After checking weather around many of the parks yesterday, the humidity was up at almost all of them. And the offense seemed to be helped. I'm sure there's some scientific arguments about humidity and how it affects the flight of the ball but I think it affects the pitchers the most, who are working the hardest. They are more likely to tire early and be ineffective, or leave early. As we get into the heat of the summer, I'd check weather.com before making under plays.
Totals and humidity
- Thread starter Valuist
- Start date
what about going by the "heat index"?, you think that number could give us a better reading with the humidity included, not sure just wondering...
ive been following the heat index's here:
http://www.weathersite.com/sportswx.html
looking for pitchers that might have shown signs of fatigue last start and going up against the conditions you mentioned...but have not put together any significant data to base on anything yet.
ive been following the heat index's here:
http://www.weathersite.com/sportswx.html
looking for pitchers that might have shown signs of fatigue last start and going up against the conditions you mentioned...but have not put together any significant data to base on anything yet.
The heat index will definitely work. I'm not sure exactly how they figure it but its temperature w/humidity factored in. Kind of the exact opposite of the wind-chill factor.
I heard some scientific guy on ESPN Radio several months ago claiming that high humidity helps the ball travel further. That doesn't refer to storing baseballs in a humidity controlled room, but how the ball reacts when its been hit. I think almost all hitters would rather hit in warm weather than in cold and windy conditions.
I heard some scientific guy on ESPN Radio several months ago claiming that high humidity helps the ball travel further. That doesn't refer to storing baseballs in a humidity controlled room, but how the ball reacts when its been hit. I think almost all hitters would rather hit in warm weather than in cold and windy conditions.
not saying i agree with this stuff but found some conversation about this subject on the sportsweathersite from last season.
===========
How Weather Affects Baseball
As a baseball flys through the air, the air pushes back against it,
resisting its motion and decreasing the distance the ball travels. If you
don't believe air can provide much resistance, stick your arm out of a car
window at 60 mph and feel the push. The density of air is different from place-to-place and from day-to-day depending on temperature, humidity and air pressure.. In thin (or low density) air a ball can travel faster and farther because there's less air resistance. Let's breakdown the baseball importance of these atmospheric variables:
1. Pressure. Air under low pressure is less dense, or thinner, than air
under high pressure. This is the main reason long balls carry farther in
Denver-the atmospheric pressure at that altitude is always about 15% less
than sea level pressures. A hit that would have flown 400 ft at sea level
would carry to 430 ft in the thin air of Coors Stadium. This permanent effect of Denver's high altitude is duly noted by the oddsmakers, however, resulting in totals typically in the 12-14 range, reducing the opportunity to simply bet OVERS and win most of the time. The day-to-day pressure changes of the atmosphere, however, are not considered by the oddsmakers, but these daily pressure differences at stadiums caused by the meanderings of the high and low pressures depicted on weather charts are very small. On a low pressure day the pressure is only one or two per cent lower than on a normal day, so a 400 ft shot would only carry a whopping 402 ft! Obviously this effect is
too small to worry about, especially since there are other atmospheric factors that actually make a big difference-read on!
2. Humidity. Air with high humidity is less dense, or thinner, than dry
air. But this effect so slight it it would only account for a long ball
traveling a few inches farther on a humid day. There is, however, a
significant and unexpected effect of humidity. According to Professor
Robert Adair, the dean of baseball physicists, a baseball in a humid
environment is actually heavier and less elastic than a dry ball, and,
therefore, cannot be hit as far. The exact amount of this effect can only
be determined experimentally, but, based on the data we've seen, we estimate
a 400 ft shot on a day with average humidity would carry 415 ft on a very dry
day with low humidity.
3. Temperature. Warm air is less dense, or thinner, than cold air. A
would-be 400ft shot at 75 degrees would carry 408ft at 95 degrees.
4. Wind. Air moving along in the same direction the ball is flying pushes
back less on the ball, allowing it to travel farther. In fact, the wind is
very often the single most important thing to consider about the weather
when betting baseball totals. A 400ft shot in calm conditions would turn into a 445ft blast with a 15 mph wind directed out to center field. So you can see on many occasions
wind is more important even than the altitude in determining the total runs scored in
baseball games.
===========
How Weather Affects Baseball
As a baseball flys through the air, the air pushes back against it,
resisting its motion and decreasing the distance the ball travels. If you
don't believe air can provide much resistance, stick your arm out of a car
window at 60 mph and feel the push. The density of air is different from place-to-place and from day-to-day depending on temperature, humidity and air pressure.. In thin (or low density) air a ball can travel faster and farther because there's less air resistance. Let's breakdown the baseball importance of these atmospheric variables:
1. Pressure. Air under low pressure is less dense, or thinner, than air
under high pressure. This is the main reason long balls carry farther in
Denver-the atmospheric pressure at that altitude is always about 15% less
than sea level pressures. A hit that would have flown 400 ft at sea level
would carry to 430 ft in the thin air of Coors Stadium. This permanent effect of Denver's high altitude is duly noted by the oddsmakers, however, resulting in totals typically in the 12-14 range, reducing the opportunity to simply bet OVERS and win most of the time. The day-to-day pressure changes of the atmosphere, however, are not considered by the oddsmakers, but these daily pressure differences at stadiums caused by the meanderings of the high and low pressures depicted on weather charts are very small. On a low pressure day the pressure is only one or two per cent lower than on a normal day, so a 400 ft shot would only carry a whopping 402 ft! Obviously this effect is
too small to worry about, especially since there are other atmospheric factors that actually make a big difference-read on!
2. Humidity. Air with high humidity is less dense, or thinner, than dry
air. But this effect so slight it it would only account for a long ball
traveling a few inches farther on a humid day. There is, however, a
significant and unexpected effect of humidity. According to Professor
Robert Adair, the dean of baseball physicists, a baseball in a humid
environment is actually heavier and less elastic than a dry ball, and,
therefore, cannot be hit as far. The exact amount of this effect can only
be determined experimentally, but, based on the data we've seen, we estimate
a 400 ft shot on a day with average humidity would carry 415 ft on a very dry
day with low humidity.
3. Temperature. Warm air is less dense, or thinner, than cold air. A
would-be 400ft shot at 75 degrees would carry 408ft at 95 degrees.
4. Wind. Air moving along in the same direction the ball is flying pushes
back less on the ball, allowing it to travel farther. In fact, the wind is
very often the single most important thing to consider about the weather
when betting baseball totals. A 400ft shot in calm conditions would turn into a 445ft blast with a 15 mph wind directed out to center field. So you can see on many occasions
wind is more important even than the altitude in determining the total runs scored in
baseball games.
Grip
Grip
Humidity (and/or a light rain) affect a pitcher's grip. Some people say this helps a knuckler and hurts a pitcher who depends on a firm grip on a fast balls or breaking balls. Might lead to decreased control, more hits, walks and runs.
Obviously, this also could affect catchers and fielders hurrying and trying to throw hard on a close play. Again more runs might come from errors or slowed throws.
GL
J
Grip
Humidity (and/or a light rain) affect a pitcher's grip. Some people say this helps a knuckler and hurts a pitcher who depends on a firm grip on a fast balls or breaking balls. Might lead to decreased control, more hits, walks and runs.
Obviously, this also could affect catchers and fielders hurrying and trying to throw hard on a close play. Again more runs might come from errors or slowed throws.
GL
J
fwiw:
It's humid as hades here in Cleveland. Temps are also in the 80's. And I'm a poet and didn't even know it.
It's humid as hades here in Cleveland. Temps are also in the 80's. And I'm a poet and didn't even know it.
Looks like they were launching rockets in Cleveland (11-7)
Here in S Fla. it rained on and off all day before the Marlins-Reds game. The humidity was 100% at game time and the air was still.
The balls were hit like rockets, but didn't carry out of the park. Both pitchers looked like they forgot to towel off after a shower from the first inning on.
I played quite a bit of ball up north and down here in Fla. Maybe it's me, but I could swear that when it is humid as hell down here at night, the ball doesn't carry as well. I also think it is harder to throw a ball in 100% humidity, but it doesn't seem to bother these guys with rocket launchers for arms.
Here in S Fla. it rained on and off all day before the Marlins-Reds game. The humidity was 100% at game time and the air was still.
The balls were hit like rockets, but didn't carry out of the park. Both pitchers looked like they forgot to towel off after a shower from the first inning on.
I played quite a bit of ball up north and down here in Fla. Maybe it's me, but I could swear that when it is humid as hell down here at night, the ball doesn't carry as well. I also think it is harder to throw a ball in 100% humidity, but it doesn't seem to bother these guys with rocket launchers for arms.
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Watching the Cleveland highlights, I think some of those HRs are still orbiting the earth. The Indians hadn't hit worth a damn all season long; the humidity didn't seem to hurt there. As for Florida, its humid all season long there there's really no need to adjust projected totals as the North and Midwest (finally) move toward warmer weather.
While we are talking about totals and how they are affected. Does anyone have any stats on do day games tend to be higher scoring than night games, due to the ball will travel farther, or anything to that extent?
