The major league batting average average is .235

[yk9001]

Holy crap.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2021.shtml

[Blarg]

The Angels have a team .259 average and are 7th in OPS+. 

[yk9001]

i thought .235 was super super low (even understanding small sample size, April, etc).  Eh, i randomly selected 2010 and the season average was .257.  Maybe not that big a deal.

[gotbeer]

Not everyone can be Mike Trout.  

Oh, and moving the mound back a foot should help. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

It looks like velocity is up because the process for increasing drag on the ball lead to a slightly lighter ball.

[gotbeer]

1 minute ago, yk9001 said:

i thought .235 was super super low (even understanding small sample size, April, etc).  Eh, i randomly selected 2010 and the season average was .257.  Maybe not that big a deal.

.245 in 2020.  

.252 in 2019.

.248 in 2018.

 

[Blarg]

The Angels are 6th in batting average with an ice cold Upton and Fletcher and playing the entire Taxi Squad. 

[arch stanton]

Strikeouts and shifts are turning Major League Baseball into a Major League snoozefest 

[nate]

The change to the baseball has led to fewer HRs and decreased power hitting in general. I think it will push baseball more toward a contact hitting philosophy and away from the current feast or famine philosophy. At least I am hopeful it will.

[Taylor]

It felt like the Royals hit about 32 singles in this recent series.

[yk9001]

15 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

shifts are turning Major League Baseball into a Major League snoozefest 

Wait - explain again why shifts are bad?

[Stradling]

36 minutes ago, yk9001 said:

i thought .235 was super super low (even understanding small sample size, April, etc).  Eh, i randomly selected 2010 and the season average was .257.  Maybe not that big a deal.

No, it sucks.  People wonder why Manfred is tinkering. It’s because batting averages suck. 

[Dtwncbad]

30 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

Strikeouts and shifts are turning Major League Baseball into a Major League snoozefest 

It’s getting more like playing over the line.

I guess the good news is we could speed the game up by just getting rid of the base running altogether.

[gotbeer]

19 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

It’s getting more like playing over the line.

I guess the good news is we could speed the game up by just getting rid of the base running altogether.

[yk9001]

22 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

It’s getting more like playing over the line.

I guess the good news is we could speed the game up by just getting rid of the base running altogether.

But I don't understand how shifts are ruining anything.  To me, a shift gives at least the possibility of something interesting happening.

If there were no shifts, most players are still going to be trying to launch angle home runs; and strike out a lot. 

[yk9001]

2 minutes ago, floplag said:

And finally HRs: 
2020:  1.28
2010:  0.95
2000:  1.17
1990:  0.79
1980:  0.73

Basically over my lifetime of watching this game its something like this:
AVG:  down ~30 pts
OBP: roughly similar
SLG: up about 30 pts
Ks:  almost doubled.
HR:  up by about 50%

Home runs are up 75.3%

[Dtwncbad]

48 minutes ago, yk9001 said:

But I don't understand how shifts are ruining anything.  To me, a shift gives at least the possibility of something interesting happening.

If there were no shifts, most players are still going to be trying to launch angle home runs; and strike out a lot. 

I didn’t say anything about anything being “ruined.”

I am just saying watching a hitter hit against the shift feels like watch people play over the line.

And I think most hitters are still trying to launch angle home runs and striking out a lot against the shift.  I would be happier to see hitters attempt to beat the shift with a different approach, but I don’t see it, do you?

Edited April 16, 2021 by Dtwncbad

[yk9001]

10 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

I would be happier to see hitters attempt to beat the shift with a different approach, but I don’t see it, do you?

It would be totally fun to watch.  Bummer that they don't.

[yk9001]

20 minutes ago, floplag said:

You actually read thru all that just to nit pick my off the top of my head math?
There really is no point i guess.

 

Sorry for placing an emphasis on accuracy.

[AngelsLakersFan]

2 hours ago, nate said:

The change to the baseball has led to fewer HRs and decreased power hitting in general. I think it will push baseball more toward a contact hitting philosophy and away from the current feast or famine philosophy. At least I am hopeful it will.

Interestingly the weight change to the baseball has increased exit velocities, which is theoretically more than canceled out by the increased drag in the air. In theory there should be more hits through the infield on balls in play. The unfortunate side effect seems to be even more strikeouts. As much as I hate the idea, if this continues to play out through the season I could get on board the idea of moving the mound back slightly.

[Lhalo]

1 hour ago, gotbeer said:

Hey @Tank is this the game you used to play at Disneyland?

[Tank]

1 minute ago, Lhalo said:

Hey @Tank is this the game you used to play at Disneyland?

oh yeah, very similar. in elementary school, we use to make our own version of this on our desktops with clay. it was so much fun.

nice find, @gotbeer

[WicketMaiden]

6 hours ago, yk9001 said:

Holy crap.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2021.shtml

Wow. Genuinely surprised to see the Angels are the worst in the league for Fielding percentage .971 against a league average of .984. Aren't we supposed to be good at that? 

[ten ocho recon scout]

5 hours ago, yk9001 said:

Wait - explain again why shifts are bad?

Depends. At home, on your own toilet, with a good book, theyre great. Home depot bathroom, with the guy next to you playing the trumpet, and you trying to be polite and not laugh, with recycled paper one ply, they suck.

Oh, shiFts. Sorry. 

[Angel Oracle]

6 hours ago, Taylor said:

It felt like the Royals hit about 32 singles in this recent series.

And seems like they stole about 32 bases.