#7 How can a baseball player possibly hit the ball?

Read this article in 4 levels: Basic A1 (英検3級), Intermediate B1(英検2級), Advanced C1(英検1級), original version. Multiple choice content questions for each level. Free English reading practice. The more you read in English, the more your English will improve. How can a baseball player hit the ball?

Read this article in 4 levels: Basic A1 (英検3級), Intermediate B1(英検2級), Advanced C1(英検1級), original version. Multiple choice content questions for each level. Free English reading practice. The more you read in English, the more your English will improve. How can a baseball player hit the ball?

A1 Beginner 英検3級
B1 Intermediate 英検2級
C1 Advanced 英検1級
Original article

Basic A1 (英検3級) Version:

Article:
How can a baseball player hit the ball? The ball moves very fast, and the player must swing the bat where they think the ball will be. They can’t really see the ball well.

There are different kinds of baseball pitches. A fastball is a type of pitch that is very fast. The fastest pitch ever was 170.3 km/h (105.8 mph). Aroldis Chapman threw this pitch in 2010. His pitches are very fast! But most fastballs are not that fast. The average fastball is 148 km/h (92 mph).

The pitcher throws the ball from a distance of 18.4 meters (60.5 feet) to the batter. A 148 km/h fastball reaches the batter in 0.44 seconds. Chapman’s fastball reaches the batter in 0.38 seconds. That is very fast! It takes about 100 to 400 milliseconds to blink. If the batter blinks, they might miss the ball completely.

The brain needs to work quickly. First, the batter sees the ball. Then, the brain tells the arms to move the bat to hit the ball. It takes 100 milliseconds for the brain to see the ball. It takes another 150 milliseconds for the brain to understand where the ball is going. After that, it takes 25 milliseconds for the brain to decide to swing. Finally, it takes 150 milliseconds for the muscles to start moving. Altogether, that takes about 425 milliseconds, which is very close to 440 milliseconds. But still, baseball players hit the ball!

How do they do it? It takes practice. Professional players have hit many balls before. They don’t need to think as much. They also know what will happen by looking at the pitcher. They can guess where the ball will go. This helps them hit the ball.

Questions:

  1. What do baseball players need to hit the ball?
    a) A special bat
    b) A quick brain
    c) Good shoes
    d) A strong arm
  2. How fast was the fastest pitch in baseball?
    a) 148 km/h
    b) 170.3 km/h
    c) 105.8 km/h
    d) 92 mph
  3. How long does it take a fastball to reach the batter?
    a) 0.44 seconds
    b) 1 second
    c) 0.38 seconds
    d) 2 seconds
  4. What happens if the batter blinks?
    a) They miss the ball
    b) They hit the ball
    c) They get tired
    d) They win the game
  5. What does the brain do first when hitting the ball?
    a) Decides to swing
    b) Tells the arms to move
    c) Sees the ball
    d) Tells the pitcher to throw
  6. How long does it take for the brain to decide to swing?
    a) 150 milliseconds
    b) 25 milliseconds
    c) 100 milliseconds
    d) 425 milliseconds
  7. What helps professional players hit the ball?
    a) Special bats
    b) Practice and prediction
    c) A fastball
    d) Good eyesight
  8. Why do professional players hit the ball better than others?
    a) They run fast
    b) They think faster
    c) They practice more
    d) They predict better
  9. How long does it take for the brain to process where the ball is going?
    a) 100 milliseconds
    b) 150 milliseconds
    c) 25 milliseconds
    d) 0.44 seconds
  10. What helps professional players guess where the ball will go?
    a) The bat
    b) The weather and pitcher’s stance
    c) The color of the ball
    d) The crowd noise

Answers:

  1. b) A quick brain
  2. b) 170.3 km/h
  3. a) 0.44 seconds
  4. a) They miss the ball
  5. c) Sees the ball
  6. b) 25 milliseconds
  7. b) Practice and prediction
  8. d) They predict better
  9. b) 150 milliseconds
  10. b) The weather and pitcher’s stance

Intermediate B1 (英検2級) Version:

Article:
How can a baseball player hit a fast-moving ball? They have to predict where the ball will be, as they can’t actually see it clearly.

Baseball has different types of pitches, but let’s focus on the fastball, which is a very quick, straight pitch. The fastest pitch ever recorded in Major League Baseball (MLB) was 170.3 km/h (105.8 mph), thrown by Aroldis Chapman in 2010. However, most fastballs are slower, with an average speed of 148 km/h (92 mph).

The pitcher throws the ball from a distance of 18.4 meters (60.5 feet) from the batter. A 148 km/h fastball reaches the batter in just 0.44 seconds. Chapman’s fastest pitch would take 0.38 seconds to reach the batter. Although the ball begins to slow down after being thrown due to air resistance, these times give us a good idea of how fast it travels.

Blinking takes about 100 to 400 milliseconds. If a batter blinks at the wrong time, they could miss the ball completely. To hit the ball, the batter’s brain must do several things: it must receive the visual information from the eyes, process where the ball is going, and send instructions to the arms to swing the bat. It takes around 100 milliseconds for the eyes to send the image of the ball to the brain. Processing the ball’s trajectory takes another 150 milliseconds. Then, it takes 25 milliseconds to decide to swing, and finally, 150 milliseconds for the muscles to begin moving. In total, this process takes about 425 milliseconds, leaving only 15 milliseconds before the ball reaches the batter.

Despite the difficulty, professional baseball players hit the ball consistently. This is mainly due to practice and prediction. Players have faced so many pitches that their reaction times are very fast. Their brains don’t need to analyze the situation as much as ours would. They can also predict where the ball will go based on the pitcher’s movements and their previous experience. This allows them to react much quicker than someone without such training.

Questions:

  1. What is the fastest pitch ever recorded in MLB?
    a) 105.8 km/h
    b) 170.3 km/h
    c) 92 km/h
    d) 148 km/h
  2. How far is the pitcher’s mound from home plate?
    a) 18.4 km
    b) 170.3 meters
    c) 60.5 feet
    d) 92 meters
  3. How long does it take for a 148 km/h fastball to reach the batter?
    a) 0.38 seconds
    b) 0.44 seconds
    c) 1 second
    d) 0.15 seconds
  4. What might happen if the batter blinks at the wrong time?
    a) They could hit a home run
    b) They might miss the ball
    c) They will get a walk
    d) They could get hit by the ball
  5. How long does it take the brain to decide to swing?
    a) 150 milliseconds
    b) 100 milliseconds
    c) 25 milliseconds
    d) 425 milliseconds
  6. Why can professional players hit the ball consistently?
    a) They have better bats
    b) They are stronger
    c) They have practiced a lot and can predict where the ball will go
    d) They have better eyesight
  7. What happens after the eyes send the image of the ball to the brain?
    a) The brain processes where the ball is going
    b) The muscles start moving
    c) The pitcher throws the ball
    d) The batter swings the bat
  8. What is the main challenge for the brain when hitting a fastball?
    a) Seeing the ball
    b) Processing where the ball is going
    c) Deciding to swing
    d) Moving the muscles
  9. How do professional players predict where the ball will go?
    a) By watching the ball carefully
    b) By analyzing the pitcher’s stance and movements
    c) By using special equipment
    d) By relying on luck
  10. What is the key to hitting fastballs effectively?
    a) Special training
    b) Fast reaction times and prediction
    c) A good diet
    d) Strong muscles

Answers:

  1. b) 170.3 km/h
  2. c) 60.5 feet
  3. b) 0.44 seconds
  4. b) They might miss the ball
  5. c) 25 milliseconds
  6. c) They have practiced a lot and can predict where the ball will go
  7. a) The brain processes where the ball is going
  8. b) Processing where the ball is going
  9. b) By analyzing the pitcher’s stance and movements
  10. b) Fast reaction times and prediction

Advanced C1 (英検1級) Version:

Article:
How can a baseball player successfully hit a fastball, given that the ball moves at such

a high speed that it’s nearly impossible to see it clearly? The answer lies in a combination of practiced prediction and rapid neural processing.

Let’s consider the fastball, a pitch known for its velocity and direct trajectory. The fastest pitch in MLB history was recorded at 170.3 km/h (105.8 mph) by Aroldis Chapman in 2010. Although this is exceptional, the average speed of a fastball is about 148 km/h (92 mph).

Given that the pitcher’s mound is 18.4 meters (60.5 feet) away from home plate, a 148 km/h fastball takes approximately 0.44 seconds to reach the batter. Chapman’s record-setting pitch would cover that distance in about 0.38 seconds. While the ball starts to decelerate due to air resistance as soon as it’s released, these numbers still provide a realistic estimate of the ball’s speed.

The brain faces a significant challenge in processing such rapid information. After the batter’s eyes detect the ball, the visual information takes roughly 100 milliseconds to reach the brain. The brain then spends around 150 milliseconds calculating the ball’s trajectory. Afterward, it takes about 25 milliseconds for the brain to decide whether to swing or not, followed by another 150 milliseconds for the muscles to initiate movement. This entire process consumes approximately 425 milliseconds, leaving just 15 milliseconds before the ball arrives at the plate.

Despite this narrow margin, professional baseball players consistently make contact with fastballs. This ability is largely due to extensive practice and the capacity for advanced prediction. Through repeated exposure to similar situations, their brains have developed a kind of muscle memory, enabling them to react almost instinctively. Additionally, they can anticipate the ball’s path by analyzing the pitcher’s stance, movements, and even subtle environmental factors, allowing them to make split-second decisions with remarkable accuracy.

Questions:

  1. What enables a baseball player to hit a fastball effectively?
    a) Superior eyesight
    b) Practiced prediction and rapid neural processing
    c) Strong muscles
    d) Advanced equipment
  2. What is the average speed of a fastball in MLB?
    a) 105.8 mph
    b) 148 km/h
    c) 92 mph
    d) 170.3 km/h
  3. How long does it take for a 148 km/h fastball to reach the batter?
    a) 0.44 seconds
    b) 0.38 seconds
    c) 0.25 seconds
    d) 1 second
  4. What happens after the batter’s brain receives the visual information about the ball?
    a) The muscles begin to move
    b) The brain calculates the ball’s trajectory
    c) The brain decides to swing
    d) The pitcher throws the ball
  5. How much time does the entire process of seeing, processing, and reacting to the ball take?
    a) 100 milliseconds
    b) 150 milliseconds
    c) 425 milliseconds
    d) 440 milliseconds
  6. Why is it almost impossible for a player to hit the ball by just reacting to it?
    a) The ball moves too slowly
    b) The ball decelerates rapidly
    c) The brain requires more time to process and react
    d) The distance is too short
  7. What helps professional players predict the ball’s path?
    a) Experience and analyzing the pitcher’s movements
    b) Watching the ball carefully
    c) Special training programs
    d) Technological aids
  8. How do players develop the ability to react almost instinctively?
    a) Genetic advantages
    b) Repeated exposure and practice
    c) Advanced coaching techniques
    d) Special diet
  9. How much time does it take for the brain to decide whether to swing or not?
    a) 100 milliseconds
    b) 150 milliseconds
    c) 25 milliseconds
    d) 425 milliseconds
  10. What factor plays a role in the ball starting to slow down as soon as it’s released?
    a) Gravity
    b) Air resistance
    c) The batter’s stance
    d) The ball’s weight

Answers:

  1. b) Practiced prediction and rapid neural processing
  2. b) 148 km/h
  3. a) 0.44 seconds
  4. b) The brain calculates the ball’s trajectory
  5. c) 425 milliseconds
  6. c) The brain requires more time to process and react
  7. a) Experience and analyzing the pitcher’s movements
  8. b) Repeated exposure and practice
  9. c) 25 milliseconds
  10. b) Air resistance

Original Version:

Article:
How can a baseball player possibly hit the ball? They have to swing at where they think the ball will be because they cannot actually see it.

There are different types of baseball pitches, and they travel at different speeds, so let’s just look at the fastball, which is a simple and straight pitch. The fastest baseball pitch in MLB history was 170.3 km/h (105.8 mph). This was thrown by Aroldis Chapman in September 2010. Chapman also has the next 6 fastest baseball pitching times as well. However, that is something of an anomaly. Let’s look at average speeds. The average fastball pitch speed is 148 km/h (92 mph).

The pitcher’s mound is 18.4 m (60.5 feet) from the home plate where the batter stands. That means a 148 km/h fastball travels that 18.4 m in 0.44 seconds. Aroldis Chapman’s fastball takes 0.38 seconds to travel the distance to the batter. I know that is not exact because the baseball starts to slow down the second it leaves the pitcher’s hand. The ball’s speed is provided by the muscles of the pitcher and the mechanics of the pitch. Once the ball is out of the pitcher’s hand, it has no extra energy and can only lose speed because of air resistance. However, let’s work with that 0.44 seconds.

440 milliseconds is an incredibly short time. It takes between 100 and 400 milliseconds to blink! If the batter happens to blink when the pitcher pitches, they could miss the entire flight of the ball. So, the first question is, can the batter actually see the ball? To be able to see the ball and have the bat where the ball is going to be, the batter’s brain needs to do three things: receive the visual signals from the eyes, process the information and work out where the ball is going, and instruct the arms to be in the right position. Think about what happens when you are going to catch a ball that is thrown at you. Your eyes see the ball and send the signal to your brain. Your brain processes the information and works out the trajectory of the ball. And then your brain sends the instructions to your arm and hand muscles so that they are in the correct place to intercept the ball. How long does that take?

Once the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand, the light has already reached the batter’s eyes because the speed of light is not something we need to take into account. The light hits the cones, creates an electrical signal, and whizzes up the optic nerve to the brain. It takes about 100 milliseconds for the image to reach the brain. It might actually be faster than that. Studies by MIT have shown that the brain can process an entire image in as little as 13 milliseconds and baseball players have the advantage that they already know what they are looking for. Once the signal reaches the brain it has to analyze the trajectory of the ball, and that takes about 150 milliseconds. Then it takes about 25 milliseconds for the brain to decide whether to swing or not. Once that decision is made, the signals get sent to the muscles and it takes about 150 milliseconds for the muscles to start moving. That is a total of about 425 milliseconds, leaving 15 milliseconds. That means it is almost impossible for a baseball player to see the ball, react, and hit it. And yet they do. Consistently. How?

A lot of it comes down to practice and prediction. If you or I faced a fastball (assuming you are not an MLB player), we wouldn’t be able to swing until long after the ball had passed. We would wait to really see the ball before we reacted, which would be way too late. Professional players use two things to help them. Firstly, they have practiced so many times and faced so many pitchers that their reaction time has been honed. Their brain is expecting the ball and the connections in their brains are prepped for the reaction. That is basically muscle memory. Their brains don’t have to analyze the information as much as ours would.

The second thing is they are able to predict what is going to happen far more clearly than we could. They have faced so many pitches that their brains are able to see the pitcher’s stance, the movement, probably even the weather, and be able to compare that to past pitches. Their brains “know” where a pitch like that will generally go and that helps them react without having to analyze as much information as we can. The more often we are exposed to a stimulus, the faster our brain becomes at recognizing it. With training, we would become much better at hitting faster pitches, but to be at the top level probably requires some genetic mutation that gives very fast reaction times.

Questions:

  1. What is the primary challenge in hitting a fastball?
    a) Seeing the ball clearly
    b) Predicting the ball’s speed
    c) The bat’s weight
    d) The player’s strength
  2. What is the fastest pitch speed recorded in MLB?
    a) 148 km/h
    b) 170.3 km/h
    c) 105.8 mph
    d) 60.5 km/h
  3. How far is the pitcher’s mound from home plate?
    a) 20 meters
    b) 18.4 meters
    c) 60.5 meters
    d) 15 meters
  4. Why can’t a batter simply react to the ball after seeing it?
    a) The ball is invisible
    b) The reaction time is too long
    c) The ball slows down too quickly
    d) The bat is too heavy
  5. What is the total time the brain and muscles need to react to the pitch?
    a) 100 milliseconds
    b) 150 milliseconds
    c) 425 milliseconds
    d) 440 milliseconds
  6. Why do professional players hit the ball more consistently than non-players?
    a) They have better eyesight
    b) They practice more and have quicker brain connections
    c) They have better equipment
    d) They stand closer to the plate
  7. What role does prediction play in hitting a fastball?
    a) It allows players to swing earlier
    b) It helps players guess the ball’s speed
    c) It helps players estimate the ball’s trajectory based on the pitcher’s movements
    d) It reduces the speed of the ball
  8. How does muscle memory assist professional players in hitting fastballs?
    a) It reduces the time needed to analyze information
    b) It increases the strength of the swing
    c) It slows down the ball’s speed
    d) It enhances the visibility of the ball
  9. What is the purpose of the MIT study mentioned in the article?
    a) To measure the speed of the ball
    b) To understand how quickly the brain processes images
    c) To improve baseball equipment
    d) To analyze the player’s strength
  10. What is required at the top level of baseball to hit fastballs consistently?
    a) Special equipment
    b) Genetic mutation for fast reaction times
    c) Additional training
    d) Higher levels of strength

Answers:

  1. a) Seeing the ball clearly
  2. b) 170.3 km/h
  3. b) 18.4 meters
  4. b) The reaction time is too long
  5. c) 425 milliseconds
  6. b) They practice more and have quicker brain connections
  7. c) It helps players estimate the ball’s trajectory based on the pitcher’s movements
  8. a) It reduces the time needed to analyze information
  9. b) To understand how quickly the brain processes images
  10. b) Genetic mutation for fast reaction times

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *