Deadball 2k21

[Bene Futuis]

Rawlings has loosened the tension of the first of three wool windings around the center of the ball, which reduced the weight of the ball, by less than one-tenth of an ounce — or 2.8 grams — as well as the bounciness of the ball.

Five teams also plan to add humidors this season, bringing to 10 the number of stadiums that will store baseballs in humidity-controlled cabinets. The Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox already have humidors.

The memo did not identify the five teams adding humidors, but officials with the Angels and Dodgers both confirmed they were not adding them.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2021-02-22/mlb-deadening-baseballs-liven-game-pitchers-managers-approve

Supposedly not a big change (a foot or two on a 375+ ft. hit) but it's got people talkin'! They're trying to change the game away from a "three true outcomes" game as it's become.

[Bene Futuis]

I mean, is this what we're seeing right now? Pitching is going nuts this year.

[revo]

5 no hitters so far, with a 7 inning no no that didn’t count.

[Bene Futuis]

Strikeouts about the same but runs and earned runs are significantly down league-wide. Still, it was only back in 2014 that both were lower than now. I guess it's just comparing to the last couple few years that it feels like pitching is dominating. Oh yeah, and the insane amount of no hitters!

[Ken]

IMO when the ball is changed significantly (and this appears significant), there's going to be an adjustment period where stats are extreme. And it makes sense.

Hitters' approach is based on the way the ball has flown for the last several years. It makes sense to sell out because the ball was flying out of the park. You strikeout more, but as a hitter you take that trade in order to put the ball in the air more and hit more HRs.

Now, the ball changes, and some of those HR you were selling out for are flyouts. But you can't just change your swing overnight. Muscle memory, for one thing, is hard to overcome. So hitters are still striking out as much (actually more), to sell out for.... fly outs to the warning track in many cases.

Rather than using the short 2020 season, lets look at 2019 as a comparison point. In 2019 hitters were striking out at a rate of 8.81 k/gm and hitting 1.39 HR/gm. When the ball stayed in the park they were hitting at a .2983 BABIP.

Fast forward to 2021, hitters still are selling out - 8.96 strikouts per game, but they are only getting 1.14 HR/gm and hitting with a .287 BABIP. So, in relative terms, strikeouts are up ~2%, but over the same timespan hitters will have hit 311 fewer HRs and had 318 fewer hits on balls in play.

IMO those balls that were going over the fence in 2019 are now flyouts to the warning track.

[revo]

Some random notes:

- The record for no-hitters in a season during the modern era is 7, and there's already been 5.
- We are on pace for 19 no no's this season.
- This is the first season since 1917 with 5 no hitters before June.
- The leaguewide batting average is .236, the lowest BA of all time
- The lowest in a full season is, of course, in 1968 when the league hit .237

[Pauly]

I cant think of a better way to put asses in seats than to mess with the ball so much that you create a league hitting .236 as a whole. Maybe they should ban the DH in the AL too, because pitchers hitting a collective .089 (total guess) would add to the excitement.

[Ken]

I cant think of a better way to put asses in seats than to mess with the ball so much that you create a league hitting .236 as a whole. Maybe they should ban the DH in the AL too, because pitchers hitting a collective .089 (total guess) would add to the excitement.

Hey, if you want to see a no-hitter in person, this is your year to go to games.

[Mithrandir]

Baseball is becoming damn near unwatchable for me. BORING!!!!!!!

[GwynnInTheHall]

Baseball is becoming damn near unwatchable for me. BORING!!!!!!!

You're a Librarian, Boring IS your life.

[Hornsby]

I believe that after last nights no hitter, Seattle had a TEAM batting average below .200. Thought I heard that the previous MLB low was something like .210.

[revo]

SIXTH no hitter tonight

[The Feral Slasher]

I believe that after last nights no hitter, Seattle had a TEAM batting average below .200. Thought I heard that the previous MLB low was something like .210.

I am clicking between games on MLBTV.com and someone mentioned that they are hitting .199 I heard about 4 different broadcasts mention 1968 and pitcher dominance, no hitters, etc.

[madducks]

Baseball is becoming damn near unwatchable for me. BORING!!!!!!!

Do you find it boring because your team has no chance of winning?

[Mithrandir]

You're a Librarian, Boring IS your life.

You ever spend a day in a library? Definitely not boring..all the time...