Sosa caught with cork in his bat

Fuck Physics. Hated it except for those problems that involved a guy jumping off a cliff or being shot out of a cannon. Took it with a bunch of stinkin EE's too - who already knew electricity - but we skipped the parts that involved PChem and ideal gases. All I know now is that when I flip the switch, the light comes on. Most of the time anyway.

Ok. Whine over. Carry on.

 

Well, the primary force that propels balls comes from the strength of the batter, he's adding his own force to the potential energy of the bat, turning it into kinetic energy, but his own energy is much greater.

For example. You can probably swing a wiffle bat faster than a wooden bat. But if you are going to hit me with one, make it the wiffle.

 

Who was their source. This was a myth that was generally accepted as true in baseball until someone actually looked into it.

And it does increase velocity. Of the bat.

 

You volunteerin' for some class experiments?

 

They had a clip of some guy showing you how to cork a bat. I didn't catch his name. But they have shown it more than once so I'll try to pay more attention next time.

They basically are saying it would increase distance about 1%. Making a 400 foot hit a 404.

 

Well, that's at odds with the laws of physics, then. I always knew that Newton was full of shit.

 

Bobby Valentine on Baseball Tonight said pretty much the same thing. He is the voice of experience, I guess.

Barry Bonds has his bats made out of maple, too.

 

Could the compression of the bat allow the ball to stay in contact longer thus transfering more kinetic energy

 

According to Adair, the exact opposite is true. The cork actually decreases the effeciency of the energy transfer, because it "absorbs" energy from the ball.

It would be cool if we could disprove his theory. I'm kind of thinking that would have already happened though.

It does kind of show how an accepted "myth" can be very persuasive in society. Sort of how people thought we got malaria from bad air, for years after scientists knew mosquitoes spread the disease.

Damn, that was geeky of me.

 

Adair was just on ESPN explaining, or trying to explain, his findings. Anyone else catch it? He wasnt all that convincing on the tube.

He seemed to be claiming that the only reason a corked bat would hit it farther would be the less weight. Drill a hole in it, leave the cork out, and it'll go farther. Why not just order a lighter bat.

Didnt address the density issue. Did say that the ball isnt on the bat long enough for the cork to affect it. Most of the analysts were were smiling respectfully and nodding. You could tell they werent convinced.

EDIT: I must not have listened too closely. Bobby V. and Joe Morgan both admit they think it doesnt help.