BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Mythbusters to do Episode on Baseball Myths

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Mythbusters to do Episode on Baseball Myths

An intersection of spheres, at 9 PM EST this Wednesday:

Roger Clemens, perhaps baseball’s greatest living pitcher, joins the gang to take on the national pastime as only the Mythbusters can.

Dag Nabbit and his imaginary friends Posted: August 05, 2007 at 04:27 PM | 64 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: General

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

Page 1 of 1 pages

1. aleskel

Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:24 PM (#2472021)

baseball, AND mythbusters?

excuse me, I think I just had a nerdgasm

2. A One-Shoed Craig K Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:25 PM (#2472022)

I think I'm a bit turned on by this news.

3. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:26 PM (#2472023)

Adam and Jamie investigate whether or not it's possible to bust out of jail using only salsa

Glad I got TiVo, so I can record both of these.

4. A One-Shoed Craig K Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:29 PM (#2472026)

Adam and Jamie investigate whether or not it's possible to bust out of jail using only salsa

That's an old one.

SPOILER:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Yes, it's possible; the effect is greatly increased when Jamie uses electrolysis on the salsa.
.
.
.
.
.
.
/spoiler

5. Sparkles Peterson Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:41 PM (#2472040)

When did Discovery bring back Junkyard Wars re-runs?

6. H_Vaughn08 Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:43 PM (#2472042)

Clemens meets Adam and Jamie. That has the feel of the Iron Sheik guest-hosting Bill Moyer's Journal. Are they going to make a ballistics gel mock-up of Piazza's head and see if Rog can chuck a Louisville Slugger fragment through it?

7. McCoy Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:46 PM (#2472044)

So what myths are still around that need to be busted? Rising fastball? Cold/Hot ball perhaps? Corked bat?

8. AJM Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:46 PM (#2472045)

Awesome!

9. TFTIO who can remember his past lives Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:49 PM (#2472051)

A pitcher has no control over balls in play?

/ducks

10. TVerik, AKA Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dog Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:50 PM (#2472053)

I think this is a great show. But I'm dismayed by the Roger Clemens stuntcasting.

I think they're finally going to take "chemistry" down a notch. And clutch hitting, too!

11. Random Transaction Generator Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:51 PM (#2472054)

Corked bat?

That's gotta be one of them.
And maybe they'll talk about curve balls?
Or possibly even the legends/myths of home runs being hit 650 feet?

12. Sparkles Peterson Posted: August 05, 2007 at 05:55 PM (#2472058)

Humidor and Mantle's 9000 foot HR would be my choices.

13. A One-Shoed Craig K Posted: August 05, 2007 at 06:08 PM (#2472074)

They're based in SF, so "Do steroids really help you become a better player?"

14. Greg Franklin Posted: August 05, 2007 at 06:25 PM (#2472090)

Monty, you're closer than you think. Back in the early pre-planning days of the show, the producers were trolling Usenet for hints and suggestions for episodes. They loved the field of urban folklore and the huge library of legends waiting to be debunked, but emphasized that only the stories involving an explosion (or similar visual pop) were guaranteed to make it to the show.

I say Mythbusters, MST3K, Iron Chef, MXC, and baseball are the only TV programming you need to watch to understand the world.

15. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: August 05, 2007 at 06:58 PM (#2472116)

Mythbusters is a great show. I loved the episode where they debunked Ben Franklin's electricity experiment (he did it, but he was certainly not flying the kite himself).

16. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: August 05, 2007 at 07:09 PM (#2472133)

Well, he wasn't stoopid!

17. Roy Hobbs of WIFFLE Ball Posted: August 05, 2007 at 07:19 PM (#2472169)

With this group we have here, they'd better be more careful with their baseball math than their yawn math:

I've seen the show about three times and this was one of them. The understanding of numbers came off so bad, it killed their credibility with me. Maybe it was just a bad day and I should give it another chance.

18. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: August 05, 2007 at 07:25 PM (#2472186)

They do revisit many of their earlier debunkings, so they might have or may take a look at that experiment again, Roy

19. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: August 05, 2007 at 07:28 PM (#2472191)

Well, he wasn't stoopid!

Even as a little kid, I never understood how he wouldn't have been fried when the lightning bolt struck the kite. Yet, how many books and movies indicate that this is what Ben was doing around 250 years ago?

20. McCoy Posted: August 05, 2007 at 07:47 PM (#2472233)

If I remember right they re-did the flaming boat experiment.

21. bbc is prejudice bout men Posted: August 05, 2007 at 07:51 PM (#2472243)

i like mythbusters too

they should rename the show - all you ever wanted to know about men but didn't need to ask

22. Jimmy P Posted: August 05, 2007 at 08:44 PM (#2472345)

As long as Kari's there, I'll watch

23. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: August 05, 2007 at 09:03 PM (#2472388)

I don't care what they say, Cal Ripken saved baseball!

24. The Sidewalk Is My Pillow Posted: August 05, 2007 at 09:14 PM (#2472425)

I hope they don't waste their time trying to prove that curveballs really curve. Everyone knows it's just an optical illusion!

25. haven Posted: August 05, 2007 at 10:13 PM (#2472537)

Do rising fastballs really rise?

26. Bernal Diaz has an angel on his shoulder. Posted: August 05, 2007 at 10:22 PM (#2472550)

My guess is that they will do the corked bat, the humidity thing, perhaps scuffing the ball, and hopefully dress Kari in something skimpy.

27. Joe Bivens, Schmoo from Massachoosetts Posted: August 05, 2007 at 11:02 PM (#2472587)

Franklin wouldn't have gotten zapped by the lightning because the string would have been disintegrated by the electricity before it reached him.

28. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: August 05, 2007 at 11:07 PM (#2472591)

haven:

If you google that question you will find multiple discussions of the topic.

Better to trust your own work than the word of some anonymous soul on the Internet. More invigorating as well.

29. Robert S. Posted: August 05, 2007 at 11:14 PM (#2472605)

Franklin wouldn't have gotten zapped by the lightning because the string would have been disintegrated by the electricity before it reached him.

That can be explained by Franklin's will to win: He makes his teammates better.

30. Pops Freshenmeyer Posted: August 06, 2007 at 11:28 AM (#2473575)

How about:

thin bat handles vs. old-timey thicker handles

I was watching TV with my girlfriend when the ad came on. She said to me, "that will be the greatest day of your life, won't it?"

31. TVerik, AKA Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dog Posted: August 06, 2007 at 11:33 AM (#2473578)

I know that Bernal and I disagree on this, but I think that Kari is hotter in context than in real life. She uses welding goggles and such, and can build stuff.

She definitely brings sex appeal, but I think that if you took her out of the show, she's only moderately hot.

32. North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan Posted: August 06, 2007 at 11:59 AM (#2473599)

I was watching TV with my girlfriend when the ad came on. She said to me, "that will be the greatest day of your life, won't it?"

Can they manage to combine the explosion and Roger Clemens?

33. Dan The Mediocre Posted: August 06, 2007 at 12:29 PM (#2473626)

I like the earlier shows when it was just Adam and Jamie. That involved building and creativity.

Now they have uninteresting things like "Can vodka do this?" which requires no real intelligence.

And I agree - Kari is hot because she builds things, otherwise she'd be just good looking.

34. DCA Posted: August 06, 2007 at 12:56 PM (#2473647)

And I agree - Kari is hot because she builds things, otherwise she'd be just good looking.

I don't know. I never really thought Kari was that hot. Scottie was smoking though ... maybe Kari just suffers in comparison.

35. Pops Freshenmeyer Posted: August 06, 2007 at 12:58 PM (#2473653)

Now they have uninteresting things like "Can vodka do this?" which requires no real intelligence.

The popularity of the show has led to bigger budgets so they get to do things like the personal flying machine. I think these bigger projects tie up Adam and Jamie so they have to outsource some filler myth stuff to the other group.

I am hoping for some more cement mixer/explosives myths to be tested.

36. Delino DeShields & Yarnell Posted: August 06, 2007 at 02:47 PM (#2473787)

I heard a radio interview of Adam and Jamie a month or so ago - they in no way are friends and make no bones about it. Probably makes for better science.

EDIT: Clemens will be testing the myth that the camera adds 100 lbs.

37. aleskel

Posted: August 06, 2007 at 02:53 PM (#2473790)

they in no way are friends and make no bones about it.

oh yeah, on the show you can tell that they can barely stand each other outside of their professional relationship. It makes for great TV.

38. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: August 06, 2007 at 03:24 PM (#2473816)

And I agree - Kari is hot because she builds things, otherwise she'd be just good looking.

I think she's hot

39. McCoy Posted: August 06, 2007 at 03:31 PM (#2473821)

Put a dead rotting elephant in a push up bra in front of a trained cadre of photogs armed with the latest software and you will think you are looking at Barbi.

40. Dan Szymborski

Posted: August 06, 2007 at 03:41 PM (#2473839)

And I agree - Kari is hot because she builds things, otherwise she'd be just good looking.

I agree. Good-looking woman + likes to build things + makes realistic blood splatter and skull damage for dummies + helps makes big explosions = hot woman.

41. AJM Posted: August 06, 2007 at 04:29 PM (#2473902)

Put a dead rotting elephant in a push up bra in front of a trained cadre of photogs armed with the latest software and you will think you are looking at Barbi.

...next on Mythbusters!

42. Dan Szymborski

Posted: August 06, 2007 at 05:34 PM (#2473971)

Put a dead rotting elephant in a push up bra in front of a trained cadre of photogs armed with the latest software and you will think you are looking at Barbi.

She's attractive on the show, too, and I don't think Discover Channel is spending a boatload of money on a makeover team for her.

43. IronChef Chris Wok Posted: August 06, 2007 at 05:58 PM (#2473989)

F!@# all you haters, Kari is hot.

44. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: August 06, 2007 at 06:14 PM (#2474007)

I don't think she's OMG hot, but she's certainly above my attractiveness bar.

45. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: August 06, 2007 at 06:15 PM (#2474009)

Being smart and with a good personality doesn't hurt, either. :-)

46. JMM Posted: August 06, 2007 at 06:28 PM (#2474024)

And I agree - Kari is hot because she builds things, otherwise she'd be just good looking.

So Kari is only hot because of the qualities that she possesses that help make her hot. As opposed to other hot women who are hot because of qualities they don't possess?

47. bbc is prejudice bout men Posted: August 06, 2007 at 06:34 PM (#2474031)

kari is hot???

well, i see giant boobies, so i guess so

yall guys LIKE females who like to build things and uh, blow up (ahem) things not attached to your own personal bodies???

48. AJM Posted: August 06, 2007 at 06:39 PM (#2474042)

i see giant boobies

And red hair.

49. Swedish Chef Posted: August 06, 2007 at 06:51 PM (#2474058)

yall guys LIKE females who like to build things and uh, blow up (ahem) things not attached to your own personal bodies???

(Runs off to register hotties-in-hardhats.com)

50. JMM Posted: August 06, 2007 at 06:55 PM (#2474061)

blow up (ahem) things not attached to your own personal bodies???

I can safely say that almost no men want things attatched to their own personal bodies blown up. Even most serious masochists would stop before that point.

51. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: August 06, 2007 at 06:59 PM (#2474070)

yall guys LIKE females who like to build things and uh, blow up (ahem) things not attached to your own personal bodies???

Macha can be hot, yes. Not guaranteed, but it's a positive in any case.

(Not Ken Macha, wise guys.)

52. bbc is prejudice bout men Posted: August 06, 2007 at 07:01 PM (#2474073)

AJM

yeh my husband likes redheads too.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
wonder why he likes mythbusters
here and i thought it was because of all the POW BLAM - uhhh, hey that was KEWL!!!! lets try dropping the dummy again POW BLAMMMMMMMM
KEWLLLLLLLL
hey kari, bendover when you pick that stuff up hunh

JMM

blow up meaning enLARGE

like a picture.

not explode. which is later.

53. Loren F.'s well-anchored glenoid Posted: August 06, 2007 at 07:04 PM (#2474081)

Well, this thread has certainly taken a completely surprising turn.

54. bbc is prejudice bout men Posted: August 06, 2007 at 07:10 PM (#2474092)

loren,

honey you GOT to have figured it out by now that males IF they can will talk about hot almost nekkid females if the subject, uh, comes UP because males thinkin bout that kind of stuff ALL the time.

55. Loren F.'s well-anchored glenoid Posted: August 06, 2007 at 07:11 PM (#2474098)

I know. I'm male.

56. bbc is prejudice bout men Posted: August 06, 2007 at 07:13 PM (#2474101)

loren,

oh. sorry. here and i was HOPING there was another grrrrl here so i would not feel so all alone.

anyhow, how can you be surprised with males lookin at females with giant boobies and thinkin bout, uh, things????

57. Loren F.'s well-anchored glenoid Posted: August 06, 2007 at 07:22 PM (#2474118)

bc:

No prob. I like my name, and am used to 40 years of people seeing "Loren" and expecting female. And my comment about being surprised was meant in jest.

For the record, I have no opinion on Kari's hotness. In the photo linked above (and the photo shoot from which it was drawn), I do think part of the effect is that she's dressed in just a lab coat and underwear.

58. JMM Posted: August 06, 2007 at 07:29 PM (#2474134)

JMM

blow up meaning enLARGE

like a picture.

not explode. which is later.

We don't want to compete with that either. Blow is a noun that needs to preposition with regard to what men want women to do with/around/near/etc them.

59. McCoy Posted: August 07, 2007 at 01:52 AM (#2474572)

From the commercials it is going to be about corked bats, sliding vs running, and I can't remember exactly but something about pitching.

60. McCoy Posted: August 09, 2007 at 04:56 AM (#2478344)

Saw the episode and it wasn't that great. They did the sliding\running thing but for whatever reason they thought the myth was sliding vs. coming to dead upright stop at a base you can't run through. The controversy as almost always had to do with sliding into first or running through it. They then did a pretty stupid Roger Clemens piece that did absolutely nothing. It is like the execs said they need to get a name in their or something to do the show so they stuck Clemens in their and had throw some pitches. They also shown what really really humid balls will do against really really dry balls. The best part about that is that they ended up saying "dry balls" like a million times. They did the corked bat thing and found that a ball coming off a corked bat comes off at half the speed that a normal bat does. Don't know if that is really true or not, nor do they do any kind of distance test with it. On top of that they don't do any tests to find out if a player swings a corked bat faster then he would if it was a normal bat.

Basically these guys knew absolutely nothing about baseball, it was like the execs said how do we get this other demographic to watch our show, I know will do a baseball special and will have a picture of Roger Clemens posted throughout. Brilliant!

61. TFTIO who can remember his past lives Posted: August 09, 2007 at 04:59 AM (#2478347)

Shooting a ball at a bat at 437mph was pretty cool, though.

Pretty crappy episode, overall, though.

62. TFTIO who can remember his past lives Posted: August 09, 2007 at 05:02 AM (#2478353)

The other thing was the weird wrongitude of the voiceover: Sosa was suspended for seven matches? Coming to you from the San Jose Giants' ground?

What are the hell?

63. Danny Posted: August 09, 2007 at 07:34 AM (#2478390)

On top of that they don't do any tests to find out if a player swings a corked bat faster then he would if it was a normal bat.

Exactly. How did they not think of that?

Page 1 of 1 pages

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Mythbusters to do Episode on Baseball Myths

Reader Comments and Retorts

Support BBTF

Bookmarks

Hot Topics