KenMaren

As for #1, the on deck hitter is almost perpendicular to the hitter. In a physics perspective Force = Mass x Acceleration. A 90mph fastball would have to nearly equal the Force of the bat hitting the ball to get the ball to go straight sideways. Since the mass of the bat is so much more than the ball the angle at which the bat must hit that ball to get it going in that direction would nearly hit a player in the first place making it unlikely that a swing would take place anyway. Or, a professional hitter would have to be so far behind a pitch that it just seems highly unlikely that it would ever happen.