Juan Soto - The Truth making it in DC this year

[NatsAllThe Way]

The homer the other day - I think they said the launch angle was 45%.  That's not optimum for distance, but isn't that the angle for howitzers?  Any artillery guys out there?

I think it would been a fly ball out if the wind weren't so crazy in New York that day though.

[Ray D]

The homer the other day - I think they said the launch angle was 45%. 

Did you mean 45 percent? Or is that a typo and you meant degrees?

[aspenbubba]

I think it would been a fly ball out if the wind weren't so crazy in New York that day though.

I think he is talking about the one in DC on Mondays first game

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Did you mean 45 percent? Or is that a typo and you meant degrees?

I forget the units.  I guess it is degrees.  I'm used to saying % for gradients, but you are probably right.

[tomterp]

I forget the units.  I guess it is degrees.  I'm used to saying % for gradients, but you are probably right.

He's definitely right, but just try to find the degree symbol on a keyboard.

[imref]

@statsbystats

After last night's game against Baltimore, @Nationals  Juan Soto has exactly 100 PA in his career.

His OBP (.420), SLG (.593) and OPS (1.013) all rank 1st among teenagers through their first 100 PA in the live-ball era (since 1920).

[Ray D]

He's definitely right, but just try to find the degree symbol on a keyboard.

"Degrees". 

or

Copy and paste: Right now it's 73° in DC.

[Ray D]

I forget the units.  I guess it is degrees.  I'm used to saying % for gradients, but you are probably right.

Reason I asked is, you said it's not optimal for distance.  45 percent would not be optimal but my understanding is that 45 degrees is optimal.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Mel Ott and Tony Conigliaro are impressed.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Reason I asked is, you said it's not optimal for distance.  45 percent would not be optimal but my understanding is that 45 degrees is optimal.

I'm out of my league on trajectories.  Never really used trig and never fired artillery.  That said, I thought the whole launch angle stuff says the ideal trajectory is in the low 20s (degrees)?

[Natsinpwc]

Does anyone else think there is a chance that his real name is not Juan Soto and he is like 24 years old? 

[imref]

Mel Ott and Tony Conigliaro are impressed.

now that he's reached 100 PAs we're about to really see what he can do!

[GburgNatsFan]

One wonders.

Does anyone else think there is a chance that his real name is not Juan Soto and he is like 24 years old?

[dracnal]

I'm out of my league on trajectories.  Never really used trig and never fired artillery.  That said, I thought the whole launch angle stuff says the ideal trajectory is in the low 20s (degrees)?

In a purely Newtonian world, 45 degrees is the optimal perfect parabolic arc for maximum distance. In the real world with things like wind, drag, humidity, temperature, etc. 25-30 degrees is optimal because while it will go a shorter distance overall, it will get there faster and therefore be less likely to be affected by any of the negative (or positive) factors. It keeps the ball high enough that an OF can't snag it with a lucky catch, but low enough to get out of the yard fast and not hook foul (or be blown by wind).

[UMDNats]

Does anyone else think there is a chance that his real name is not Juan Soto and he is like 24 years old? 

smiley gonzalez 2.0 WOULD happen to us

[Smithian]

Does anyone else think there is a chance that his real name is not Juan Soto and he is like 24 years old? 

If you put him next to Michael Taylor and told me to identify who is 19 and who's 27, I would confidently peg Soto as the older and Taylor the younger.

[spidernat]

Does anyone else think there is a chance that his real name is not Juan Soto and he is like 24 years old? 

I wouldn't be shocked about the age.

[spidernat]

If you put him next to Michael Taylor and told me to identify who is 19 and who's 27, I would confidently peg Soto as the older and Taylor the younger.

But that's because Taylor has Benjamin Button syndrome.

[Slateman]

Juan Soto is The Truth

[spidernat]

Juan Soto is The Truth A DH

[GburgNatsFan]

 

[Smithian]

This kid

[Mathguy]

Soto is an everyday player - much more than a DH

[Mathguy]

The way he circles fly balls shows his true age of 19

Does anyone else think there is a chance that his real name is not Juan Soto and he is like 24 years old? 

[mixedmutt]

In a purely Newtonian world, 45 degrees is the optimal perfect parabolic arc for maximum distance. In the real world with things like wind, drag, humidity, temperature, etc. 25-30 degrees is optimal because while it will go a shorter distance overall, it will get there faster and therefore be less likely to be affected by any of the negative (or positive) factors. It keeps the ball high enough that an OF can't snag it with a lucky catch, but low enough to get out of the yard fast and not hook foul (or be blown by wind).

QFT.

If gravity were the ONLY force acting on the ball then 45 degrees would be the optimal launch angle, as gravity is a conservative force and only pushes the ball down and does not change depending on the balls path...friction and wind are non-conservative forces and change based on the path taken, humidity and temperature aren't actually forces acting upon the ball but influence the friction coefficient.

It's just like in golf your driver is going to have less loft than your 3-wood, allowing you to stay under the wind to garner more distance.