The fastest baseball pitch ever recorded

[bassrique]

On Friday night Aroldis Chapman threw a ball 105 mph and set a record.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...dspadres092410

Fastest Recorded MLB Pitches

Name Team Year MPH
Aroldis Chapman Reds 2010 105
Joel Zumaya Tigers 2006 104.8
Aroldis Chapman Reds 2010 104
Mark Wohlers Braves 1995 103
Armando Benitez Mets 2002 102
Jonathan Broxton Dodgers 2009 102
Neftali Feliz Rangers 2010 102
Bobby Jenks White Sox 2005 102
Randy Johnson Diamondbacks 2004 102
Matt Lindstrom Marlins 2007 102
Robb Nen Marlins 1997 102
Justin Verlander Tigers 2007 102

Chapman throws fastest pitch ever recorded

SAN DIEGO – Aroldis Chapman(notes) was summoned from the bullpen one batter too late to make a difference in the game. No matter. The 22-year-old Cincinnati Reds left-hander made do by making history Friday night, throwing the fastest pitch recorded in a major league game, a 105-mph fastball.
Ardolis Chapman's 25 pitches on Friday night (each registering 100 mph or faster, including his record-breaking 105 mph heater) must have been a blur to Padres batters.
(Christopher Hanewinckel/US Presswire)

The blazing pitch pushed a white-hot pennant race to the back burner. Yes, the San Diego Padres won the game 4-3 to pull ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the National League wild-card race. Sure, the San Francisco Giants all but buried the Colorado Rockies thanks to a dominant performance by Tim Lincecum(notes).

But the lingering memory was of a now-you-see-it, did-I-actually-see-it fastball to Tony Gwynn(notes) in the eighth inning. The pitch was not a fluke: Chapman threw 25 pitches in his 1 1/3 innings of relief, and every one was at least 100 mph. He didn’t throw a slider. He didn’t throw a changeup. Why would he?

From Walter Johnson to Bob Feller to Steve Dalkowski to J.R. Richard to Nolan Ryan to Stephen Strasburg, blistering velocity is etched forever in baseball lore. Rush Chapman to the head of the list. Has anybody in the history of the game had a comparable 25-pitch sequence?

“I didn’t see it until the ball was behind me,” Gwynn said. “I was trying not to look at the radar reading because I’d be intimidated. I saw how hard he was throwing and just tried to be slow and work my hands.”

The 105-mph pitch was inside for a ball and evened the count at 2-2. Gwynn had fouled off the previous two pitches and fouled off the next before striking out. He ought to be pleased with his effort, forcing Chapman to make seven pitches, the slowest of which was 102 mph.

Gwynn’s father, Tony, a Hall-of-Famer and one of baseball greatest hitters, never saw a pitch as fast as the one Chapman threw. Maybe nobody else has, either. Since radar guns were introduced in the 1980s, the fastest pitch recorded was 104.8 mph by Joel Zumaya(notes) of the Detroit Tigers in a playoff game Oct. 10, 2006. Chapman, who defected from the Cuban national team in 2009, was clocked at 104 on Sept. 1 in his second major league appearance and also hit 105 mph with a pitch for Triple-A Louisville earlier this season.

Chapman, speaking through an interpreter with bags of ice strapped across his arm, credited his stepped-up velocity Friday to the fact that he’d pitched only once in the last week. He didn’t allow an earned run in his first eight relief appearances after being promoted Aug. 31, but the Astros nicked him for two runs a week ago. He pitched a scoreless inning on Monday against the Brewers, then had three more days off.

“My arm had been a little sore and the rest helped,” he said. “I felt as good as I did a couple weeks ago. Not the best I’ve ever felt, but I felt good.”

Reds manager Dusty Baker appreciated the moment, but the loss grated on him. Chapman was warming up in the bullpen when Miguel Tejada(notes) delivered a bases-loaded, two-out single in the seventh against Nick Masset(notes) that drove in the Padres’ third and fourth runs. Chapman came in and struck out Adrian Gonzalez(notes) on three fastballs that registered 101, 102 and 103 mph.

Baker had been reluctant to summon Chapman to face Tejada with the bases loaded and the Reds holding a one-run lead, envisioning a wild pitch or a walk.

“A guy throwing that hard, looking back you can say I should have brought him in earlier, but he can’t pitch against everybody all the time,” Baker said.

Asked if that was the hardest he has seen Chapman throw by a small degree, Baker replied, “By a big degree.”

Padres officials said the stadium radar gun is not known for inordinately high readings, unlike the Fox TV gun that recorded Zumaya at 104.8. Chapman had three other pitches Friday clocked at 104 mph.

This wasn’t the first time Chapman had pitched at Petco Park. He started for the Cuban team in the World Baseball Classic in the spring of 2009 and was knocked out of the game in the third inning against Japan and took the loss. His fastest pitch was 101 mph.

“I’ve grown up and improved so much since then,” he said. “I remember that night and losing my composure a little. I couldn’t find the strike zone. That seems like a long time ago.”

After defecting during a tournament in the Netherlands in July 2009, Chapman signed a six-year, $30.25 million deal with the Reds in January. It was widely predicted that he would sign a much more lucrative deal with a deep-pocket team such as the Yankees or Red Sox, but some teams backed off because of concerns about his maturity.

“We’ve got to make bold moves sometimes,” Reds GM Walt Jocketty said at the time.

Now the signing looks genius. And maybe by the time the playoffs begin, Baker will go to Chapman earlier, even with the bases loaded.

“When a guy is throwing that hard, you feel sort of helpless,” Gwynn said. “We’re just glad we had enough runs to win before he came in the game.”

[blendermassacre]

thank god he didn't bean the guy....

[bassrique]

When I played baseball when I was a kid, the fastest I saw was 60-70 mph, and that stuff looked blazing, and it hurt like heck to be hit. I can't imagine what a 105 fastball would look like [or not look like ], and to be hit with a ball like that.......oh man.....

[Demon_Hunter]

Remember when Randy Johnson's fast ball got disrupted by a dove?

http://www.thescreamonline.com/stran...-01/index.html

[Jim Nazium]

Roids.

[stratovani]

I'm impressed, but to a point. There's a lot more to pitching than simply rearing back and firing 100+ mph fastballs. If he doesn't have control to go with it then he'll be in a heap of trouble. And if they should make him a starter, then he'll have to learn one or two more pitches. His arm will blow out if he doesn't.

[need4mospd]

His catcher = big balls, the kind that clang

[Riverrunsred]

I wonder if his career will be as long as the great Nolan Ryan's ?

[fo shizzle]

Originally Posted by stratovani

I'm impressed, but to a point. There's a lot more to pitching than simply rearing back and firing 100+ mph fastballs. If he doesn't have control to go with it then he'll be in a heap of trouble. And if they should make him a starter, then he'll have to learn one or two more pitches. His arm will blow out if he doesn't.

Only to a point? Really? You must really be able to bring it, huh?

The control is always the question, isn't it? But I think his lack of control presents plenty more problems for the guy in the batter's box!!

From what I understand he's working hard on his breaking ball.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by stratovani

I'm impressed, but to a point. There's a lot more to pitching than simply rearing back and firing 100+ mph fastballs. If he doesn't have control to go with it then he'll be in a heap of trouble. And if they should make him a starter, then he'll have to learn one or two more pitches. His arm will blow out if he doesn't.

Yep. IIRC, he took the loss against the Padres the next day.

[yodedude2]

i always enjoy watching a knuckleballer pitch. just sayin'. later. ron

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by yodedude2

i always enjoy watching a knuckleballer pitch. just sayin'. later. ron

Not a knuckler, but ever watch Bob Tewksbury pitch in the 1990s? He would occasionally throw a sub-55mph change-up.

[Ripper]

but hows his changeup or curve? if he could switch to an accurate, off speed pitch somewhere in the low 60's or 70's he would be an awesome pitcher

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by fo shizzle

Only to a point? Really? You must really be able to bring it, huh?

Very funny!

The control is always the question, isn't it? But I think his lack of control presents plenty more problems for the guy in the batter's box!!

Pitching is all about three things - velocity, movement, and control. You cannot be successful at the Major League level without all three. Look at all the pitchers in the Hall of Fame, they've got all three factors in spades.

From what I understand he's working hard on his breaking ball.

He'd better be, otherwise he'll be washed up in a very short time!

[capnsandwich]

Once Zumaya gets healthy, and stays healthy, he'll hit 105.1, thus bringing back the record to the Tigers where it belongs.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by stratovani

Pitching is all about three things - velocity, movement, and control. You cannot be successful at the Major League level without all three. Look at all the pitchers in the Hall of Fame, they've got all three factors in spades.

Eh...if your list was just movement and control,, I'd agree. Maddux will be first ballot although he pitched most of his career sub-90. Phil Niekro and Hoyt Wilhelm got in with tons of movement and not much velocity. I always had the impression that Mordecai Brown was a similar case, though I'm not totally sure.

[Jerose]

I worked at the Syracuse Chief's stadium when Stephen Strasburg had his short stint there. Watched the pitch speed hit 99 quite a few times. The thing is, the clock only had 2 digits.

Kid was crazy.

[Pilgrim]

It was a pleasure to see Randy Johnson's name in that list.

He was The Man....loved to watch him pitch. He didn't have to throw 105 to scare the $@)#$*# out of batters.

[Stu L.]

Originally Posted by Riverrunsred

I wonder if his career will be as long as the great Nolan Ryan's ?

Exactly what I was thinking. Wasn't he tossing a few 102's around?

[Jay Ralston]

Reminds me of the end of the movie "Major League" with Charlie Sheen.