Baseball fans have always been fascinated by numbers, and one of the numbers fans find most fascinating is velocity. But when it comes to a fastball, velocity isn’t the only thing that matters.
So far that’s not exactly mind-blowing information, but here’s something you may not have thought about. And if you have thought about it you need a better social life (clearly, I’ve given up on mine).
Pitchers who recoil — picture Yordano Ventura’s high-leg kick finish — get less extension on their pitches and release the ball farther away from home plate than pitchers who follow through.