In your opinion, why are their so many HR's in MLB right now?
Record was set in 2000 at 5,693, last night they hit 5,694 for the 2017 season. With October 1st being the last technical day of the normal season I'm thinking the old record will not only be beat but smashed. WHY?
How is a record that has stood for nearly 17 years being not only reached but smashed?
What changed?
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The players approach in trying to hit HR's changed. With so many pitchers throwing 95+ mph, it is increasingly rare for offenses to string together 3-4 singles or doubles in a row and manufacture runs. Teams are instructing players to swing for the fences.
There also has been a huge advancement in technology as players are now becoming more & more aware of launch angle, exit Velo and are studying video. More players are rejecting the old adage of "swing down to contact" and instead are elevating to celebrate.
I also suspect that chemistry has taken a step forward in developing steroids and masking agents that are undetectable.
It's not that technical..it's the BALL!!!!
Texas 2 Sons posted:It's not that technical..it's the BALL!!!!
Agreed. Stanton has never even hit 40 before and this year he's flirting with 60. I know he's one batter who has not changed his approach since coming to the bigs.
The ball is juiced.
Strikeouts aren't frowned upon.
Texas 2 Sons posted:It's not that technical..it's the BALL!!!!
It is the ball, but it's also kind of technical. 
there are some really smart guys analyzing this, here is his latest article on the subject - I had to skip to the conclusions because I was quickly in over my head and my brain began to hurt!
Link to recent article http://www.fangraphs.com/tht/f...-the-home-run-surge/
The additional home runs are all being caused by the faulty "elbow angles" of the MLB pitchers. You should know that, CaCo3Girl !!
3and2Fastball posted:I also suspect that chemistry has taken a step forward in developing steroids and masking agents that are undetectable.
That last time a homerun surge happened in baseball, chemicals were involved. To me, that seems the obvious answer to explain the surge this time.
3and2Fastball posted:The players approach in trying to hit HR's changed. With so many pitchers throwing 95+ mph, it is increasingly rare for offenses to string together 3-4 singles or doubles in a row and manufacture runs. Teams are instructing players to swing for the fences.
There also has been a huge advancement in technology as players are now becoming more & more aware of launch angle, exit Velo and are studying video. More players are rejecting the old adage of "swing down to contact" and instead are elevating to celebrate.
I also suspect that chemistry has taken a step forward in developing steroids and masking agents that are undetectable.
I think the ball is juiced...
ClevelandDad posted:3and2Fastball posted:I also suspect that chemistry has taken a step forward in developing steroids and masking agents that are undetectable.
That last time a homerun surge happened in baseball, chemicals were involved. To me, that seems the obvious answer to explain the surge this time.
Really?? It seems the increase is spread throughout the whole league. I would have a hard time believing that the whole league is using chemicals.
It's not like the late 90's when a group of guy started hitting 50+ home runs a year. It seems the league is full of players who are increasing from 10-12 hr/yr to 20-24. The ball seems a more likely culprit than PEDS given how wide spread the increased production is.
Very likely a combination of the ball and players subsequently trying to hit the ball at a higher angle.
Also players are more willing to swing for the fences with two strikes and accept Ks (about a third of all homers hit are with two strikes in mlb so players are definitely not shortening up and trying to hit a liner the other way)
It's a combination of a new ball, players swinging for the fences and not caring about striking out. There was a day when if a player didn't hit 30+ homers it was dishonorable to strike out 100 times. Now almost every player whiffs 100+ times. Manfred says the ball is within specs. But it must be wound tighter this year. Or has a more solid core.
ClevelandDad posted:3and2Fastball posted:I also suspect that chemistry has taken a step forward in developing steroids and masking agents that are undetectable.
That last time a homerun surge happened in baseball, chemicals were involved. To me, that seems the obvious answer to explain the surge this time.
I don't see them turning a blind eye to PEDs all of a sudden given prevalence of testing and past deep tarnishment on the sport from the 90s.
Our local MLB announcers were commenting that when players are called up to our team, their power numbers are almost always going up and that pitchers tell them the seams are lower. IMO, it's some combo of balls, PEDs, and the players all growing up in cages worried about their launch angle and exit velo.
Was wondering if any of the minor leagues are using the exact same baseballs and if so whether there's been any change in their HR counts.
The advances in strength training are going up, too
I recently went to an MLB game and got there early enough to watch pregame Batting Practice up close. A lot of those guys are huge! Especially Miguel Sano. The display they put on in BP was pretty amazing, reminded me of watching a 4th of July fireworks display! Lots of 450-500 foot HR's
RJM posted:It's a combination of a new ball, players swinging for the fences and not caring about striking out. There was a day when if a player didn't hit 30+ homers it was dishonorable to strike out 100 times. Now almost every player whiffs 100+ times. Manfred says the ball is within specs. But it must be wound tighter this year. Or has a more solid core.
Several articles I've read have pointed to the ball, with references to the other factors you mentioned. MLB's stance is that the ball is "still within tolerances", which , ok, but the tolerances are wide enough to make a big difference! to quote one article " The range of acceptable measurements is so wide that, according to a 2000 report commissioned by MLB, two balls could both pass inspection even if they were constructed so differently that one would be hit 49 feet further than the other"
Goblue33 posted:
ClevelandDad posted:3and2Fastball posted:I also suspect that chemistry has taken a step forward in developing steroids and masking agents that are undetectable.
That last time a homerun surge happened in baseball, chemicals were involved. To me, that seems the obvious answer to explain the surge this time.
I don't see them turning a blind eye to PEDs all of a sudden given prevalence of testing and past deep tarnishment on the sport from the 90s.
Our local MLB announcers were commenting that when players are called up to our team, their power numbers are almost always going up and that pitchers tell them the seams are lower. IMO, it's some combo of balls, PEDs, and the players all growing up in cages worried about their launch angle and exit velo.
Was wondering if any of the minor leagues are using the exact same baseballs and if so whether there's been any change in their HR counts.
Minor league numbers are up a little too but much less. There are quite a few players who came up and said the mlb ball carries longer.
ClevelandDad posted:3and2Fastball posted:I also suspect that chemistry has taken a step forward in developing steroids and masking agents that are undetectable.
That last time a homerun surge happened in baseball, chemicals were involved. To me, that seems the obvious answer to explain the surge this time.
I don't think drugs are the answer in this case. Dont' get me wrong, I believe there are plenty of PED's in baseball. I'm a real skeptic on this issue- (I was a shot putter in college- and am a lifelong fan of track and field- the pioneering sport in PED's). I just think that the fact that the home run surge has a definite start point of after the all star break in 2015. that sudden spike has to be attributable to something definite- like the ball changing. PED's couldn't have caused that sudden spike, they don't work that way. PED's never really left the game in my opinion- they may have taken a little dip for a while, but came back in quickly, particularly in MLB. They will always be there.
B A L L
Shoveit4Ks posted:B A L L
WELL SAID
Ball plus trend toward "elevate" with hitting approach = record dingers and record K's.
My opinion, you have so many young pitchers who are inexperienced and hitters make them pay.
JMO
when you combine an obviously juiced ball with young power pitchers and hitters who have no fear of the strikeout...the results are predicable. I personally think it is good, the athletes in the field are so damn good and the pitchers throw so damn hard that if the game is going to survive it needs it.\
now could someone implement a a 2.5 hour game limit with 3 hours in the playoffs?
hsbaseball101 posted:Texas 2 Sons posted:It's not that technical..it's the BALL!!!!
Agreed. Stanton has never even hit 40 before and this year he's flirting with 60. I know he's one batter who has not changed his approach since coming to the bigs.
Well, his approach is still the same, but his stance is totally different. That's a big contributor. Also managing to stay off the DL helps. Gotta remember that he hit 27 hrs in only 74 games in 2015 which is about the same pace as this year. Of course he was on pace to strike out 200 times that season...
Stanton is also usually missing at least 30-40 games a year and still hitting upper 30s homers every year. It is not that surprising that he hits 50+ in a full season.
The ball helps him too but I think the guys who benefit the most are guys with mediocre power who used to hit most of their best hits to the warning track and only occasionally over the wall.
