Effective Velocity

Perry Husband is a pioneer in the world of Baseball Science. He introduced many modern hitting metrics to baseball, including Exit Velocity and Launch Angle.

In the video below he discusses the Effective Velocity of pitches and how it relates to the Exit Velocity of the ball.

Effective Velocity is the speed of the ball to the hitter. Husband’s research shows that the speed of the pitch to the hitters is affected by its location in the strike zone.

There are two factors that influence the Effective Velocity of the pitch.
1) height in the zone
2) distance from the hitter

The higher the pitch the greater the Effective Velocity and the closer the pitch the greater the Effective Velocity. In both of these instances, the location of the pitch reduces the time that a hitter has to react…Thus making the pitch seem faster.

Husband explains that a 90 mph pitch that is thrown middle/middle would have an Effective Velocity of +2.5 mph if thrown middle/in. If the pitch is thrown up and in the Effective Velocity would be plus 4 mph.

The greater the velocity of the pitch the greater the effect location has on Effective Veloctiy

Interestingly if the pitch is thrown down and away it loses Effective Velocity, but it loses slightly less than it gains by throwing up and in.

He goes further in detailing how the Effective Velocity relates to Exit Velocity. He states that this is particularly important as the main point of Effective Velocity is to avoid hard-hit balls.

He shares some data on the average exit velocity for balls thrown in different areas of the strike zone. Of note is the fact that the numbers show that the hardest hit balls come from pitches thrown middle down.

The video below has audio so please make sure that your speakers are turned on.

This clip is taken from a complete 1+ hour video course. For more information about that course click the following link: Effective Velocity 101 – Pitchers Stop Hitting Bats