10.28.2011

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson Tweets Baseball

Since my beloved Red Sox missed the playoffs following their curse-esque September nosedive, I have avoided watching baseball altogether this postseason. It's too painful. I didn't even have the chance to root against the Yankees in the World Series.

I have, however, found some consolation in the post-season tweets of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Tyson has wowed us for years with his intermingling of science and pop culture, He's showed up on Jeopardy!, Who Wants To Be A Millionare?, and Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! He's appeared on The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, Conan O'Brien, and The Big Bang Theory. On his radio show, Star Talk, he has analyzed the physics behind the powers of superheroes.

Tyson's baseball tweets have run the gamut: the physics of baseball, breakdowns of player salaries, suggestions for new rules, and new criteria for awards.

I've collected some of his gems below (running in order, from the playoffs through the World Series):

  • Yankees must win tonite. CC Sabbathia in relief on the mound. During the regular season, he earned $6,500 per pitch.
  • Yankees must win tonite. A-Rod is 0 for 2. During the regular season, he earned $86,000 per at-bat.
  • You can play baseball on the airless Moon, but only if you find a way not to suffocate & if you don't care about curve balls
  • New baseball rules I'd like to see: if the pitch that hits you is ball four, you should get to advance to second base.
  • Baseball should track extraordinary plays that fielders can bank, and then credit against errors they might later commit.
  • If you walk on 4 pitches it should count against the pitcher. But if you walk on 8 pitches, it should count as a hit.
  • On the Moon, with 1/6 of Earth's gravity, a 400 ft home run would travel nearly half a mile. Do the physics.
  • The "ManagerOfTheYear" award should not be a vote, but should go to who gets the most wins per dollar of player salaries paid
  • Just an FYI: It takes twice as much energy to throw a baseball 100mph than it does to throw one at 70mph. Do The Physics

Follow Neil on Twitter at @neiltyson

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