This post requires some MLB + physics + sports science knowledge to assess.
Looking at the absurd wingspan of Wemby (8’0"), and the photo of him gripping a baseball, we couldn’t help but imagine, if he had the skill of Randy Johnson (6’10" wingspan), what speed could his fastball achieve?
Given:
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the additional wingspan
-
equal strength (this is debatable, but for the sake of this hypothetical, let’s assume)
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the fact that he’d be releasing 1’2" (1.9%) closer to the mound than The Big Unit
Would MLB players be able to hit it?
According to GPT4, Wemby’s torque would be 800 ft-lbs*, compared to Johnson’s 684 ft-lbs.
This would, by percentage increase, amount to a 119mph fastball.
It does make the caveat, though, that “various biomechanical factors, air resistance, muscle utilization, and other physical constraints would likely prevent such a straightforward increase in pitch velocity.”
This is where I wonder if any Redditors who are smarter than me in physics and/or sports science could please vet this number, and tell us whether the San Antonio Spurs have deprived us of the greatest pitcher in MLB history?
*Fun fact - 800 ft-lbs torque is equivalent to the force generated by this power drill. Victor Wembanyama is probably strong[citation needed]
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he could vaporize a pelican
Wemby = The Long Unit
The Big Baguette
The biguette
This needs to become his actual nickname
He’d be no Sidd Finch
Yo this is some wild pseudo science, I want to believe but I don’t think I can until someone convinces Wemby he could be a two sport athlete if he learns how to throw a baseball
Man hasn’t played a regular season basketball game and already is the greatest mlb pitcher of all time.
To be fair, you could throw a baseball at 150 mph and it wouldn’t matter if it wasn’t pinpoint accurate, even 2-3 degrees to either side is so inaccurate it wouldn’t reach the catcher and it’d likely be a base hit
Your body can’t create that much torque ever. Op gotta be a troll post
Nah, 150 was an arbitrary number/exaggeration. More saying “it can be as fast as possible, it doesn’t matter if it’s several yards away from the plate.”
Take out the other team a batter at a time
One batter at a time lol
I don’t think batters are getting an easy hit just because the 150mph fastball is a little in.
That’s not what I was saying. I’m saying by the time it gets to the mound it’ll be like ten feet away from them.
So not a base hit.
Yeah but wemby’s arms make it halfway to the plate already
Is it legal for the pitcher to just hand the back catcher the ball?
lol better than MJ already
I’m pretty sure someone computed at one point that after around 108 mph ligaments would just snap.
107 MPH curveballs
Checkmate computers
Looked for this but couldn’t find the source - got one?
With his wingspan he would need to be careful his hands don’t get hit by the bat as he drops the ball into the catcher’s glove.
Mans dunking a fastball.
So he’s Zeke in Attack On Titan
Exactly what I was thinking
Perfecto Gamo
I’ll just say that caveat is doing a lot of work there. It’s basically applying a linear increase to something that has a lot of nonlinear factors
Tbf the limitations on the average persons body are not the same as the limitations on wembys body. Obviously his body is completely different than anyone else on the planet
Halfway through that pitch his body is going to be like “wtf are we doing? we haven’t worked up to this.” and he’s going to tear something.
Man used chatGPT as a source
That’s almost an average ace serve in tennis
Has Wemby ever heard of fucking nail clippers?? Ugh gross.
Cocaine is a helluva drug. How do you think he stays so thin?
Ayo for yayyyooooo
Wemby needs to cut his nails damn
Most super tall pitchers don’t throw that hard. It’s harder to throw max effort with command when your levers are that long.
