Does wind play a part in BB out comes ?

If it's blowing the same direction for both halves of an inning, doesn't it become an advantage or disadvantage for both teams?

The game I am watching has had 2 fly balls leave the park that the announcer said would be routine outs. One ball was blow aawy from the fieder for extra base hit.
I agree the conditions are the same but it definitely affects the outcome. Did not say it gave a team an advantage no more than other elements of a game.
It does affect hits and runs scored by both teams.

Only if my son is on the mound. Otherwise it has no effect.....

I don't believe it affects outcome as much as style and dictation of play. It is definitely a level playing field as both teams have to deal with present conditions.

I don't believe it affects outcome as much as it does the style and dictation of play. Its definitely a level playing field as both teams have to deal with present conditions.

Wind, rain, pebbles in the infield dirt, high temps, low temps, the occasional bad umpiring call ... the list of random things that can affect the outcomes of games is long indeed.

I've always thought of baseball as a game where, no matter how good you were or how well you played, the best you could do was improve your odds. In MLB, if you win 60% of the time you usually win your division, if you lose 60% of the time you probably have the first pick in the draft. That's basically a 50/50 outcome with one team managing to win one more game out of 10, and one team losing one more game out of 10.

As the saying goes, "On any given day ...."

What I'm saying Midlo is that each team has the same advantages/disadvantages when weather and conditions are challenges. If the wind is blowing out, I want my guys trying to put the ball in the air (the better hitters). No, they shouldn't try to pop up, but drive the ball. If the grass is wet and slippery, we may want more on the ground. Now, the team that hits more flys in the wind, or more grounders on the wet grass, may get the win. But each team has to play in the same conditions. Will outcome be affected by the conditions? Possibly, but not necessarily. Maybe both teams hit 5 hrs and they wouldn't have on a calm or wind blowing in kinda day. They would have competed without the long ball. I always believed that you play with the field and conditions, not against it. If a pitcher knows the wind is blowing out (if he's awake he should know it) then he should work on keeping the ball down, not blame the conditions for a bad outing.

Candlestick Park, '61 All Star game. A gust of wind blew Stu Miller off-balance on the mound.

It's baseball....pretty much anything can impact the game.

Ain't it great?

That was the WAGON you fell off, woodster, not the mound....

That description might also fit a Kiss concert circa 1978.

Coachric,

I don't disagree with taking that mental approach. But it's a fact that different teams have different strengths and weaknesses. Different conditions may play to one team's strengths, against the other's weaknesses. For example, if the wind is blowing out, a team with a lot of power can take better advantage of that than could a team accustomed to playing "Billy Ball" -- more used to putting the ball in the air. Also, some pitchers work with grounders, some more with fly ball outs. Sinker ballers will do better on days when the wind is blowing out. You can talk to your team about putting the elements out of their minds, but sometimes reality bites.

The reason I asked this is because I have watched 4-5 games in the last coupl days and wind was a significant factor in who won the game.
One game a ball blown back from a definite HR and a couple others miss read because the wind knocked then down in the outfield. Another blow away from the Cf as he tried to line it up.
It also affects the pitchers velocity. One pitcher had to retrieve his ball cap whch was blown into the outfield. Commentators had a hay day with that one.
another game was cancelled in the 6th when fog rolled in and an outfielder had no clue where a fly ball was. It dropped in for a hit.

The weather has been a major factor in the spring season.

quote:

Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
I had TPM accuse me of making excuses about wind affecting my son's 2 outtings this season.

First of all you brought that up to eveyone I didn't. All I said was that you were digging into a poster about overuse and although your son as you claim was overused in HS he is not in college then his two bad outings came into the conversation.

My son had also (and many pitchers) a few outings last year in windy conditions where th HR got off of him. One of them was at Wake Forest where the team played this weekend with the wind blowing sraight out to CF. HR time for both teams. The hitters did well, all pitchers kind of struggled and the hitters capitalized on the conditions. Everyone's ERA was affected. Postponed games, wet fields, rain delay, s*it happens.
Yes the wind affects outcome, but it works both ways 50/50. Not every game is played in perfect weather.
I think the game of baseball is about adjusting for everyone that includes making adjustments for all conditions, away, home, rain, snow, wind, cold, heat, humity, etc.

If you get stuck in a game like that, you now have to work harder for the next with better conditions to adjust your ERA. No excuses. If we were to use an excuse for every tough outing, we would all go nuts.

FWIW, one player hit 3 HR in a game and Alan Dykstra, well he was just being Alan Dykstra.

quote:

Originally posted by Orlando:
That was the WAGON you fell off, woodster, not the mound....

LOL - That was a good one O!

Down goes the Woodmeister!

Best (worst)? Wind play I saw:

Batter hit high fly to the right side, right field and 1st baseman going for it, but it is foul, out of play, making it's way over to the bullpen. Both players are going back to their positions when the gust of wind grabs the ball and it lands about 10 feet behind 1st base in FAIR territory!

TPM as usual you don't understand. I did not claim I thought my son was over used. I said by most peoples standards they would consider him over used.
I also haven't heard one thing from you that I am not already aware of. I certainly was not making an excuse. I was pointing out that the winds affect his pitching just like most pitchers.
Your comment was typical of your lack of reading skills. As I watched the 4-5 games I saw the weather conditions play havoc on the game. Several of the games have been in bad weather this spring.

TPM I am still trying to figure out what my son's innings have to do with anything other than to inult him or me. 35.1 innings last year is more than double his freshman year. A nice increase in BBB scholarship money this spring tells me the coach has every confidence in him.

Of course "other stuff" affects the game - wind, rain, snow, cold, heat, field, home, away - all of that does play into the game and it's outcome.

What seperates good from bad teams is how they handle it. Do they use it as an excuse or motivation to be mentally tougher? It would be very easy after a tough loss in a very windy game to say "Hey guys you tried really hard but if it wasn't for that wind we probably would have won".

I would rather say after a game "Outstanding job guys. That wind was killer but it didn't bother you and made you hustle even more. The way you communicated on fly balls was awesome. You took everything in practice we work on and made it happen. Great job." This is much better than making an excuse.

Try playing on an artificial surface first thing in the morning after an all nite rain and then again in the afternoon after wind and sun dries it out---same field but not the same field if you get what I mean

sons college tourney today in Fort Pierce...with a stiff wind blowing in........his bases loaded 354 ft shot......became a very effective sacrifice fly.......

(taking nothing away from the warning track catch)...

Worst wind I ever experienced - it was about a year ago.

I was at game with Gotwood - he ate 4 Brats and had a few beers.

I was watching the game - Woody was right next to me - and BAM!

Woody let loose with a Santa Ana type blast.

Knocked me off my seat.

Do not mess with the Woodman.

Santa Ana blast,...or otherwise fondly known as a
" Woody Wind ".

hmmm... its spittin and Woody tootin... together at a ball game. I'm thinking the outcome reality would be altered somehow.

BTW the baseball field called... they want their concession stand back.

Sure enough Woody, you're right. I flipped it over and found this evil doer. Looks like he could use some shade.


Speaking of Al Gore, I understand that he's trying to contact you for a new thread on greenhouse outhouse gas affecting the outcomes of baseball games. I can only imagine it has a direct effect on attendance.

People, I'm tellin you if you don't think wind plays a factor in HS games you need to come watch a game in my park. Our school sits on a hill and we will often have 25-35 mph(51 is the documented record) during our games.
A fly ball can be an adventure... And don't give me this "it affects both teams the same"... If the wind blows in it is a HUGE equalizer; I've been on both sides of it.
If the wind blows out, the better hitting team now has a HUGE advantage.
I could go on and on on this topic because baby I LIVE the wind for this 3 months of the year...

(today it is only 12 mph.... I'll probably fall down out there as I am used to leaning into the wind)

quote:

Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
Hey spizzle. He doesn't need shade. He needs Seattle Sutton©!

...or maybe the Glasgow Glutton.

EEEEWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!