Anyone reading this knows that Pitchers DO NOT have enough time to react to a well hit batted ball in Modified. How much time do they have? In this section I will define the actual reaction time for a ball hit at various exit speeds and demonstrate that the Max exit speed should be no more than 70 MPH to allow the pitcher .42 seconds to react in Modified. There are several variables that will either increase or decrease the Batted Ball Exit Speed and subsequent reaction time:
- COR/Compression and condition of ball
- Speed of the Pitch
- Swing Speed
- BB COR of Bat
- Does the batter hit the ball in the “sweet spot” of the bat
- Air resistance*
- Others (temperature, humidity, elevation)
*Air resistance will slow the ball up as it travels (deceleration). The documented amount of deceleration (pitchers distance) is about 9%.
HISTORY:
USSSA and ASA have stated that a safe amount of time for a player to react to a batted ball = .42 seconds.
As bats became hotter and hotter, ASA realized something had to be done. They started to test the batted ball exit speed at the Sports Science Laboratory (SSL) at Washington State University.
SSL would shoot a 44/375 ball through an air canon at a pre determined speed towards a stationary bat, and measure the resulting exit speed. The decision was made that bats should allow a max batted ball exit speed of 98 MPH.
I knew something was not right despite the bat restrictions. So, I contacted the Sports Science Lab at WSU and talked to Jeff Kensrud. I asked him the speed they used for the ball though the air canon. The answer…110 MPH. Therefore the calculated BBCOR of the bats are (98/110) = .89
Next question…. I asked was how they came up with 110 MPH. The answer was, since the bat is stationary in their test, they used the average combined pitch speed plus swing speed. The average pitch speed (55 MPH) + average swing speed (65 MPH) = 110 MPH
Next question…..how did you use to come up those numbers? NCAA women was the answer.
I asked another follow up question. Did you do any testing with men? The answer was yes, but the combined pitch speed and swing was still 110 MPH.
I asked how was that possible? Men have a faster swing speed than 65 MPH? The answer, “Pitch speed 25 MPH + swing speed of 85 MPH = 110 MPH”.
I then calculated, that one would need to be 55 feet away from the batted ball with an exit speed of 98 MPH (9% deceleration) to have .42 seconds reaction time.
Now I knew why my suspicions were justified. The testing was done for Women Fast Pitch and Men’s Slow Pitch. Jeff had never even heard of Mens Modified Softball.
NO TESTING WAS DONE FOR MODIFIED. WHAT IS THE SITUATION TODAY?
In 2013, ASA, in order to compete with USSSA, reduced the velocity of the ball through the air canon from 110 to 105 MPH. Thus allowing the Bats to have more “pop” yet still not produce a batted ball exit speed greater than 98 MPH in the laboratory. This was done so the ASA could better compete with USSSA bats. These newer bats were initially only for Slow Pitch and were banned in Modified. But since all the bats being produced were designed for slow pitch, we, in Modified could not buy any bats. So starting in 2014 the ASA allowed Slow Pitch bats in Modified. This means “Approved” bats are allowed to produce batted ball exits speeds of 98 MPH in the Lab with a combined Pitch Speed and swing speed of only 105 MPH. Therefore the Calculated BBCOR is now (98/105) = .93. As a reference, NCAA Mens baseball only allow a .5 BBCOR and it can only be 3 ounces lighter than the length (-3 drop). Anyone who knows the game of Modified probably knows a several guys who can swing over 100 MPH. Add in the pitch speed and the use of a 47 COR ball, and you can see why we have a serious problem. This is with bats that are within the specified limits. Let’s assume someone swings at 100 Mph against a 55 MPH pitch with a .44 COR ball. The potential batted ball exit speed could be 144 MPH. Even with 9% deceleration, the pitcher would have .2 seconds to react. Less than 50% of the needed reaction time.
I spoke and wrote to ASA officials, but I could not get ASA or anyone to do any testing for Modified. “Perhaps in the future”, I was told by Craig Cress. So I took it upon myself to do some of my own testing.
STEP 1 – DETERMINING MODIFIED PITCH AND SWING SPEED:
I used a radar gun to measure 10 Man Modified pitching speed (non-sling). The fastest I recorded was 58 MPH (at the plate). Range of 38 – 58 MPH, average was 45 MPH (at the plate – the point of impact). I also tested Men and their swing speed. Range 65 – 105, average 85 MPH. Therefore if you use these results, the speed of the ball through the air canon testing at the Sports Science Lab should be increased from 105 MPH to at least 130 MPH (24 percent increase). Does this result in an 24% increase in batted ball exit speed? Not necessarily, according to Dr Russell at Penn State. Formal testing would have to be done to determine that information. But suffice it to say, the batted ball exit speed would be well over 98 MPH. Best estimate is that it would be between 110 – 115 MPH.
STEP 2 – HOW FAR AWAY IS A PITCHER IN MODIFIED FROM A BATTED BALL?
This can be determined within a foot or so. The distance from the front of the rubber to the back of Home plate is 46 feet. Let’s assume the batter is straddling home plate. A batted ball hit up the middle will be struck about 6 – 8 inches in front of the plate. Therefore, the pitcher starts 44 feet away from a batted ball. But what about the pitchers stride? Unlike slow pitch where the pitcher has time to actually move back a step or two, in Modified, there is no time to step back. The average stride is 5 feet towards home plate.
The pitcher is approximately 39 feet away from a batted ball in Men’s Modified.
STEP 3 – CALCULATE HOW MUCH TIME A PITCHER HAS AT 39 FEET WITH A BATTED BALL EXIT SPEED OF 98 MPH?
(the newer bats and faster swing speeds of men would produce greater batted ball exit speeds and less reaction time than depicted below – so the results below are conservative – see step 5).
- With no air resistance deceleration in batted ball speed…………… .271 seconds (35.5% less than the .42 seconds)
- With 9% air resistance deceleration in batted ball speed……….. .298 seconds (29% less than the .42 seconds)
STEP 4 – CALCULATE HOW MUCH REACTION TIME A PITCHER HAS AT 39 FEET WITH A BATTED BALL OF 110 MPH
- With no air resistance deceleration in batted ball speed…………… .242 seconds (42.4% less than the .42 seconds)
- With 9% air resistance deceleration in batted ball speed……….. .266 seconds (36.7% less than the .42 seconds)
STEP 5 – WHAT BATTED BALL SPEED WOULD GIVE A PITCHER .42 SECONDS TO REACT AT A DISTANCE OF 39 FEET?
- With no air resistance deceleration in batted ball speed…………… 63 MPH
- With 9% air resistance deceleration in batted ball speed……….. 69.5 MPH
STEP 6 – IF INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING THIS SITUATION, WHAT CAN BE DONE?
As a league or a tournament, you need to decide what your goal is? This is not an easy task. Hitters love the hardest ball and hottest bats. For every pitcher there is at least 10 hitters. So is the Goal?:
- Continue offense as is?
- Reduce Offense and increase Defense and Pitching?
- Safety?
- Combination of 2 and 3?
If the answer is #1 – keeping the offense as is, then do nothing.
If you want to increase the safety aspect and/or reduce the offense and bring up the defensive and pitching elements, you have a few options as shown below* (least effective to most effective using a 44/375 ball as a reference).
- Perform Bat Testing via Compression Tester (very little effect but will eliminate over spec bats)
- Have the league provide ASA composite bats for each game (moderate effect until bats gets broken in)
- Limit the bats to single wall one piece aluminum (maybe a 20% reduction in BBES*)
- Use New Composite bats but use a 44 COR ball but one with a lower compression like the Clincher Gold F12G (44/171). (maybe a 20% reduction in BBES*)
- Go to wood bats only (maybe a 30% reduction in BBES*)
- Go to the .5 BBCOR (- 3 drop) NCAA Baseball bats (yes you heard me right) Try one!! (maybe a 35% reduction in BBES*)
- Use new composite bats with and the lowest COR and compression ball such as the Clincher F12. ( maybe a 40% reduction in BBES*)
- Other options may include a ball AND bat change
*The above are my estimated reductions in Batted Ball Exit Speed.
Sal Guerriero
sal@10manmodified.com