The Impact of Sticky Substances on Baseball Pitching and the Immediate Effects of Training

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effects of using a sticky substance on baseball pitching performance, specifically when applied as part of a training regimen. Seven male pitchers participated, and the Rapsodo Pitching 2.0 system was used to measure performance metrics. The experiment involved two groups: a Control group and a Training group, with trials conducted across three phases: Pre, Training, and Post. In the Pre and Post phases, participants pitched 5 times, while in the Training phase, they pitched 10 times toward a target 18.44 m away. Valid pitches were recorded by Rapsodo Pitching 2.0. Each participant completed the trials over two consecutive days. Ball velocity, spin rate, gyro degree, and vertical break were measured, and a t-test was conducted. Results showed no significant differences between the Control and Training groups in the Post phase. However, during the Training phase, the Training group exhibited significantly higher ball spin and vertical break (p < 0.05), likely due to increased friction between the fingers and the ball. Interestingly, some participants did not achieve a significant increase in ball spin, despite the sticky substance's known effect. This variability suggests a need to investigate the factors influencing ball spin to develop more effective training methods.