Is It Harder To Get A Hit In The MLB Or Complete A Pass In The NFL?

Last night, a couple of buddies and I hit the bar to catch some playoff hockey. A few beers in, the conversations started getting a little rowdy classic back-and-forths over dumb hypotheticals. Then I threw out a question that immediately split the group right down the middle. I genuinely thought it was the easiest question of all time, but apparently, I was wrong.

Here’s the scenario: What’s more likely for your average guy, completing a single 10-yard pass in an NFL game with 50 attempts, or putting a ball in play in Major League Baseball with 50 at bats?

To me, the answer is crystal clear. Hitting a baseball in play in the MLB is way harder than completing a 10-yard pass in the NFL. And I get it, football is fast, and linemen are absolute monsters. You’ve got 300 pound dudes flying at you with bad intentions, and the speed of the game is on another level. But you’re telling me I can’t complete one 10-yard pass out of 50 tries? Come on. No way.

I'd bet actual money that I could do it. Sure, a lot would depend on how good my receivers are. If I’ve got guys who can run clean routes and get open, I’m confident I could hit at least one of them. It’s not like I need to thread the needle between two Pro Bowl cornerbacks or throw a perfect spiral on the run. Give me a clean pocket and a simple route, and I think I can make something happen.

Now, let’s talk about baseball. Putting a ball in play even just making solid contact is insanely difficult at the MLB level. These pitchers are throwing absolute paint, fastballs in the high 90s, and if that wasn’t enough, they’ve got a full arsenal of curveballs, sliders, cutters, changeups, and whatever other fucking pitches they throw nowadays. I wouldn’t stand a chance. I’d probably swing and miss 50 times. I probably wouldn’t even see the ball coming in for more than half of them.

Even the pros who’ve been hitting since they could walk are considered elite if they get a hit three out of ten times. What makes anyone think your average guy, who hasn’t picked up a bat in years, can even put one in play once out of fifty? It’s just not happening.

Bottom line is completing a 10-yard NFL pass is tough, but hitting an MLB pitch is damn near impossible.