Time to hit a 95 mph fastball
Time to hit a 95 mph fastball
375 ms–425 ms
Physical limit — the time available, not a human figure
The ball is in the air for roughly four tenths of a second, and the swing itself takes about 150 milliseconds and cannot be aborted once started. That leaves something like 150 to 200 milliseconds to identify the pitch and commit — barely one visual reaction time. Batters therefore do not react to the ball; they predict it from the pitcher's arm and release, which is why a pitcher who hides the ball well is effective regardless of speed.
The numbers
- Typical
- 400 ms
- Range
- 375 ms to 425 ms
- What it is
- Physical limit — the time available, not a human figure
- What is measured
- Flight time from the pitcher's release to the plate, about 55 feet at 95 mph.
Why this is a physical limit
This is how long the event gives you, not how long a person takes. It is here because comparing the two is the only way to see whether reacting is possible at all.
Where it sits against everything else
Reflexes at the top, reactions in the middle, design values off the end of the scale.
Vestibulo-ocular reflex — Reflex 10 ms
Knee-jerk (patellar) reflex — Reflex 22 ms
Latency added by your screen and mouse — Physical limit 35 ms
Blink reflex — Reflex 40 ms
Withdrawal reflex — Reflex 90 ms
Time a jab takes to land — Physical limit 110 ms
Sprint start reaction — Reaction 140 ms
Simple tactile reaction time — Reaction 155 ms
Simple auditory reaction time — Reaction 170 ms
Professional gamer reaction time — Reaction 190 ms
Formula One start reaction — Reaction 200 ms
Simple visual reaction time — Reaction 250 ms
How reaction time changes with age — Reaction 250 ms
What sleep loss does to reaction time — Reaction 300 ms
What alcohol does to reaction time — Reaction 320 ms
Recognition reaction time — Reaction 340 ms
Choice reaction time — Reaction 380 ms
Time to hit a 95 mph fastball — Physical limit 400 ms
Time a goalkeeper has on a penalty — Physical limit 450 ms
Time to play a 90 mph delivery — Physical limit 500 ms
Driver reaction to an expected event — Reaction 850 ms
Sport
| What | Typical | Range | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time a jab takes to land | 110 ms | 80 ms–150 ms | Physical limit |
| Sprint start reaction | 140 ms | 120 ms–180 ms | Reaction |
| Formula One start reaction | 200 ms | 150 ms–300 ms | Reaction |
| Time a goalkeeper has on a penalty | 450 ms | 400 ms–600 ms | Physical limit |
| Time to play a 90 mph delivery | 500 ms | 450 ms–550 ms | Physical limit |
Common questions
- How long is time to hit a 95 mph fastball?
- Typically 400 ms, with a real range of 375 ms to 425 ms. Flight time from the pitcher's release to the plate, about 55 feet at 95 mph.
- Is that a reflex or a reaction?
- Physical limit — the time available, not a human figure. This is how long the event gives you, not how long a person takes. It is here because comparing the two is the only way to see whether reacting is possible at all.
Related pages
- Time a jab takes to land 110 ms
- Sprint start reaction 140 ms
- Formula One start reaction 200 ms
- Time a goalkeeper has on a penalty 450 ms
- Time to play a 90 mph delivery 500 ms
- A reflex is not a reaction Why one is 20 ms and the other 250
- Stopping distance at every speed Reaction distance plus braking distance, computed
- Measure your own reaction time Five attempts, median reported
Sources
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place