Jeff Passan "Single Season HR Record Set To Fall"

[Homebrewer]

 

[Angel Oracle]

I have been noticing this since a year ago.   You've got some splaining to do, MLB!

[Troll Daddy]

[Homebrewer]

Scooter Freakin Gennett hit 4 HRs  today, driving in 10.

Hmmmmm.

[arch stanton]

Everyone is tweaking their swing to get the ball in the air. Pitchers seem to favor the slider and 4 seamer combo over sinkers and change ups. K's and homers. It blows

[Angelsjunky]

Scooter's wRC+ today was 1056. Yes, that's over 1000. His fWAR went from 0.2 to 0.8 in a single game. He slugged 3.400.

[ABC]

32 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

Everyone is tweaking their swing to get the ball in the air. Pitchers seem to favor the slider and 4 seamer combo over sinkers and change ups. K's and homers. It blows

Baseball is dying. Unless the league gets significantly more athletic, it'll just get worse.

[gurn67]

Maybe left handed hitters got tired of trying to hit through the shift and figured they might as well try to hit over it.

[WeatherWonk]

Are strikeouts REALLY down very much? I bet if it is down at all, it is only a marginal decrease, with guys swinging for the fences.

[DMVol]

There were a lot of explanations out there at the beginning of the steroid era in the 90's...expansion watering down pitching being the top one I remember.....I don't know anything but my guess is there could be something getting past the drug testing....I know that sounds like I am a conspiracy theorist (I'm  not) but I'm also not naive any more either...

[AngelsFanSince86]

Part of i could be that the average velocity of pitches has been rising for over a decade.  During that same span, the average amount of runs scored during a game has gone down.  During the steroid era, HRs were up, but so were runs scored.  I think this is different.  Its not like offense is just booming all around.  Its specifically HRs.  If it was PEDs you would expect more offense in general with a rise in power.  All we are seeing is a rise in power.  Seems like a combination of faster pitches, an influx of strong younger players, and players' approach at the plate.  

[zenmaster]

There's obviously some new drug out there that testing can't detect yet. 

[DMVol]

2 minutes ago, AngelsFanSince86 said:

Part of i could be that the average velocity of pitches has been rising for over a decade.  During that same span, the average amount of runs scored during a game has gone down.  During the steroid era, HRs were up, but so were runs scored.  I think this is different.  Its not like offense is just booming all around.  Its specifically HRs.  If it was PEDs you would expect more offense in general with a rise in power.  All we are seeing is a rise in power.  Seems like a combination of faster pitches, an influx of strong younger players, and players' approach at the plate.  

That makes some sense....but does the rise in velocity of pitches sound any warning bells?  Are teams drafting the big, strong hard throwing guys more than in the past?  Are the Greg Maddux types off the draft boards now?  The "steroid era" wasn't all about home run hitters....pitchers were every bit as much involved....I remember the "Roger Clemens workout" articles, that purportedly explained his longevity....same with Bonds and others....

[cez]

good. baseball was more fun to watch when players were on the big time anabolic stuff.

it's not like overall PED use has gone down; players have just been more reluctant to use the anabolics that give them obvious moon faces and stomachs distended so much, they look like they swallowed a pumpkin.

until there's a legitimate testing system in place, let the good times roll with big boy roids. not sure people are stupid enough to let a handful of congressmen score political points off them by investigating PED use again. 

 

[zenmaster]

I wish they'd super juice the ball one season just so someone can break Bonds record, then put the baseballs back to normal.

[red321]

To anyone watching an Angel game, it's pretty clear why the number is going up drastically

[Jobu]

58 minutes ago, GOPSnowflakesHateCezero said:

not sure people are stupid enough to let a handful of congressmen score political points off them

 

 

[cez]

18 minutes ago, Jobu said:

 

yeah, i know.  

just hard to believe they'd try it again. 

imagine if that kind of scrutiny were ever given to the NFL, lol. pure spectacle from Congress. 

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, red321 said:

To anyone watching an Angel game, it's pretty clear why the number is going up drastically

The marine layer has permanently lifted?

[WeatherWonk]

10 hours ago, #CF8 said:

Baseball is dying. Unless the league gets significantly more athletic, it'll just get worse.

I kinda agree with this. I personally dont want to see a league with teams built for the HR. A team made up of Mark Reynoldses (before he hit Colorado) or Steve Balbonis or Butch Hobsons. BORING!!!!

[red321]

1 hour ago, Taylor said:

The marine layer has permanently lifted?

Is that Chavez's nickname?

[DMVol]

20 minutes ago, red321 said:

Is that Chavez's nickname?

If you had told me, when he signed, that he would have a 4.56 ERA in early June, I would have taken that and run with it....he gives up too many homers but he has been about what I'd hoped for....and if he keeps it up, he might fetch a decent prospect at the deadline...

[AngelsFanSince86]

On 6/7/2017 at 7:46 AM, DMVol said:

That makes some sense....but does the rise in velocity of pitches sound any warning bells?  Are teams drafting the big, strong hard throwing guys more than in the past?  Are the Greg Maddux types off the draft boards now?  The "steroid era" wasn't all about home run hitters....pitchers were every bit as much involved....I remember the "Roger Clemens workout" articles, that purportedly explained his longevity....same with Bonds and others....

I don't know if its so much who they are drafting, but what is available.  I'm 30.  When I was growing up competitive little league wasn't as big.  I remember playing at North Sunrise LL and we had many teams at every level.  I just coached my kid's tee ball team last year at NSLL and they have now combined leagues because parents are signing their kids up for these competitive leagues with coaches who get paid to teach your kids baseball.  Could it not be that the rise in velocity has to do with how the kids are being taught today and could it also be the reason why TJS is so prevelant?  Kids are taught to throw as hard as humanly possible at a young age and so more are able to hit these higher marks, but at the same time their arms are all falling off.

 

Edit:  Meant to put "they NOW combined leagues."  Basically, kids who play baseball these days, for the most part, are being groomed for the majors and it starts incredibly young.

Edited June 12, 2017 by AngelsFanSince86
Misspell

[Angel Oracle]

On 6/7/2017 at 11:16 AM, DMVol said:

If you had told me, when he signed, that he would have a 4.56 ERA in early June, I would have taken that and run with it....he gives up too many homers but he has been about what I'd hoped for....and if he keeps it up, he might fetch a decent prospect at the deadline...

Except that he may head to the pen after his next start, in favor of Fister moving into the MLB rotation.

[DMVol]

10 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Except that he may head to the pen after his next start, in favor of Fister moving into the MLB rotation.

He didn't help himself yesterday, for sure...