It's important to MLB is maintain a hold on the average fan. The average fan wants action. 31% of outs in MLB this year are strikeouts. It's the highest percentage ever. It's a number that's on the increase every year.
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MLB should try moving the rubber back three or four feet. Seriously. The other plausible alternative (shrinking the strike zone) just leads to more walks, which are boring. Juicing the ball would lead to more home runs and runs, but just as many strikeouts.
The assumption being that strikeouts aren't exciting. If it's Keuchel on the mound I find them very exciting!! I hate "average fans."
ironhorse posted:The assumption being that strikeouts aren't exciting. If it's Keuchel on the mound I find them very exciting!! I hate "average fans."
Without the average fan MLB doesn't exist.
RJM posted:It's important to MLB is maintain a hold on the average fan. The average fan wants action. 31% of outs in MLB this year are strikeouts. It's the highest percentage ever. It's a number that's on the increase every year.
Strikeout are awesome. Especially to the team getting them.
RJM posted:ironhorse posted:The assumption being that strikeouts aren't exciting. If it's Keuchel on the mound I find them very exciting!! I hate "average fans."
Without the average fan MLB doesn't exist.
It's not that strikeouts can't be exciting. Most of the time it's that it takes 5 min to do so. Batter steps out every pitch, gets a sign, adjusts batting gloves multiple times, crosses himself, takes deep breath, digs in back foot, couple practice swings, gets in box, adjusts... then pitcher steps off...
So, why is the strike out rate up so much? Is it that the pitchers are so much better or faster or is your average hitter getting worse? Or, is it an inconsistent or expanding strike zone from the umps? What has happened over the last year to create this situation? Thoughts?
I have to admit. While I love watching any game after a couple game with scores of 0 - 1 it's an exciting change watching one that is 7 - 8. Its one of the things that makes soccer boring for me is 0 - 0 or 0 - 1 games.
On a side note I really dislike when I see some local LL kid throwing a no hitter. The only thing I can think when I read that is "there are 16 kids that are wondering for 2 hours is standing here watching Johnny play catch with Billy fun?"
Catcher -
"On a side note I really dislike when I see some local LL kid throwing a no hitter. The only thing I can think when I read that is "there are 16 kids that are wondering for 2 hours is standing here watching Johnny play catch with Billy fun?"
My son is pitching less because of this - the kids get very little action when it is 3 up 3 down for 3 innings. So I agree - even I get bored watching it.
But the length of time it takes to pitch to one batter in the Majors is way to long and I get real bored and tend to not watch much of it. I enjoy college ball - it moves a little faster and has more action.
kandkfunk posted:So, why is the strike out rate up so much? Is it that the pitchers are so much better or faster or is your average hitter getting worse? Or, is it an inconsistent or expanding strike zone from the umps? What has happened over the last year to create this situation? Thoughts?
This sin't over the last year, but one of thelong-term drivers is increased pitching velocity -- average fastball is up 2.5 mph from the early 2000s. Probably up 4 mph from thirty years ago. Another driver is increased bullpen size and usage -- more specialists to get 1 one out, for example.