Debunking conventional wisdom

by Phil Gurnee on Aug 2, 2007 12:29 PM PDT in News Comment 5 comments

For years I've yelled at players who have slid into 1st base in an effort to beat the throw. I'd been taught and it seemed to make sense that running through the base was the best way to beat a throw. BP recently did a chat with Dr. Alan Nathan a Physics Professor working in the Nuclear Physics Lab at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Nathan is not just any Physicist but is the chairman of the Science and Baseball committee of SABR. In the conversation one of his nuggets of information was to comment that he felt sliding into 1st base is the best option in a close play because "The essential physics is that by sliding with outstretched arms, the batter reaches the bag before his center of gravity reaches it, whereas those two times more or less coincide when running through the bag."

I'm not sure I'm convinced but I won't be so quick to vocalize my displeasure the next time Jeff Kent slides into 1st base.

If you have access to BP here is the Link to the complete interview.

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Interesting

I'd like to read his study or atleast a synopsis of it. Too bad it's not for public viewing$. I see his point about the hand reaching the base before the runners center of gravity does. I would think it would be offset somewhat by

While in the act of diving you are deaccelerating, thus slowing down for the last few feet.
When running through a base, your outstretched foot reaches the base before your center of gravity does, of course with a little different physics than it would sliding head first.

I would also think that sliding head first would put a player more at risk of injury, plus you get your pants all dirty. :)

My comments are all subjective, I don't have a PhD in Physics or Anthropology to back anything up. Like I said, it would interesting to read his study and see what he took into consideration.
vr, Xei

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by xeifrank on Aug 2, 2007 1:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Danger of Injury

to me far outweighs the chance you might be safe unless were talking playoff games. That said it still is exciting to watch a guy dive at the 1st base bag under a full head of steam.

by Phil Gurnee on Aug 2, 2007 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Diving at 1st

Yes, no matter what Vin says, there were few things more fun than watching Roberts go in head first to beat out an infield single.

by schoffle on Aug 2, 2007 5:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Debunking conventional wisdom

so basically Vinnies been lying to us all this time about this? I've never slid into 1st because I heard Vinnie say it takes away some milliseconds or something to that effect.

by bluebleeder08 on Aug 2, 2007 4:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

One other point of note...

Is that sliding has a rare but existing advantage when the play at 1st has to be made via tag instead of force (usually on bunts or short infield hits where the pitcher has to cover the bag). An example being Furcal's sprawling dive of a few games ago on a bunt single, where he would have been tagged except for said slide.

Though I agree the injury risk far outweighs the advantages.

by Underbruin on Aug 2, 2007 6:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs