WATCH: Ricky Nolasco's Pitch Winds Up On A Boat

[Parker Hageman]

When Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez hit his seventh home run of the season off of Ricky Nolasco, he probably did not see where the 450 foot blast landed -- which was on a moored boat in the Allegheny River. 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/601012002320855043

 

That's an impressive shot with surely astronomical odds. Just to reach the river alone takes some muscles. In 2001 the Pittsburgh Post Gazette outlined what it takes in order to for a ball to get wet:

 

The batter must redirect a pitch: 320 feet down the right-field line, 21 feet over the right-field wall containing the out-of-town scoreboard, 38 feet high to clear the stands, approximately 80 feet across the concrete concourse; and approximately 50 feet beyond -- the expanse between the park and the river's edge -- coming to a total distance of 443 feet, minimum.

 

 

The article also cites a physics professor from Carnegie Mellon University who estimated that given the conditions and the force/velocity necessary to propel a ball unimpeded to the water, there would be one or two instances each year.

 

However, since the opening of the stadium there have been just two instances of player's clearing the stadium and into the river on the fly. In 2002, Houston's Daryle Ward was the first to do so on the fly and then former Twin Garrett Jones did so with a shot in 2013. Alvarez's bid to become just the third hitter to splash down into the river since the opening of PNC Park may have been thwarted by a boat. 

 

[jokin]

This vid makes me wish the Twins had been able to find a parcel of land to build TF on the Mississippi. And especially now that we're in the process of installing a bevy of boppers more than able to achieve splashdown on a regular basis.

[Parker Hageman]

http://www.ballparkmagic.com/wishfulfields/MplsRiver/mpls_river2.jpg

 

 

http://www.ballparkmagic.com/wishfulfields/MplsRiver/mpls_river3.jpg

 

Would have taken some muscles to get that ball wet, then again, maybe no more than what Pittsburgh has. More opportunities since right-handers can take aim.

[Willihammer]

We've seen a few RH batters put balls in the 3rd deck in left. Any idea how hard/high/far a ball would have to be hit to go over the 3rd deck and out of the park?

[Parker Hageman]

The Giancarlo Stanton Home Run Derby blast traveled 510-feet so...more than that.

 

 

[formerly33]

Danny Gladden didn't think that they should give him credit for putting that ball in the river. I think he's right, too, because if somebody hit a ball hard enough to go out of any other stadium but somebody reached up and pulled it in, the hitter wouldn't get the credit of hitting it all the way out of the park.

[Parker Hageman]

 

Danny Gladden didn't think that they should give him credit for putting that ball in the river. I think he's right, too, because if somebody hit a ball hard enough to go out of any other stadium but somebody reached up and pulled it in, the hitter wouldn't get the credit of hitting it all the way out of the park.

 

I agree. Ball probably has to get wet in order to be considered in the river. 

[Loosey]

Are we sure that it didn't land in front of the bow of the boat?  One would think it would rattle around a little bit or bounce out of the boat if it indeed landed in it.

[JB_Iowa]

It's BETTER than landing in the water.

 

It's like those games you play where you have to throw the ball in the bucket.

 

The boat is bigger than the bucket but who knew it would be there?

[Parker Hageman]

 

Are we sure that it didn't land in front of the bow of the boat?  One would think it would rattle around a little bit or bounce out of the boat if it indeed landed in it.

 

The ball stayed in the boat. Here's a clip of the fan grabbing the ball out:

 

http://i.imgur.com/Wp3jdy1.webm

 

 

 

 

[70charger]

 

The Giancarlo Stanton Home Run Derby blast traveled 510-feet so...more than that.

 

If anyone wants to see a picture of me, I was in section 330, second row. 

 

(I can't think of another reason to watch this clip.)

[jimbo92107]

The concourse outside TCF Field's right field stands (Gate 34) is the only place similar to PNC Park's river walk. So it is possible to hit one "out of the park" at TCF, and it has happened a few times, including one by Jim Thome, and another by Thome that would have landed on the plaza if it hadn't hit the American flag pole.

 

Meanwhile, Ricky Nolasco finally looks healthy again. If not for some sloppy fielding, he might have made it to the seventh inning with just a few runs given up.

[Loosey]

 

Meanwhile, Ricky Nolasco finally looks healthy again. If not for some sloppy fielding, he might have made it to the seventh inning with just a few runs given up.

Except he sulked after Mauer made and error and couldn't compose himself enough to get the last out.  He got rattled by mistakes in the field and you can't let that happen at the Major League level, things out of his control got to him.

[jimbo92107]

 

Except he sulked after Mauer made and error and couldn't compose himself enough to get the last out.  He got rattled by mistakes in the field and you can't let that happen at the Major League level, things out of his control got to him.

You're right, that was unprofessional of Nolasco. You don't show up your teammates by sulking in public. Still, it was overall another encouraging outing. The good news is that Ricky Nolasco is now about what the Twins expected when they signed him. He's a good #2 or 3 starter that peppers the outer zone with a variety of pitches from different angles, then makes hitters flail at his big curve ball. Swinging at that bender usually produces a grounder, a pop-up, or a whiff, and if you lay off it, it's a strike.