Could you hit today’s fastball with a 54 ounce bat?

[JollyElm]

Who cares if someone could hit a fastball with a 54 ounce bat, the only thing that matters around here is what would that person's WAR be???????

[Frank A]

I always carried an Al Kaline bat in the trunk of my car. One day while out of town I passed a batting cage place. Whipped my car right in there. Got out and went to the trunk to get the bat. paid for the cage time and stepped in. I thought this will be fun. The first pitch hit the back fence before I even knew what happened. I thought, OK, now I have to get after it. Next pitch, swing and a miss, and again, and again. Finally, I fouled one off. Then another. No balls left. I got out of the cage and asked the guy how fast those pitches were. He told me 90 MPH. He said he saw me getting the bat out of the trunk and thought this guy can probably hit good. That was about 25 years ago. Now there's no way I can even swing a bat, let alone hit a fast ball.

[sycks22]

It's laughable when people think pitchers at the turn of the century are similar to pitchers nowadays. 90% of guys coming out of every MLB bullpen throw 95+ with some hitting triple digits. Sure Feller and maybe Wajo threw hard, but with the training and nutrition that these players go through now it's not in the same ballpark. I've also read from multiple sources Johnson threw in the low to mid 90's. If you're a starting pitcher today and don't touch 95 you're in low A ball or named Greg Maddux.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by sycks22

I've also read from multiple sources Johnson threw in the low to mid 90's.

I wrote a book about the guy and never came across anything like that, pure conjecture in any case. I wouldn't argue that in general, pitchers today throw harder than they did 100 years ago, or 50 years ago for that matter. On average bigger, stronger, better conditioning and training, better coaching in mechanics. But I also believe that the big, strong farm boys from the past threw as hard, or in Johnson's case, harder, than anybody today. They pitched to stay effective for nine innings, or ten, or twelve, or fifteen, and three hundred in a season, relievers for however long they were needed. What if Walter Johnson knew he was only expected to go five or so innings every game, every fifth day, for less than 200 innings a season, or he was coming out of the bullpen to go an inning at the most? I don't think any batter today, no matter what size bat they use, would want to face him under those circumstances. Yes, these guys do throw harder today, but most of them also throw their arms out doing it. Those old guys knew how to pitch, not just throw.

[steve B]

The strength most players have, I think they could swing a heavy bat easily.
I'm not sure about effectively, because anyone doing something several thousand times gets used to doing it a certain way. And the adjustment to a heavy bat from a light one would change that a lot.

Could I do it? I prefer a heavy bat, my hands simply won't move any faster. Never tried anything that heavy, but I could probably be just as good/bad with a big bat as any other.

I did try a cage that was in the low 90's. where I lived at the time had a minor league team and an ex player started a batting cage place that included a couple that the local minor leaguers as well as college and HS teams could practice at.
A buck or so for 20 pitches. All I could see was the ball leave the arm of the machine, a flash about halfway and hear the thump as it hit the padded backstop.
Second batch I had a guy watching who looked like a ball player. On what was over all pitch 40, I just barely touched the ball. He said to go again, but I'd had enough, and just the slightest foul tip of a ball that was roughly major league speed at the time was enough.

That totally made me think very differently about the guy on any team struggling and batting under .200.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

I couldn't hit MY fastball with a 54 ounce bat. Coincidentally my fastball at this point may well be 54 also, just MPH instead of OZ.

[philliesfan]

My friend Walt and I played wiffle ball in his yard once. We had specific rules and one was there must be a few inches of snow on the ground first. The game ended when I roofed the ball and could not find anymore at any of the stores.

[jingram058]

Why does it have to be today's fastball? I know...pitchers in Ruth's day didn't really pitch, they sort of tossed the ball like slow pitch softball, almost t-ball. I guess if he wasn't eating all those hot dogs, he would've hit 1600 home runs.