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

[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.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by 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.

Z

We had a stone wall along one side of the yard we played in. Our season ended for the year when it got cold enough for the ball to shatter on a line drive off the wall.

which was about the time the homemade ice rink next door was almost ready to fill.

[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.

[philliesfan]

Could I hit todays fastball......nope. I can't hit what I can't see.
Bob

[Leon]

Ture. I have a feeling some pre-war pitchers threw mighty fast.

Originally Posted by 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.