Since I don’t “do” SI I’ll never know.
They’re deflating the balls.
Batters don’t want singles. They want Home Runs. So they’ll keep fouling off off-speed pitches, pitches out of their red zone, etc., until they force the pitcher to throw the pitch they’re looking for. What baseball needs is a 3-foul (5-strike) limit.
During last night's Diamondbacks game, Randy Johnson was saying something to the effect that pitchers these days can't rely on just their fast ball. Today's hitters are too fast and have more analytics and they can take about any fast ball and go yard. The average pitcher today now has to vary the locations of their fastball more today, AND have a greater arsenal of secondary pitches or they're not going to be able to compete.
Joe DiMaggio struck out 39 times in his rookie year. That was the most he ever struck in a year.
Batters are trying too hard to hit homers. Pitchers are probably better. Almost everyone throws 90+ mph nowadays. Plus they’re pampered a bit. Almost as well as Kobe cows. Starters never throw more than 100 pitches/game anymore.
This increase in strikeouts is positive and fascinating.
Especially since both walks and HR are up and ERA is flat.
It makes for a better game IMHO.
McClain’s 31 W’s in 1968 will be a tough one to beat.
1. Pitching speeds are higher today than 10 years ago.
2. Batting swings are being coached to achieve a certain launch angle.
3. The Washington Nationals suck.
Last night was a heartbreaking loss after Chris Sale punched out 17.
Red Sox strikeout record: Team ties franchise-high with 24 Ks in game vs. Rockies
Boston’s 24 strikeouts tied the mark it set against the Rays on Sept. 15, 2017. Chris Sale had 17 strikeouts in seven innings, Matt Barnes had five in two innings and Brandon Workman added two in his inning.
Boston had 21 strikeouts through nine innings, which would have set a major-league record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. The game went to extra innings, leaving the Sox two punch-outs short of the major-league record of 26.
1. Home run hitters make more money so hitters look to hit more homers. And fans like seeing more homers.
2. To hit more homer’s hitters look for their pitch and employ the latest fads such as staying low and back trying to create better launch angles and lifting their leading leg as a timing trigger.
3. Pitchers (as opposed to throwers) counter with location, speed and movement hoping to get the hitter out on their pitch and not make a mistake by being predictable or catching too much of the plate.
4. But perhaps the biggest impact on strikeouts is the increasing use of relief pitchers whom a hitter may see but once in the game that has different pitches, arm angle and release points and more than likely throws the same way they hit which is to their disadvantage.
5. Personally, I’d rather see a 12-11 game than a 17 strikeout game, although I appreciate displays of personal excellence as well.
In other words, this increase in strikeouts is not a sign of a growing fundamental imbalance, a game clearly tilted toward pitching and away from hitting. (After all, it’s been accompanied by similar increases in walks and home runs.) Instead, it’s closer to a sign of aesthetic imbalance. This is much harder to judge, let alone legislate, but it’s clear: Baseball looks different. It just has to decide if it’s comfortable with that.
In other words, this stupid writer doesn't really know........;
More relief pitchers coming in fresh against batters who've been in the game for three hours already?
-PJ