this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023
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Victor Wembanyama 119mph fastball? (alien.top)
submitted 2 years ago by detectivehardrock@alien.top to c/nba@nba.space
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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:

  1. the additional wingspan

  2. equal strength (this is debatable, but for the sake of this hypothetical, let's assume)

  3. 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]

top 42 comments
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[–] ajteitel@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Wemby = The Long Unit

[–] SoberWill@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (2 children)

The Big Baguette

[–] RichardIraVos@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

The biguette

[–] detectivehardrock@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

This needs to become his actual nickname

[–] alf-isbackinpogform@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

He'd be no Sidd Finch

[–] Jt026@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

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

[–] FrnklndaTurtle@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Man hasn't played a regular season basketball game and already is the greatest mlb pitcher of all time.

[–] chronoquairium@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (4 children)

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

[–] wir_suchen_dich@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I don’t think batters are getting an easy hit just because the 150mph fastball is a little in.

[–] chronoquairium@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

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.

[–] wir_suchen_dich@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

So not a base hit.

[–] FrnklndaTurtle@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Take out the other team a batter at a time

[–] Alodylis@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

One batter at a time lol

[–] The_NGUYENNER@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yeah but wemby's arms make it halfway to the plate already

[–] whenitcomesup@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Is it legal for the pitcher to just hand the back catcher the ball?

[–] Frequent-Let-9308@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Your body can’t create that much torque ever. Op gotta be a troll post

[–] chronoquairium@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

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.”

[–] AnotsuKagehisa@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

lol better than MJ already

[–] wrongerontheinternet@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'm pretty sure someone computed at one point that after around 108 mph ligaments would just snap.

[–] Uncontrollablebeagle@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

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.

[–] crossbuck@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Mans dunking a fastball.

[–] craigslistaddict@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

he could vaporize a pelican

[–] SubcooledBoiling@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

So he's Zeke in Attack On Titan

[–] T_025@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Exactly what I was thinking

Perfecto Gamo

[–] hippocrat@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

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

[–] Frequent-Let-9308@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Not possible. https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/sports/a6063/how-the-105-mph-fastball-tests-the-limits-of-the-human-body/

[–] RichardIraVos@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

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

[–] OpenArse1984@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

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.

[–] DiscreteBee@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Man used chatGPT as a source

[–] AnotsuKagehisa@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

That’s almost an average ace serve in tennis

[–] hoselpalooza@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Has Wemby ever heard of fucking nail clippers?? Ugh gross.

[–] Large_Mango@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Cocaine is a helluva drug. How do you think he stays so thin?

[–] hoselpalooza@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Ayo for yayyyooooo

[–] suckmedrie@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Wemby needs to cut his nails damn

[–] spipscards@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Most super tall pitchers don't throw that hard. It's harder to throw max effort with command when your levers are that long.

[–] girlscoutcookies05@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Any Randy Johnson enjoyers?

[–] inspectorgadget69247@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I tapped out as soon as I saw OP used chatGPT as a source. Plus his conceited “better than you” attitude is completely unfounded in sports science. Dude is an absolute fraud and this post is embarrassing

[–] larrylegend1990@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

Wemby already the best two sport athlete of all time… maybe three sports if we include soccer/football.

Thats despite playing 0 nba games

[–] Whako4@alien.top 1 points 2 years ago

I think there was a sports science on this and I’m prettt sure the theoretical max was like 108 I believe. Aroldis Chapman peaked at 105 mph (maybe 106? Probably not)