Why is it harder for a hitter to hit a homerun to center field than to right or left field?

Question

given the diamond shape of a baseball field and the speed with which baseballs are hit, why is it harder for a hitter to hit a homerun to center field than to right or left field? (consider the effect of air drag on fast moving projectiles)

Answer 1

Its much further away. And more hitters are starting to become more of a pull or slap hitter.

Answer 2

its such a longer distance...

from homeplate to centerfield...

then from homeplate to right or left.

Answer 3

Two reasons: Because if you're right handed you are most likely to hit it to left field and if you're left handed you are most likely to hit it to right field.  It goes like this because if you think about it, its whatever side the baseball is hit once it's in the air.

And it is also a much longer distance to home plate to center field than home plate to left field or right field.

Answer 4

its further away from home plate

Answer 5

Simple. Longer distance.

Answer 6

u need two things...

you have to have a lot of power

you have to hit the ball squarely up the middle

think about it, all the power hitters pull,

all the line drive hitters that hit up the middle squarely do not have any power.  

Answer 7

The corners are usually 330 feet, while center field is usually 400-420.

Answer 8

Because center field wall is farther away then right or left field. Plus, most right-handed batters like to hit towards left-field and left-handed batter like to hit it towards right field. Also, the wind. The wind most of the time is not blowing directly to center but to right or left. These all have effects on the ball. I am a right handed hitter. I normally hit balls down the left field line. In some cases, I will hit the ball to center but the wind drags it either to right or left.

Answer 9

The corners are the shorter parts of the field,than center.

Answer 10

It's simply because of a longer distance. Baseball fields vary in their dimensions, but a good average would put the distance from home plate to the outfield fence of about 330-340 feet down the lines.

The center field fence, by contrast, is often 400 feet from home plate or perhaps even slightly further.

Answer 11

It is actually a further distance in most ballparks to center field. You have to remember that while the diamond (the base runner's path) is equal from each base, the back wall is curved, and not in a perfect parabola.

Also, because humans are primarily right or left handed, they tend to hit to one side of the field more often, making it more common to see home runs on one side rather than center field.  

Answer 12

Because 1) Center field is usually 75 feet longer and 2) the ball will always tail towards the foul line that its closer to, turning balls hit to center into gappers

Answer 13

Center field is over 400 ft in most ball park.