Hitting a basball vs Catching Pass in NFL

[TheGame1020]

Which is harder for average person?

Catching a pass in the NFL in 4 downs as a WR?

Getting a hit off a MLB pitcher in an at bat?

This is only a question of skill or how hard something is to do. Injury is not a factor.

I believe personally it is a get a hit off an MLB pitcher. While it would be very hard to catch a pass in the NFL, it is nearly impossible to hit 90 mph fastball for the average person. In the NFL, the QB could run a play for you or just throw a quick slant route. While this is still very hard, I think you have a lot better chance. The average person probably would fail at both but which do you think is easier to accomplish?

Please discuss! This is a big topic among my friends!

[mason55]

Hitting an MLB pitch is infinitely harder. There is no discussion.

[Voltron87]

hitting an MLB pitch, easily.

[Mike Cuneo]

MLB players consider failing 7 times out of 10 a major success. 6 is legendary. Baseball, as Joe Torre says, is a game of negative statistics. In football catching a pass is easy, the hard part is absorbing the constant contact. And also, does anyone in here think Marshall Faulk could become a full time WR (maybe a 2nd WR or slot guy) if he only focused on that (during his prime, that is). I say yes.

[Uston]

There isn't a defensive back in the NFL who couldn't level me at the line of scrimmage 100% of the time. For this reason, I think I would have a better chance, by virtue of sheer luck, of getting a hit off of an MLB pitcher.

[Alex Frank]

Clearly hitting a baseball. When someone is consistantly throwing 95 mph on the black it gets very hard to get that lucky. A batter has about one half of one second to decide to swing, and keep the ball fair, when a pitcher is throwing 90 mph; in that time one must decide what the pitch is, where it is located and if its a strike, they also have to time the pitch in order to hit it hard.

P.S. Which sport has the best athletes? Basketball, Baseball, Football, Ice Hockey, Soccer, Lacrosse, Swimming, other.

[poker-penguin]

So to get a hit I have to make contact with the ball, AND keep it fair and uncaught, AND make it to 1B before the ball does?

What are the rules for catching an NFL pass? Obviously, I have to recieve a pass from the QB, but does it have to be for positive yardage?

Even if it does, wait till 3rd and long, the other recievers go deep, I hang out just past the line of scrimmage by the sideline, I'd say I could catch it.

Hence, earning a hit from an MLB fastball is much harder.

[Weatherhead03]

I'm going to have to agree with this..even if I am "open" and about to catch a pass I am sure to drop it so i do not get sent into next year with a hit coming right after.

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm going to have to agree with this..even if I am "open" and about to catch a pass I am sure to drop it so i do not get sent into next year with a hit coming right after.

[/ QUOTE ]

Injuries are not a factor

[ThaSaltCracka]

lets look at it this way.


If I was giving 4 chances to catch a pass from an NFl QB, I am pretty sure I could catch one. If I was given 20 tries, I don't think I could touch a MLB fastball more than twice.

[Brain]

Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.

[/ QUOTE ]fast pitch softball is 65ish from 40ft. clearly 90 from 60 is much harder.

[Voltron87]

the movement and variety of mlb pitches is also whats hard to hit. if you see fastball, fastball, changeup, fastball, slider, etc, youll be [censored]. if youre a semi good baseball player and you get 10 fastballs in a row, even 92+, youll get zoned in and have some success. but if you have to watch for the high heat and a changeup/curve/whatever that is slower... no chance.

[ThaSaltCracka]

word. I realize that, but for most of us, just trying to touch a 90+ fastball is hard enough.

[Brain]

good fast pitch can be faster, but clearly mlb pitching is much tougher.

[Clarkmeister]

I vote scoring a goal in the NHL. Skating full speed, controlling the puck, getting hit, beating a goalie.

[JTrout]

Favre would break your fingers, then laugh at you when you cried.

[2+2 wannabe]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.

[/ QUOTE ]fast pitch softball is 65ish from 40ft. clearly 90 from 60 is much harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

65ish?

are you playing girl's softball?

fastest softball pitch ever > fastest overhand pitch ever

plus it's 25% closer

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.

[/ QUOTE ]fast pitch softball is 65ish from 40ft. clearly 90 from 60 is much harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

65ish?

are you playing girl's softball?

fastest softball pitch ever > fastest overhand pitch ever

plus it's 25% closer

[/ QUOTE ]yes, but most underhand players are women. I am well aware what The King has done pitching underhand. But he is clearly the exception.

[Nottom]

Hitting a baseball and its not even close.

Recievers are expected to make a catch when its thrown to them, no one expects a hit everytime a baseball player steps up to the plate.

[thatpfunk]

This question should be a little more detailed:

As far as catching a pass, is it in man or zone coverage? If it is man, is the corner in press? If this is the case then it would be almost impossible for anyone in the general public to be strong and quick enough to get free, get into their route, hold on to the ball, and absorb a hit.

If it is just 4 random plays it would come down to pure luck. Also, most people would be so slow that they couldn't run their routes in time with the QB, etc.

I think a lot of people would become extremely intimidated when they are lined up and they see how big and fast the LBs and safeties are.

[Mike Cuneo]

[ QUOTE ]
I vote scoring a goal in the NHL. Skating full speed, controlling the puck, getting hit, beating a goalie.

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't the NFL locked out?

[Nick B.]

I think trying to tackle a running back like priest holmes or ricky williams would be harder. That [censored] would hurt.

[HajiShirazu]

I think that against tight man coverage the average guy would have a 0% chance of getting open and catching the ball against an NFL QB. These guys are so much faster, quicker, and stronger than most people that there would be no seperation at all. The average guy couldn't even break 5.2 in the 40, these guys are all running 4.4-4.5's. And most of the time one would just be knocked on the ground at the line, so running ability wouldn't matter. Those guys are freaks. Against a zone or some other situation where one somehow wouldn't be covered, catching a pass wouldn't be that difficult but I assume that wasn't the point of this question.
Hitting the 90 mph fastball is pretty rough, but I still think someone could get a hit perhaps 3-5 percent of the time out of sheer luck. I mean, look at AL pitchers who never have to bat normally in interleague games. They don't make an out EVERY time, just almost always. Or Michael Jordan, he hit .200 in the minors. I agree that hitting is a freakishly hard thing to do, but it's not impossible.

[Jack of Arcades]

Except that a) Michael Jordan was one of the greatest athletes of all time and b) pitchers are usually excellent hitters in high school.

[Toro]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.

[/ QUOTE ]fast pitch softball is 65ish from 40ft. clearly 90 from 60 is much harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

65ish?

are you playing girl's softball?

fastest softball pitch ever > fastest overhand pitch ever

plus it's 25% closer

[/ QUOTE ]

There was this guy named Eddie Feiner who was maybe the fsstest softball pitcher ever. He and 3 guys(they would play 4 on 9) toured and would play anybody. They called themselves the King and his court and never lost.

In an exhibition, he faced Willie Mays in his prime. The Say Hey Kid couldn't get so much as a foul ball off him.

[2planka]

I think anyone with minimal baseball experience could, with some practice, hit a fastball. Mix in offspeed pitches, breaking balls, different arm angles and release points and give the batter just three strikes and the chances for success are much harder.

That said, I would rather take my chances against an MLB pitcher than go over the middle in an NFL game. It's a life expectancy thing.

[Crveballin]

People that are considered professionals in the sport of baseball and who are some of the greatest still fail over 65% of the time. For the average person, with a wood bat, hitting in a major league park, I would say would fail close to 97-99% of the time to get a hit. And I still feel thats generous.

This isnt close. Hitting a baseball is harder.

[hoopsie44]

Depends on who is QBing, also. Catching a Chad Pennington pass is a little different than catching a John Elway bazooka.

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
Depends on who is QBing, also. Catching a Chad Pennington pass is a little different than catching a John Elway bazooka.

[/ QUOTE ]
not really. anyone who doesn't have the coordination to catch a pass has absolutely no hope of catching up to a major league pitch.

to break it down, you have a wooden stick that's about 33" long and about 32 oz and which has a maximum diameter of 2 3/4". you have to swing that stick and try to make contact with a ball that's traveling upwards of 90 mph kinda-sorta towards you (that fact alone would make most people fail. the "crap-your-pants" factor would make people back off and have no chance in hell).
this ball is coming from any number of spots (different arm angles and release points) a maximum of 60'6" away, but, given the delivery, is probably more like 55' away. that gives you less than 3/4 of a second to 1) decide whether to swing or not, 2) actually swing, 3) choose where to swing

additionally, the ball may or may not have some spin on it which makes it break left, right or down. it may not have spin at all, which would make it "dance". it could be coming so fast that it "rises" or, in extreme cases, "explodes" (Ron luciano described this and it was explained to him that the ball was moving so fast that his ocular muscles couldn't keep up with its progression toward the plate. one second it was in the pitcher's hand and the next, it was at the plate. the explosion that he saw was his brain trying to reconcile these two images).

for the average person? I'd guess they almost never even make contact, but the sun does shine on a dog's ass sometimes.

[TheGame1020]

I agree with most of the posters. Hitting an MLB pitch is WAY harder. An excellent point is that you have less than a second to decide and the pitcher can throw almost anything. Fastballs, changeups, curveballs, etc. This makes it almost literally impossible.

[ripdog]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.

[/ QUOTE ]fast pitch softball is 65ish from 40ft. clearly 90 from 60 is much harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

65ish?

are you playing girl's softball?

fastest softball pitch ever > fastest overhand pitch ever

plus it's 25% closer

[/ QUOTE ]yes, but most underhand players are women. I am well aware what The King has done pitching underhand. But he is clearly the exception.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm surprised at you TSC. Fastpitch softball used to be pretty big in the Seattle area. I'm talking men's league. There were a hell of a lot of no-hitters thrown in that league. I think that hitting a semi-pro fastpitch softball would be pretty tough, almost or as tough as a major league fastball. I'm also assuming that the pitchers are allowed to throw spinners and off speed stuff. If you haven't swung a bat for a few years, forget hitting either one right now.

[Uston]

How do you guys figure you're going to even have a chance to catch the football? This is the NFL. You'll have about zero chance of getting off the line of scrimmage before the quaterback's pocket collapses. If you do, you'll be defended by someone with world-class speed.

[M2d]

screen pass

[SocialWelfareIV]

I had fourteen tackles for a loss and was all county. I'm going to catch a pass and probably score a touchdown.

Sup bro?

[pryor15]

let's not forget that the QB wants you to catch the ball while the pitcher doesn't want you to get a hit. that makes a difference, i think.

hitting a pitch, no question.

[Benholio]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.

[/ QUOTE ]fast pitch softball is 65ish from 40ft. clearly 90 from 60 is much harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to be a nit, but just by glancing at the numbers you can tell that 65/40 > 90/60. A 65MPH pitch from 40ft would take the same time to get to the plate as a 97.5MPH pitch from 60.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.

[/ QUOTE ]fast pitch softball is 65ish from 40ft. clearly 90 from 60 is much harder.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to be a nit, but just by glancing at the numbers you can tell that 65/40 > 90/60. A 65MPH pitch from 40ft would take the same time to get to the plate as a 97.5MPH pitch from 60.

[/ QUOTE ]nit /images/graemlins/mad.gif


looks like I was pwned.

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Definitely hitting a baseball is harder. I can kinda hit fast pitch softball, but I doubt I can keep up with a major leaguer. I can definitely catch a pass.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

fast pitch softball is 65ish from 40ft. clearly 90 from 60 is much harder.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Not to be a nit, but just by glancing at the numbers you can tell that 65/40 > 90/60. A 65MPH pitch from 40ft would take the same time to get to the plate as a 97.5MPH pitch from 60.

[/ QUOTE ]

to be a nit, because of release point, the baseball pitch comes from, maybe (tough to measure and varies from pitcher to pitcher) 55 feet away, while the softball pitch comes from maybe 38 feet.
additionally, the release point in softball is much more consistant from pitcher to pitcher, making it easier to pick up the ball out of the pitcher's hand
also, the softball is much bigger than the baseball, so it's easier to make contact

not trying to denigrate softball, because hitting that [censored] is damned tough.

[Brain]

http://espn.go.com/media/pg2/2003/0228/photo/jf_rtprof.jpg
She can strike me out anytime.

[UOPokerPlayer]

I agree with this guy, I'm never going to catch a pass ever because i'm going to be on my ass the second the ball the is snapped. If I swang in the middle of a pitchers wind up I could manage some nappy broken-batter maybe one out of two hundred times. In football, there is no way I would stay on my feet. The CB would shove me down, and if I stepped back for a little screen, he'd jump it for 6 the other way because he doesn't have to worry about me going forward. I guess I could catch a perfectly blocked and executed shovel pass from the backfield and dive into a fetal position, but I thought the OP was talking about being a WR and being on an island in man coverage. If that's the case, I would get 0 completions in infinite attempts. Hitting the MLB pitcher is pretty much impossible, but that's better than completely impossible.

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with this guy, I'm never going to catch a pass ever because i'm going to be on my ass the second the ball the is snapped. If I swang in the middle of a pitchers wind up I could manage some nappy broken-batter maybe one out of two hundred times. In football, there is no way I would stay on my feet. The CB would shove me down, and if I stepped back for a little screen, he'd jump it for 6 the other way because he doesn't have to worry about me going forward. I guess I could catch a perfectly blocked and executed shovel pass from the backfield and dive into a fetal position, but I thought the OP was talking about being a WR and being on an island in man coverage. If that's the case, I would get 0 completions in infinite attempts. Hitting the MLB pitcher is pretty much impossible, but that's better than completely impossible.

[/ QUOTE ]

Heh. I, too, think the probability of each would be like winning the lottery, but my WAG is the probability the CB slips and falls on his face exceeds the probability of my eyes-closed-swing-during-the-windup-weakass-hack lands safely. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[CollinEstes]

I think you would have a much better chance of shedding up a jam in 50 tries and catching one pass from Payton Manning than trying to hit a Roger Clemen's splitter or a Randy Johnson Slider, or even a Zito Curve.

[BreakfastBurrito]

If you changed the question to catching a pass for a 1st down in non-prevent coverage, I think it becomes a lot closer, although it's still baseball.

Now, if you change it to, give an in-shape adult with above average athletic ability two months of training, which is more difficult:

1) Being put up to bat in a man on 3rd base, no out situation (infield conceding the run), being able to drive the run in without bunting

OR

2) Being put into a football game as an eligible receiver on 3rd and 6 and catching the pass for first down yardage

I think you could have something to discuss.

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
Now, if you change it to, give an in-shape adult with above average athletic ability two months of training

[/ QUOTE ]
is the two months training the only exposure that adult has with the respective games? if so, I still say hitting the baseball is tougher. you disallow bunting, but what about slashes (where the guy squares up and slashes at the ball)? that might make it easier, but not enough so that I'd change my answer. maybe he can slash enough foul balls to eventually get the pitcher to make a wild pitch?

[kasey2004]

hitting off an MLB pitcher without a question would be harder

[istewart]

Softball is not a sport, STFU about it.

[yoadrians]

[ QUOTE ]
Favre would break your fingers, then laugh at you when you cried.

[/ QUOTE ]

Favre is God. We'll miss him around here in Wisconsin when he retires. And catching a football in the NFL would be much more do-able than hitting a fastball in the MLB.

Think tight end. Block for one second, quick up and out, you're wide open.

I don't think this is close.

[Vince Young]

[ QUOTE ]
Think tight end. Block for one second, quick up and out, you're wide open.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're funny.

[yoadrians]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Think tight end. Block for one second, quick up and out, you're wide open.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're funny.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol. you're right. I read it over again, and I laugh at myself.

I think all I meant was that in some cases, you can be disguised as a receiver and not have to get off the line and beat a top-notch d-back.

That's all I meant. Sorry I sounded like a fvcktard.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Think tight end. Block for one second, quick up and out, you're wide open.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're funny.

[/ QUOTE ]I like your avatar.

[MarkL444]

no average person can beat an NFL corner. i think theres more potential to get "lucky" and make contact in baseball.