MLB batting averages - WTF?

N

Night of the Keyboard

New Member
May 27, 2014
82
Spacemans Bong said:
It depends on who you talk to, but for me what I don't like are all the strikeouts and the low batting averages. Everything else is cool.
 
Edit: Also, has anybody figured out why so many bullpen guys throw hard now? The Nasty Boys were almost 25 years ago now, it's not like people only clued in a few years ago that hard throwing bullpen arms are a good thing.
Click to expand...
My theory is that as the number of atheletes participating in high school sports has increased there has been a disproportionate increase in the number of pitchers. You don't necessarily have to be a good athlete to throw 95 miles an hour. Position players are more likely to have other options.
 
Ed Hillel

Ed Hillel

Wants to be startin somethin
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2007
44,941
Here
Night of the Keyboard said:
My theory is that as the number of atheletes participating in high school sports has increased there has been a disproportionate increase in the number of pitchers. You don't necessarily have to be a good athlete to throw 95 miles an hour. Position players are more likely to have other options.
Click to expand...
 
 
Right, I think that's part of it. The number of people participating in sports due to population growth the past 20 years or so is disproportionately high compared to the number of MLB players.
 
A question I have: We know that humans are generally getting stronger, due to advances in exercise regiments/medicines, etc. Can the same be said for reaction time? To apply it here, we know pitchers are getting stronger and throwing harder, but are batters' reaction times getting faster with them? We know the strength will improve, which will help with the batting skill as well, but reaction time is a more important skill for hitters than anything else. I would think that eyesight is actually getting worse with technological advances and constantly staring at TVs/iPhones/computers etc. So basically:
 
1. Pitchers getting stronger;
 
2. Batters getting stronger, but not necessarily quicker; and,
 
3. Worse eyesight at a younger age due to technological advances (?).
 
Just some thoughts.
 
AB in DC

AB in DC

OG Football Writing
SoSH Member
Jul 10, 2002
14,048
Springfield, VA
The Atlantic  says that it's all about umps calling the low strike:
 


As the strikes moved down, the strikeouts went up. Swinging strikeouts are up 11 percent since 2008. Called strikeouts (on third strikes without a swing) are up 66 percent. The entire increase in strikeouts is happening on pitches between 18 and 24 inches off the ground.
Click to expand...
 
jon abbey

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,568
https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/509416533328920576
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom