Yahoo Sports reports:
A group of scientists tasked with finding the reason home runs flew
at a record rate in Major League Baseball last season believe the ball’s
aerodynamic properties – and particularly the drag on its surface – are
the culprit and not changes to the core that would cause extra
bounciness, according to a report the league released this week.
In the midst of a season in which players hit a record 6,105 home
runs and emboldened juiced-ball theorists, MLB commissioned 10
scientists to study the source of the spike. Using a combination of
Statcast data and laboratory testing, the group found that balls in 2016
and 2017 had lower drag coefficients than their predecessors.
What they didn’t find was why.
“It was something of an unsatisfying result,” said Dr. Alan Nathan, a
physicist who has studied the game for decades and chaired the group
that wrote the 84-page research paper. “We had a set of baseballs that
had a much higher than average drag. We had a set of baseballs that had a
much lower average drag. We asked ourselves: ‘What’s the difference
between these baseballs?’ ”
Nathan’s conclusion: “We cannot find a single property that we can
actually measure other than the drag itself that would account for it. …
We do admit that we do not understand this.”
Fans had thought the baseball were juiced, i.e. have a tampered inner core which would give the ball farther distance. Getting more out of a sphere's core is the heart, no business model, in the golf ball manufacturing industry.
When experts cannot find out what the difference between two baseballs, that is very strange.
Some pitchers had indicated that they could not get a good grip on the old ball. There could have been two reasons for this: the height of the seams, or the slickness/texture of the leather. Umpires still use Mississippi mud to rub up the baseballs to take off the factory sheen and add grip. It could be possible that the balls are fundamentally the same components, but there is a change in either the manufacturing or assembly processes.
In aerodynamics, a lower drag indicates that an object has less air resistance. This could mean that the baseball may stay "airborne" longer, i.e. less dip or drop in the strike zone. A ball in the strike zone is more likely to get hit. In addition, if there is an issue with the grip, there could be less baseball pitch spin rate which would affect the movement and direction of the baseball.
There is another factor in play: the human pitcher. The way games are now called, pitchers are nibbling at the corners to try to get strike outs instead of "pitching to contact." By pitchers falling behind in the count, batters can hunt their pitch better. Any advantage to the batter could lead to more contact and home runs.
The home run rate is a puzzle that may have many different elements to solve.
Showing posts with label construction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label construction. Show all posts
May 25, 2018
April 12, 2016
INSECURITY
Did you see the pregame nonsense?
The day before the home opener, Ricketts was whining about the need to close off Clark and
Addison streets for "security reasons." He enlisted a local Congressman to shill about the
need for closure since large crowds are "soft targets" for terrorists. It was a specious argument.
Ricketts has wanted to shut down all traffic around the ballpark so he can create a Fenway fan experience. In reality, a closed off street is another free use of public space for the Cubs to sell its products to fans. In order to get his way, he floats a solution before unleashing a problem on the city.
In a calculated move which put fans in more danger, Ricketts puts the new metal detectors
outside the main gates so the fans are pushed toward from the Clark and Addison intersection. So 40,000 fans have to compress like sardines between the new checkpoint and curb in order to get into the plaza before the main gate.
It was the perfect storm for a Who concert line crush or a bus clipping a fan standing on the curb. The police used saw horses and real horses to slow down traffic and jaywalkers. If the Cubs wanted to create a chaotic scene in order to arm twist their entire domain over the streets, then the above image was on point.
Ricketts has run rough shod over the city and neighbors on what he wants for his venue.
He truly believes that every single dollar that comes into Wrigleyville during a Cub game day
is his. So he just goes ahead and pushes his agenda without approval or consequence.
The Cubs created a crushing fan safety situation by putting the metal detectors next to the intersection
instead of just outside the gate. The idea of creating a long line was to make sure that people came to the ball park earlier in order to get inside the park - - - to spend money inside the Wrigley confines.
Long lines at extended check point will mean people will want to get inside Wrigley quicker so more outside the bar sales of food, beer and merchandise will go into the Ricketts coffers instead in the neighborhood bars and restaurants.
Mayor Emanuel was quick to say that closing two major city streets so the Cubs can control
beyond the limits of their property lines and into the streets (again) was "a swing and a miss."
If the metal detectors are not relocated back to a sensible level, the danger of pedestrian and vehicle encounters will increase since the next phase of development is an entire commercial block with a hotel, taxi traffic, restaurants and health club patrons funneling through Clark and Addison.
Fans coming to the park were upset that the McDonald's had closed on the block across from the main gate. This was a landmark for people to meet prior to going into Wrigley. Families brought their kids to the restaurant because the food was cheaper than inside Wrigley. But now, for the time being, it forces fans into Wrigley to have lunch or dinner.
Ricketts will continue to say all of the ball park construction is to enhance the ball park experience for fans. But make no mistake about it, every move made by ownership is to improve the family's revenue streams and profit margins.
The day before the home opener, Ricketts was whining about the need to close off Clark and
Addison streets for "security reasons." He enlisted a local Congressman to shill about the
need for closure since large crowds are "soft targets" for terrorists. It was a specious argument.
Ricketts has wanted to shut down all traffic around the ballpark so he can create a Fenway fan experience. In reality, a closed off street is another free use of public space for the Cubs to sell its products to fans. In order to get his way, he floats a solution before unleashing a problem on the city.
In a calculated move which put fans in more danger, Ricketts puts the new metal detectors
outside the main gates so the fans are pushed toward from the Clark and Addison intersection. So 40,000 fans have to compress like sardines between the new checkpoint and curb in order to get into the plaza before the main gate.
ABC-Channel 7 Chicago news image
It was the perfect storm for a Who concert line crush or a bus clipping a fan standing on the curb. The police used saw horses and real horses to slow down traffic and jaywalkers. If the Cubs wanted to create a chaotic scene in order to arm twist their entire domain over the streets, then the above image was on point.
Ricketts has run rough shod over the city and neighbors on what he wants for his venue.
He truly believes that every single dollar that comes into Wrigleyville during a Cub game day
is his. So he just goes ahead and pushes his agenda without approval or consequence.
The Cubs created a crushing fan safety situation by putting the metal detectors next to the intersection
instead of just outside the gate. The idea of creating a long line was to make sure that people came to the ball park earlier in order to get inside the park - - - to spend money inside the Wrigley confines.
Long lines at extended check point will mean people will want to get inside Wrigley quicker so more outside the bar sales of food, beer and merchandise will go into the Ricketts coffers instead in the neighborhood bars and restaurants.
Mayor Emanuel was quick to say that closing two major city streets so the Cubs can control
beyond the limits of their property lines and into the streets (again) was "a swing and a miss."
If the metal detectors are not relocated back to a sensible level, the danger of pedestrian and vehicle encounters will increase since the next phase of development is an entire commercial block with a hotel, taxi traffic, restaurants and health club patrons funneling through Clark and Addison.
Fans coming to the park were upset that the McDonald's had closed on the block across from the main gate. This was a landmark for people to meet prior to going into Wrigley. Families brought their kids to the restaurant because the food was cheaper than inside Wrigley. But now, for the time being, it forces fans into Wrigley to have lunch or dinner.
Ricketts will continue to say all of the ball park construction is to enhance the ball park experience for fans. But make no mistake about it, every move made by ownership is to improve the family's revenue streams and profit margins.
May 13, 2014
BAD MILESTONE
The Cubs passed another dubious milestone.
The franchise has lost its 10,000th game.
It becomes the third franchise to pass that losing mark (the Phillies and Braves are the other two clubs).
With its 44 Hall of Famers, the Cubs surprisingly still hold a franchise winning percentage of .511. But we all know, the Cubs have not won it all in more than a century.
The Cubs have settled in to .333 baseball. That is about replacement player level (AAA). That is also not surprising due to the make-up of the squad and the multiple platooning being done by manager Renteria.
The Cubs have been digging themselves quite the large hole trying to find "bottom." The hole was a means of obtaining high draft picks in order to re-stock the farm system. In construction, you need to dig deep holes to have a sturdy foundation.
But how interesting is it to watch someone dig a hole? Perhaps it is slightly more interesting than watching paint dry.
The Cubs are on pace to lose 108 games, or in a parlance of the day, be "Astro bad."
It is not an honorable honor.
But I think this Deep Dig Project may have more lasting effects. The team is so bad for so long it will affect future free agents from signing with the Cubs. The team's constant losing will wear on veteran players who will want to get out of town like Matt Garza. The team's constant losing becomes the culture of the clubhouse and will affect young players who may never learn how to win. They may get lulled into becoming the next generation of lovable losers. Except, this time the love is not showing up to the ball park. There are die hard fan sites contemplating doing dark because the Cubs are unwatchable, and the "prospect watch" stories are now merely collective white noise.
It is not the loss milestone that is the headline here; it is the sinking ship on Lake Michigan that may not be salvageable when the prospects row out into the choppy waters.
The franchise has lost its 10,000th game.
It becomes the third franchise to pass that losing mark (the Phillies and Braves are the other two clubs).
With its 44 Hall of Famers, the Cubs surprisingly still hold a franchise winning percentage of .511. But we all know, the Cubs have not won it all in more than a century.
The Cubs have settled in to .333 baseball. That is about replacement player level (AAA). That is also not surprising due to the make-up of the squad and the multiple platooning being done by manager Renteria.
The Cubs have been digging themselves quite the large hole trying to find "bottom." The hole was a means of obtaining high draft picks in order to re-stock the farm system. In construction, you need to dig deep holes to have a sturdy foundation.
But how interesting is it to watch someone dig a hole? Perhaps it is slightly more interesting than watching paint dry.
The Cubs are on pace to lose 108 games, or in a parlance of the day, be "Astro bad."
It is not an honorable honor.
But I think this Deep Dig Project may have more lasting effects. The team is so bad for so long it will affect future free agents from signing with the Cubs. The team's constant losing will wear on veteran players who will want to get out of town like Matt Garza. The team's constant losing becomes the culture of the clubhouse and will affect young players who may never learn how to win. They may get lulled into becoming the next generation of lovable losers. Except, this time the love is not showing up to the ball park. There are die hard fan sites contemplating doing dark because the Cubs are unwatchable, and the "prospect watch" stories are now merely collective white noise.
It is not the loss milestone that is the headline here; it is the sinking ship on Lake Michigan that may not be salvageable when the prospects row out into the choppy waters.
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