MLB Home Run Derby

[leopard88]

Simple question -- Am I the only one becoming more and more convinced that MLB is using juiced balls in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby? Josh Hamilton is strong, but he hit three shots that almost hit the back wall of the right-center bleachers at Yankee Stadium in the first round alone.

Any thoughts?

[slapshot]

Simple question -- Am I the only one becoming more and more convinced that MLB is using juiced balls in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby? Josh Hamilton is strong, but he hit three shots that almost hit the back wall of the right-center bleachers at Yankee Stadium in the first round alone.

Any thoughts?

It's possible. Then again, these guys are getting meatballs tossed to them by batting practice coaches. Even the average player could kill the ball if it was thrown at them to the perfect spot.

[robnshell18]

I give more props to the 71-year old tossing him those meatballs. He essentially went 6+ innings, tossing around 85-90 pitches. I think he's the one that should be tested.

[leopard88]

Simple question -- Am I the only one becoming more and more convinced that MLB is using juiced balls in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby? Josh Hamilton is strong, but he hit three shots that almost hit the back wall of the right-center bleachers at Yankee Stadium in the first round alone.

Any thoughts?

It's possible. Then again, these guys are getting meatballs tossed to them by batting practice coaches. Even the average player could kill the ball if it was thrown at them to the perfect spot.

I've thought about that too. I attended the 1993 Home Run Derby at Camden Yards and watched Juan Gonzalez hit the facing of the second deck in left field (I had a great angle for that -- upper deck 3rd base line) and Ken Griffey, Jr. hit the warehouse. It is not as if there haven't been longer than normal home runs hit through the years. However, in recent years, it seems like the number of tape measure shots has gone way up and the sheer number of home runs has also gone up (though I haven't looked up the numbers to confirm that).

[CC97]

Simple question -- Am I the only one becoming more and more convinced that MLB is using juiced balls in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby?

Probably not... lots of those balls go into the crowd, surely one of them could/would've been tested by now, no?

[leopard88]

Simple question -- Am I the only one becoming more and more convinced that MLB is using juiced balls in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby?

Probably not... lots of those balls go into the crowd, surely one of them could/would've been tested by now, no?

Good point. You and your logic.

[LMU]

The other thing to keep in mind is that these guys are only swinging at balls going 70+ mph. How they can hit so many out without the momentum from a 85-90 mph fastball is something to look into.

[pcgd]

The other thing to keep in mind is that these guys are only swinging at balls going 70+ mph. How they can hit so many out without the momentum from a 85-90 mph fastball is something to look into.

Because at 70 mph they can line up and hit the ball on the sweet spot of the bat a lot easier than at 90 plus.

I think although you'll find that a 90 mph pitch hit in the same spot as a 70 mph pitch WILL fly father, however the difference isn't that great. Maybe 10-15 feet further. Hitting a ball even a half inch away from the sweet spot will have a much greater effect on distance and power than the speed of the pitch.

You can see this by the fact its possible to power a ball tossed up in the air by yourself out of the park. Meaning that ball is traveling at 0 MPH and it can go 300+ feet. Add 70 MPH to that same hit and how far does it fly? 350?

I don't know that for a fact, I just can use my observations from playing the game for 20 years.

[Don]

Simple question -- Am I the only one becoming more and more convinced that MLB is using juiced balls in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby? Josh Hamilton is strong, but he hit three shots that almost hit the back wall of the right-center bleachers at Yankee Stadium in the first round alone.

Any thoughts?

who cares? its a glorified batting practice. these homers dont count for anything, and he was so tired he lost the damn thing anyway. it was a great show and we should just enjoy it.

[FiddySicks]

Simple question -- Am I the only one becoming more and more convinced that MLB is using juiced balls in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby? Josh Hamilton is strong, but he hit three shots that almost hit the back wall of the right-center bleachers at Yankee Stadium in the first round alone.

Any thoughts?

I actually have a ball that I caught (foul) at the 2004 All Star Game in Houston. It seems no different to me than any other ball I've caugth at a major league game, sans the special stitching.

[coggs]

Balls might be juiced, but who cares, bombs are what people want to see. I was there last night, and the crowd was pumped with every Hamilton swing.

http://s50.photobucket.com/albums/f343/cog...te_top_view_all