Read What's Going On below to see why it takes as long as it does. Find out at the Physics of Baseball site hosted by the Colorado Rockies. You'll see a great graphic of air pressure causing a curveball to curve. There's also a lot of discussion about advances in batting. It's hard to imagine someone loving baseball not loving math . . . and visa versa .
Baseball is a statistician's dream, with more numbers to keep track of than perhaps any other sport.
Math and baseball is a great combination. Go to their Math Baseball page, where you can score hits and earn points by answering math questions. For a one player game, click the kind of math you want to practice, choose a level, and then click Play Ball. If you miss, you get an out. Don't get three outs or the game will be over.