05-03-2022, 10:45 PM
(05-03-2022, 07:21 PM)DC 86 Wrote:(05-03-2022, 05:45 PM)OutsiderFan Wrote: It only took me watching a few games the first week to tell the ball isn't traveling as far as in recent years. The Humididor in every stadium is having a definite impact. I did hear though that the expected BABIP is actually .250.
This would support two ideas:
1. Balls are being hit hard but not going as far
2. The defensive shifts and alignments are taking a lot of hits away*
* This isn't just infield shifts, it's also outfield positioning and sometimes using four outfielders.
This isn't going to be the new normal. Players aren't going to suddenly start swinging differently. MLB doesn't want a game with a league-wide .368 slugging percentage. MLB has supposedly been mixing two different balls so presumably they will stick to the more lively one, and adjust the humidor settings (or humidor use itself) if necessary.
Trivia: who is the most shifted against player in MLB? (over 95% of the time). Forget four outfielders, he routinely faces 5-6 fielders on the outfield grass.
Brandon Belt?