Live Ball Factor

SPEED DOES NOT EQUAL EFFECTIVENESS

To help further emphasize the importance of a pitches movement, this subjective formula was created. Subjective because one of the factors -- action of the pitch -- has so many physical variables it's virtually unrecordable and its effect can only be measured by the hitters' success or befuddlement.

ACTION is the amount of movement, veer, sinking, fading, etc. of the pitch particularly in the second stage. It is measured on a scale of 0.8 (no movement) to 1.5 (excellent movement). 1.0 would be considered as okay or average movement.

SPEED is the radar gun measurement of a pitch in miles per hour.

---

ACTION X SPEED = LIVE BALL FACTOR (LBF)

---

• major league pitch must have LBF over 90-95
• little league pitch must be over 50-55
• high school over 75-80

At the professional level: A 60 m.p.h. pitch must move like a bumblebee. (1.5 action x 60 m.p.h. = 90 LBF )Any pitch, even a knuckleball, thrown under sixty-miles is going to eventually be punished.

.8 x 90 = 72 (a pretty flat fast ball)

1.2 X 90 = 108 (good stuff)

1.3 x 90 = 117 (Randy Johnson breaking pitch)

1.2 x 95 = 114 (Johnson fastball)

1.1 x 86 = 94.6 (Tom Glavine fastball)

1.3 x 78 = 101 (Glavine change-up)

Even the pitcher with a 90 m.p.h. fastball is going to have trouble he doesn't have any movement on the pitch. He may blow it by the hitters for a little while, but by the second time around the order professional hitters will tee off on it-- that's what they get paid for

---