Relativistic Baseball : What would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90% the speed of light?

The answer turns out to be “a lot of things”, and they all happen very quickly, and it doesn’t end well for the batter (or the pitcher). I sat down with some physics books, a Nolan Ryan action figure, and a bunch of videotapes of nuclear tests and tried to sort it all out. What follows is my best guess at a nanosecond-by-nanosecond portrait:

The Enigma of Mr. 105

Disquieting stuff.  Going to be fascinating to see how his conversion to starting, and his career, play out.

The Reds, I later learned, had made it clear to the Padres that they didn’t want anyone cooperating with any Chapman features, a problem I ran into with other teams as well.

Now, baseball players like their privacy, but in this case the Reds were going above and beyond their normal defensive maneuvers. Nevertheless, after tracking down and talking to more than 40 scouts, agents, baseball observers, and ex-teammates of Chapman, I came to understand the Reds’ reluctance. In spite of all the hype and hope surrounding the 25-year-old phenom, he appears to be one of the most risky and fragile players the team has had in a long time.

Reds verify plan to convert Chapman to a starter… and start talking innings limit.

I so enjoyed the Strasburg innings drama last year. With any luck, Chapman will bring more of the same!