Are home runs really that important?
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In what context?
I would think that when one swing of the bat can, by itself, win, tie or otherwise change the momentum of a game that they are important.
Not the only thing that's important, obviously, put important.
Also, if they weren't very important power hitters wouldn't be the highest paid hitters in MLB.
Not the only thing that's important, obviously, put important.
Also, if they weren't very important power hitters wouldn't be the highest paid hitters in MLB.
as is most things HS baseball.....the answer is ...
It depends on....
On who is hitting them...
Give me a kid who goes 3-4 with 0 HR's than a kid who goes 1-4 with a dinger....in the end the other should contribute more to winning
Who is pitching...
The quality of the pitching makes a difference.....
I've done HS games where one team only had JV "bring ups"....and they gave up 9 Hr's in a 10 run mercy game.....
When they are hit...
Bottom of the 7th, tied game its a big deal...
top of the 5th when your losing in 7 innings 5-1...not so much....
Where they are hit....
Band box fields with short fields?.....I have one school whose right field fence is 250 ft.......so an average HS fly out up to right is a dinger.....
Homers are neat.....no doubt...but they are more important to fans, parents and local sportswriters....My coach used to say if we ever got to the point where we needed a homer to win the game, we didnt do enough with our chances during the game to win it anyway.......
It depends on....
On who is hitting them...
Give me a kid who goes 3-4 with 0 HR's than a kid who goes 1-4 with a dinger....in the end the other should contribute more to winning
Who is pitching...
The quality of the pitching makes a difference.....
I've done HS games where one team only had JV "bring ups"....and they gave up 9 Hr's in a 10 run mercy game.....
When they are hit...
Bottom of the 7th, tied game its a big deal...
top of the 5th when your losing in 7 innings 5-1...not so much....
Where they are hit....
Band box fields with short fields?.....I have one school whose right field fence is 250 ft.......so an average HS fly out up to right is a dinger.....
Homers are neat.....no doubt...but they are more important to fans, parents and local sportswriters....My coach used to say if we ever got to the point where we needed a homer to win the game, we didnt do enough with our chances during the game to win it anyway.......
I don’t know, how important is “that important”?
Yeah, quite a bit of vagueness to the question, but kind of fun so...
They are one of the key numbers on a player stat line, so they are that important.
They account for x% of runs scored in College level and above, so they are that important.
They are important enough that bat regulations are monitored and sometimes changed due to their frequency (I know, safety first).
They are important enough that the HS and college world is frequently discussing how fewer there will be with the bat changes.
They are the subject of great debate as to who should legitimately claim to have hit the most.
The players who can hit the most will find a spot on a team and get paid very well for doing so.
They hold a separate competition for them at the MLB All-Star game as well as many other baseball events.
They are what everyone is expecting when first hearing “Casey at the bat”.
The term is used in all aspects of business as an indication of an ultimate success.
Few things get large crowds to make more noise.
People line up in streets and on rafts ouside of stadiums for hours for the chance to catch one.
Some otherwise lousy human beings are practically immortalized because they can hit them.
All that being said, you can still win a game without one.
Yeah, quite a bit of vagueness to the question, but kind of fun so...
They are one of the key numbers on a player stat line, so they are that important.
They account for x% of runs scored in College level and above, so they are that important.
They are important enough that bat regulations are monitored and sometimes changed due to their frequency (I know, safety first).
They are important enough that the HS and college world is frequently discussing how fewer there will be with the bat changes.
They are the subject of great debate as to who should legitimately claim to have hit the most.
The players who can hit the most will find a spot on a team and get paid very well for doing so.
They hold a separate competition for them at the MLB All-Star game as well as many other baseball events.
They are what everyone is expecting when first hearing “Casey at the bat”.
The term is used in all aspects of business as an indication of an ultimate success.
Few things get large crowds to make more noise.
People line up in streets and on rafts ouside of stadiums for hours for the chance to catch one.
Some otherwise lousy human beings are practically immortalized because they can hit them.
All that being said, you can still win a game without one.
For the past what, 20+ years the game has been dominated not only by how many home runs were hit but even more ridiculously by how far they were hit. The bat companies along with ESPN did a lot of damage to the game over the years pounding this "how many and how far" philosophy that not only adversely effected the game in general but more importantly several generations of players who knew nothing else but the long ball. I don't know how many times I heard a kid complain that his bat didn't have any pop which implied dad would be forking out $300-$400 for some new pop. These kids grew up thinking "the bat will do it for me" and that is not baseball.
Reading the comments today, now that some indicators are coming in on the effect the BBCOR bats are having, tells me people are happy to have the game of baseball back which also tells me that the game being played up until a year or so ago was not really considered baseball but more along the lines of "power ball".
So, to answer your question, the value of a player as a hitter in college has been severely biased toward his home run totals in recent years. That may change. It is my thought that hitting a home run has now been returned to it's place of honor as rare and therefore special, not the "expected" component many programs were built around.
Now that fewer HRs will apparently be hit in coming seasons it seems likely that the importance of other offensive skills will gain importance as ways of scoring. Which doesn't mean you turn down a dinger if it's hit but it's importance as a means of reliably scoring has been diminished.
The phrase "can't buy a hit " has new meaning today.
Reading the comments today, now that some indicators are coming in on the effect the BBCOR bats are having, tells me people are happy to have the game of baseball back which also tells me that the game being played up until a year or so ago was not really considered baseball but more along the lines of "power ball".
So, to answer your question, the value of a player as a hitter in college has been severely biased toward his home run totals in recent years. That may change. It is my thought that hitting a home run has now been returned to it's place of honor as rare and therefore special, not the "expected" component many programs were built around.
Now that fewer HRs will apparently be hit in coming seasons it seems likely that the importance of other offensive skills will gain importance as ways of scoring. Which doesn't mean you turn down a dinger if it's hit but it's importance as a means of reliably scoring has been diminished.
The phrase "can't buy a hit " has new meaning today.
quote:Originally posted by snowman:
Are home runs really that important?
Absolutely, if you need it in a very clutch situation.
Lefty
Well is a HR better than?
an out yes
a single yes
a double yes
a triple yes
So I would say it's more important than those.
an out yes
a single yes
a double yes
a triple yes
So I would say it's more important than those.
This is so easy, even I can answer it. 
For us, yes.
For them, no.
For us, yes.
For them, no.
quote:Are home runs really that important?
Must never have hit one!
They are if the scouts are watching.
I like home runs when the bases are loaded
i like home runs when there not.
i like home runs with green eggs and ham
I don't like home runs when my teams not up to bat.
Asking if home runs are important if funnier then cat in the hat.
A home run can change the pitchers out look on a game and open the door to more base hits.
As long as you have alot RBI's one home run don't mean s**t.
i like home runs when there not.
i like home runs with green eggs and ham
I don't like home runs when my teams not up to bat.
Asking if home runs are important if funnier then cat in the hat.
A home run can change the pitchers out look on a game and open the door to more base hits.
As long as you have alot RBI's one home run don't mean s**t.
To Barry Bonds....Yes!!!
To Don Slaught....Not so much.
To Don Slaught....Not so much.
Ummmm,yes! 
Love them, live for them.
Frank Robinson, Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, mark mcquire, Barry Bonds.
My son, 87 up to age of 14, longest over 360 fence.
Eat for them,tee for them.
It's the best part of baseball, the long ball.
The stroke of the home run is awesome.
Frank Robinson, Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, mark mcquire, Barry Bonds.
My son, 87 up to age of 14, longest over 360 fence.
Eat for them,tee for them.
It's the best part of baseball, the long ball.
The stroke of the home run is awesome.
Chicks dig the long ball!
I'm a fan of the triple, but a home run will do!
Who can't remember their kid's first home run in LL? Then the first on the big diamond? Great stuff.
Alas, my son is in his contact hitter phase. At least I get to see him run the bases a lot. A base at a time.
Who can't remember their kid's first home run in LL? Then the first on the big diamond? Great stuff.
Alas, my son is in his contact hitter phase. At least I get to see him run the bases a lot. A base at a time.
I'm not sure this is a serious question.
For some people they are very important, because they are within reach. Consider players who consistently hit deep fly ball outs. If you can get a little more power and distance, the outcome changes dramatically.
For the batters who never hit the ball that deep, they are not that important...unless they are hit by the guy batting behind you when you are on base.
For some people they are very important, because they are within reach. Consider players who consistently hit deep fly ball outs. If you can get a little more power and distance, the outcome changes dramatically.
For the batters who never hit the ball that deep, they are not that important...unless they are hit by the guy batting behind you when you are on base.
Some Threads/Posts are maddening. Hard to determine the ages of some posters and their agendas.
Home Runs: From an offensive point of view, I think homeruns happen on (the so called) mistake pitch. Major Leaguers are freaks of nature in that they can turn around anything straight with no movement.
In College during the minus 4 era - scores were insane.
I don't think giving up a solo homerun...or two is ever going to lose a game for 'us' at least early in the game. I agree with another poster that balls in the gap that produce slides at third and second are more exciting.
Home Runs: From an offensive point of view, I think homeruns happen on (the so called) mistake pitch. Major Leaguers are freaks of nature in that they can turn around anything straight with no movement.
In College during the minus 4 era - scores were insane.
I don't think giving up a solo homerun...or two is ever going to lose a game for 'us' at least early in the game. I agree with another poster that balls in the gap that produce slides at third and second are more exciting.
let us pu this all in proper perspective. in LL the homerun is mostimportant to mommy and daddy---as you move up the ladder the mostimportant hit is the base hit that hlps to win or wins the game.
to me the most exciting hit is the inside the park homerun or the triple
to me the most exciting hit is the inside the park homerun or the triple
I'm with you trhit the triple is the most exciting for me to watch.
I enjoy seeing a HR as long as its my team that hit it. If I have no dog in the fight I really enjoy the triple or double where you can see that its going to be a bang bang play and the anticipation of the throw and tag builds as the runner is digging to the bag. I do enjoy seeing a tape measure shot. Those kind that are light tower shots that seem to just go and go.
I don't get why people jump on someone because they don't consider a question serious.
If you read on. Snowman explains his question quite nicely clarifying his question seemed to hinge on bat design and hoping the new rules were going to bring the true game back.
quote:Some Threads/Posts are maddening. Hard to determine the ages of some posters and their agendas.
quote:I'm not sure this is a serious question.
If you read on. Snowman explains his question quite nicely clarifying his question seemed to hinge on bat design and hoping the new rules were going to bring the true game back.
I can't recall the name of the book this story got its roots from, but it clearly addresses the importance of a home run:
In a fictional professional baseball league, the star player is having an affair with the owner's wife. Lying together, she asks if he loves her. He says yes. She asks, "Do you love me more than a sharp single?" He says, "Of course." She asks "More than a double into the corner?" He says "Oh yes." She asks "More than a late inning home run?" He says "Yeah, even more than that."
"Do you love me more than anything?" she says.
His truthful reply "Well, there's just nothing like a triple!"
In a fictional professional baseball league, the star player is having an affair with the owner's wife. Lying together, she asks if he loves her. He says yes. She asks, "Do you love me more than a sharp single?" He says, "Of course." She asks "More than a double into the corner?" He says "Oh yes." She asks "More than a late inning home run?" He says "Yeah, even more than that."
"Do you love me more than anything?" she says.
His truthful reply "Well, there's just nothing like a triple!"