 43 years old.
Danny Serafini
09-15-2006, 09:45 AM
I can't make contact against a fast pitch softball machine in a batting cage. Against an MLB fastball I'd do nothing but embarass myself.
redsmetz
09-15-2006, 09:51 AM
I doubt I could hit a 65 MPH pitch, so not even from Michaelek, but then again, I'm approaching 52!
I probably couldn't even hit this guy:
http://www.aip.org/history/newsletter/fall2003/images/edison_thomas.jpg
oneupper
09-15-2006, 09:52 AM
Define "hit"
Red Leader
09-15-2006, 09:53 AM
I'm betting that I could make solid contact.
If you know it's going to be a fastball right down broadway, from that point it's just timing.
Jefferson24
09-15-2006, 10:13 AM
Yep, with enough swings to get my timing down I could make some kind of contact. Putting good wood on it, now that's another thing altogether. Start throwing curves, sliders and breaking pitches and I would look like a little leaguer up there.
redsrule2500
09-15-2006, 10:16 AM
Probably...I've hitten 85MPH pitches, so I'm assuimg I could.
guttle11
09-15-2006, 10:20 AM
I'm betting that I could make solid contact.
If you know it's going to be a fastball right down broadway, from that point it's just timing.
Exactly. If I knew it's going to be right down the middle, then it's just a matter of catching up to it.
Now, if we're talking about the curvy pitches, then I may as well not even bring a bat, cause it won't help.
Sean_CaseyRules
09-15-2006, 10:45 AM
My team played Ft. Laurmie (SP?) Is baseball and their pitcher threw like 92?? I hit a 2B off him, as a pinch hitter.
dabvu2498
09-15-2006, 11:07 AM
13 dreamers here now, huh...
Highlifeman21
09-15-2006, 11:11 AM
It really is all timing.
Given a pedestrian fastball with a lack of movement, you just need to find a way to get the bat thru the zone and make contact.
Am I saying I could put it in fair territory on a fly out of the infield? Probably not.
It's all in the definition of "hit"
Ltlabner
09-15-2006, 11:12 AM
It really is all timing.
Given a pedestrian fastball with a lack of movement, you just need to find a way to get the bat thru the zone and make contact.
Am I saying I could put it in fair territory on a fly out of the infield? Probably not.
It's all in the definition of "hit"
Hit, as in, put the ball in play.
Not hit, as in just make contact.
flyer85
09-15-2006, 11:15 AM
I think most are overstimating 0.3 seconds.
Ltlabner
09-15-2006, 11:18 AM
wrong thread
I was wondering what an ESPN motorsports reporter had anything to do with hitting a fastball........ :help:
dabvu2498
09-15-2006, 11:21 AM
I think most are overstimating 0.3 seconds.
Word... 90 mph is fast. 70 mph is fast if you've never seen it before.
flyer85
09-15-2006, 11:21 AM
I was wondering what an ESPN motorsports reporter had anything to do with hitting a fastball........ :help:I'm sure there could be some analogy in there, such as looks much faster in person than on television.
Red Leader
09-15-2006, 11:25 AM
I think most are overstimating 0.3 seconds.
I hit fastballs that were up to 95-98 mph in college, and I was a catcher. Granted, that was (oh my God) about 10 years ago.
So, if you're saying you get 1 fastball in the middle of the plate and you have to come out of the stands with no warm ups, stand in the box, swing at it, make solid contact and get what would amount to a base hit in MLB, I doubt very many people could do that. Hitting a 90+ mph fastball isn't easy. No way could you get the timing down in 1 pitch.
If you're saying that you get 10 pitches and have to make contact with 1 of them and hit it squarely, I still think I could do that.
If nothing else, it'd be fun to try.
Razor Shines
09-15-2006, 11:27 AM
It really is all timing.
Given a pedestrian fastball with a lack of movement, you just need to find a way to get the bat thru the zone and make contact.
Am I saying I could put it in fair territory on a fly out of the infield? Probably not.
It's all in the definition of "hit"
If you made decent contact I bet you'd get it out of the infield, it wouldn't take much at that speed.
I voted yes, but if the question is if right now I could walk out there and do it in 3 strikes, maybe but probably not. Give me a day or two to swing a bat and practice I think I could easily do it. I faced guys that threw that hard in college.
Ltlabner
09-15-2006, 11:30 AM
Given time and practice (say like 10 years) I think I could hit one.
My biggest problem, however, is actually standing still while that ball is wizzing by me faster than a car on the interstate.
Even in little league I could help but flinch everytime the ball came towards me at home plate. Perhaps I've out grown that, I don't know (haven't been to a batting cage in 20+ years). But if I haven't, that might make getting a hit slightly more challenging.
flyer85
09-15-2006, 11:33 AM
In general the large majority of people have neither the eyes, nor the years of training to be able to do it.
Chip R
09-15-2006, 11:36 AM
I'd say not only no, but hell no.
Of course trying to hit breaking stuff is fun too. When I go to the cages, every once in a while they will throw in something that has a little bit of a break on it and I miss it by a foot and a half.
SunDeck
09-15-2006, 11:38 AM
It's not hard to hit a ball in the 90s if you play baseball. That's just timing. It's hard to hit one that is moving away from you or up, or down, or that you didn't see until it was on top of you, or that a pitcher has you thinking will be a breaking ball....
That's a major league fastball.
And no, I can't hit one now, nor could I when I was an 18 year old, batting .350.
Ravenlord
09-15-2006, 12:32 PM
last year at this time, yes, and probably with some authority. right now, probably at best soft liners in the infield.
zombie-a-go-go
09-15-2006, 01:03 PM
I could lean into one and reach base, I bet.
Course, I'd cry like a little girl.
CTA513
09-15-2006, 01:11 PM
Kind of a goofy Friday question....
Do you think you could hit a MLB fastball, about 91-94MPH, right down broadway ?
Regulation scenario...standing at GABP, normal mound, distance to the plate, etc.
Do you think you would actually hit it or just foul one off? By "hit" I mean, put the ball in play. Not just make contact.
How many pitches do we get a chance to hit?
If we get as many as we want, then I would think I could catch up to one after adjusting to the speed. Now if we had 3 strikes and your out, then I would have no chance.
Newman4
09-15-2006, 01:45 PM
I have hit pitches that fast in the batting cage, but I really don't think I ever faced any pitchers that threw that hard.
thatcoolguy_22
09-15-2006, 02:24 PM
I have a friend of mine that was drafted out of high school into the braves organization and he threw 88-92 in HS. I hit off of him a lot in simulated games. His curve ball was marginal but for the question asked I think i can still hit a baseball down broadway at 92 :)
gonelong
09-15-2006, 03:10 PM
My team played Ft. Laurmie (SP?) Is baseball and their pitcher threw like 92?? I hit a 2B off him, as a pinch hitter.
Ft. Loramie - what year?
I had this argument with a couple of guys from my high school. We were debating if we could get a bat on a 100 MPH straight fastball. I pretty much stated I could hit anyone's fastball (and no ones curveball). We cranked up the pitching machine to 90 and I had no problem raking it. We cranked it up higher (unknown speed), and I was hitting a large percentage of them very well. Another guy wanted to take a few swings so he moved into the box. The guy feeding the machine thought he'd try something a bit different and the ball came out a bit differently, hitting the guy in the side. He had quite a bruise and you could easily make out all where all the stictches on the ball had hit him, ouch. Thus our little experiment ended.
While I certainly couldn't do it now, I'd have no issue stating that in 1988 I could have not only hit the ball, but I would have hit it with a good bit of authority.
In 2006 I am not sure I'd even see the pitch.
GL
vaticanplum
09-15-2006, 03:25 PM
Not in a hundred bagaskillion years. I probably couldn't catch one either. And if I tried to throw one, I would lose an arm and die.
It's a wonder I never fulfilled my dreams of "breaking the barrier" of the major leagues.
Tom Servo
09-15-2006, 03:35 PM
As others have said, only if you gave me all the time in the world to practice, then perhaps one day I could poke one through.
If you sent me up there this second though, I'd probably give up after the first pitch due to fright.
jesusfan
09-15-2006, 03:38 PM
I'd say I could since I hit a Home-Run in the regional Semi-finals during my SR. High School season off a kid from Boyd County clocked at 92... I could always hit a fastball, it was the 85 MPH slider the guy from Lafayette HS (Lexington) that gave me trouble...
Matt700wlw
09-15-2006, 03:40 PM
I could never hit very well...I got by on speed.
I was scrappy. :D
Red Leader
09-15-2006, 03:44 PM
Under these circumstances, I think it'd be fun to stroll to the plate and take the bat and point it out to the OF, calling your shot, knowing that the pitcher still HAS to throw a fastball right down broadway and not break the law of this hypothetical situation and put one right in your ear. That'd be fun.
Sean_CaseyRules
09-15-2006, 03:54 PM
Ft. Loramie - what year?
It was this past year during tourement time, we lost to them 4-2.
redssouth
09-15-2006, 03:55 PM
My team played Ft. Laurmie (SP?) Is baseball and their pitcher threw like 92?? I hit a 2B off him, as a pinch hitter.
But I bet mechanicsburg got run ruled... You know you cant compete with Shelby Count baseball!!
Sean_CaseyRules
09-15-2006, 03:55 PM
But I bet mechanicsburg got run ruled... You know you cant compete with Shelby Count baseball!!
How does the crow taste?
redssouth
09-15-2006, 03:58 PM
LOL... didnt read all the way through, but you still lost? Have you ever beaten a Shelby County league team? Baseball or Basketball?
Sean_CaseyRules
09-15-2006, 04:02 PM
LOL... didnt read all the way through, but you still lost? Have you ever beaten a Shelby County league team? Baseball or Basketball?
I don't think so, haha, but baseball has not been good before this year, our combined wins from the last 3 seasons before this one, were 6...this year we went 12-13 i think...we lost a couple we SHOULD'VE won.
But I bet we would kick you butt in football since we have been allowed to play it for 107 years, not just 2 or 3! lol
redssouth
09-15-2006, 04:12 PM
Fair enough, what is their one team in shelby county that plays football? Anna High School. Right? I dont live their anymore, but some things never change.
redsfanmia
09-15-2006, 06:21 PM
Straight ball I hit very much, curveball bats are afraid. I could make contact after a few pitches. I wouldnt hit it hard or far but I would make contact.
I hit a few at 90 in the cages, but it took a heckuva a lot of quarters to get there. To echo, it is mostly timing. I started swinging when the ball appeared between the wheelie things and got lucky a couple of times.
ghettochild
09-15-2006, 07:49 PM
i was friends with a guy at the cages, and i got him to jack with the speed to go to 95-100, it took me about 10-15 minutes to get the timing down but i ended up hitting atleast two balls straight back up the middle.
of course i ended up hurting myself when making contact but it was fun
Team Clark
09-15-2006, 09:41 PM
35+ think they can. :laugh: Don't kid yourself. I like the spirit though. You gotta believe otherwise you have no chance. Not that you had one anyway.
paintmered
09-15-2006, 09:46 PM
LOL... didnt read all the way through, but you still lost? Have you ever beaten a Shelby County league team? Baseball or Basketball?
Let's keep this one on topic please.
As for me, I would have a better chance of hitting the lottery than hitting a MLB fastball.
RedsBaron
09-15-2006, 10:04 PM
No way. Absolutely no way would I even come close.
LoganBuck
09-15-2006, 10:25 PM
A buddy of mine in college had access to a pitch and putt, because his girlfriend worked there. We used to hit on a machine that went 90. Always took me a few pitches but because of repetition I was pretty good at it in the controlled and septic batting cage.
I have no doubt that it would be impossible for me to hit one off a live pitcher. Too many variables.
markymark69
09-15-2006, 10:35 PM
No. Especially in the scenario given. Maybe I would foul tip one after quite a bit of practice, but that would be about the best I could hope for.
Smokin Joe
09-16-2006, 12:27 AM
Snowballs chance in hell that I hit one, gotta be honest. I'm in my late thirties and hitting at the batting cage with my daughter for softball (50 mph) is enough for me:D
I could make contact... eventually.
Probability of making an actual 'Hit' less than 5%.
RollyInRaleigh
09-16-2006, 09:43 AM
35+ think they can. :laugh: Don't kid yourself. I like the spirit though. You gotta believe otherwise you have no chance. Not that you had one anyway.
:beerme: I've seen some MLB quality pitching up close. I've hit against the 90 machines in the cage. There is no comparison from my experiences. In my younger days, I could hit the hard straight stuff and occasionally guess right on a curve ball, but it is tough when they are mixing it up real good. Timing, recognition and confidence have to be there. Add a guy with late movement on the fastball and you've got major problems.
At 45, I would have a real hard time catching up with the hard stuff. One evening at the fantasy camp that I attended after most everyone had left the complex,
(had just turned 40) I (and a couple of other guys) had the pleasure of hitting off a Reds pitcher (who will remain nameless) who had gotten to camp early. When he was throwing nothing but fastballs, I felt pretty good about myself, but when he mixed it up a little, I was quickly reminded why I was at a fantasy camp. Filthy. Even the movement that some of the older guys still had made it very difficult to hit.
Oh, I could probably get one every now and then but it would be very difficult and I would be made to look very bad. The reflexes have to be totally there, and mine are not nearly as good as they once were. I'm gettng to the point where I don't think I would even try it. With age comes wisdom.;)
RFS62
09-16-2006, 09:58 AM
:beerme: I've seen some MLB quality pitching up close. I've hit against the 90 machines in the cage. There is no comparison from my experiences.
Oh, I could probably get one every now and then but it would be very difficult and I would be made to look very bad. The reflexes have to be totally there, and mine are not nearly as good as they once were. I'm gettng to the point where I don't think I would even try it. With age comes wisdom.;)
Yep. Don't any of you guys who think you could hit a mlb heater quit your day jobs.
I've found that with every passing year, I was a better hitter in my playing days. Funny how that works.
Cooper
09-16-2006, 05:17 PM
Nope--i couldn't hit 75 mph with a curve mixed in ....no way could i do 90.....unless i was driving.
The fear of getting hit is there when a human is on the mound. I don't like pain.
RFS62
09-16-2006, 05:31 PM
Wow. Nearly half of the voters can hit a major league fastball.
How very RedZonie.
:cool:
mth123
09-16-2006, 06:29 PM
Wow. Nearly half of the voters can hit a major league fastball.
How very RedZonie.
:cool:
Obviously none are Reds players.
fearofpopvol1
09-16-2006, 07:02 PM
I think people are basing that it would be right down broadway as the reasoning for being able to hit one. I think a lot of the people saying they could certainly would be surprised if they were put in that predicament.
I think there are definitely some people that could do it though (with the majority not being able to). The other thing to consider is would this just be one time at the plate? 1 pitch? 1 at-bat? 99% of the people who said they could put the ball into play (even with the pitch being down broadway) would not be able to do it consistently or else they would be taking over for a player on the Reds.
RFS62
09-16-2006, 07:10 PM
I hear this kind of comparison in tennis and golf sometimes. Often it's when a guy thinks he could beat a woman tennis player.
I tell them all the same thing. You wouldn't even get a point.
They are SO much better than you realize.
pedro
09-16-2006, 07:17 PM
Wow. Nearly half of the voters can hit a major league fastball.
How very RedZonie.
:cool:
Lot of great managers and general managers as well. We're a talented bunch.
BoydsOfSummer
09-16-2006, 07:26 PM
Yes. Right and lefthanded.
RedFanAlways1966
09-16-2006, 07:50 PM
Simply put... NO!
fewfirstchoice
09-16-2006, 10:20 PM
When I was in college playing for S. Dakota State in Brookings I faced some tough pitchers,you know we were D-2 but we did face some good pitchers.I faced some pitchers who threw in the low to mid 90,s from time to time and did get a couple hits off them.
Now that was 6 years ago and I have had 3 operations and gained 25 pounds since then,so I would so no to a 90-94 mph fastball and yes to anything 83 and under.But at one time I could hit the pitch at that speed.
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