The New Baseball

[dbminn]

Ken Rosenthal and Eno Sarris have broke news that there will be changes to the baseball in 2021. MLB is going to lighten the ball by an ounce and reduce the Coefficient of Restitution (how much the ball bounces when it hits the bat). The info was part of a MLB memo sent to general managers.

 

A lighter, less bouncy ball will result in what is called the equivalent of "raising the fences five feet". 

 

I like the change. I grew up in an era where power hitters were special. Doubles hitters, like Tony Oliva, rocked. Singles hitters who could draw walks were important. Made for an interesting game.

 

 

[AceWrigley]

i like how they planned ahead to let teams know before constructing rosters for the new season.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

This report says it is slightly more reasonable change, being a <10th of an ounce rather than a whole ounce...

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/mlb-planning-changes-to-the-baseball-in-effort-to-reduce-home-run-rate-fluctuation-per-report/ar-BB1dvCBR

 

And they cite Korean increase in weight reducing homers significantly, so a decrease in weight might serve to offset the bounciness reduction?

 

It is certainly a complex system, so figuring out how it will affect play is not obvious. And it perhaps makes spring training that much more important to adjust to these changes.

 

Meh, batting will work itself out. If it had been a full ounce, i'da been more concerned on how it would affect pitching in the form of different stresses leading to injuries.

 

At least they are sharing the info. Sounds like it is more than has been done in the past.

[notoriousgod71]

Why are they changing something they lied about for three years and assured us wasn't different?

 

Also 7 inning DH and magical runners on base in extra innings are jokes.

 

Manfred is a disaster.

[Old Twins Cap]

You know what this means?

 

The 2019 Twins will likely be the long term record holders for most HRs in a season when they edged out the Yankees by a single home run.

 

What was it, like 309 to 308?  Something like that.

 

In any case, I thought at the time, because of all the HRs, once MLB redoes the baseball that the Twins record could stand for a long time.

 

And now I think it will.  Maybe forever!

[mikelink45]

What this really means is that records mean nothing - different balls, different rules, no African Americans allowed, no stolen bases, analytics, computers...

 

I guess we just enjoy whatever version is in front of us.

[Platoon]

Since the ball used the last few rears was nicknamed "Titleist", will the new one be "Titleist2". Sadly I doubt this will change the swing from the heels approach baseball has adopted. But it may do two things. The bad news,  more boring fly balls! The good news, Instead of running into the wall, the new ball will, they said, come up 1-2’ short. That should knock at least 15 days off of Buxtons DL stints this year!  

[AceWrigley]

 

What this really means is that records mean nothing - different balls, different rules, no African Americans allowed, no stolen bases, analytics, computers...

 

I guess we just enjoy whatever version is in front of us.

I still think records have meaning. In 1908 Tim Jordan led the National League with 12 homeruns, a paltry total compared to today but still, he was the 1908 NL homerun king.

[mikelink45]

 

I still think records have meaning. In 1908 Tim Jordan led the National League with 12 homeruns, a paltry total compared to today but still, he was the 1908 NL homerun king.

I will not argue with you on this.  But things have altered so much - is Bonds 73 greater than Maris' 61?  Is Bonds total HR record better than Aaron 755 or 714 - the latter two I can remember, Bonds I would have to look up.  Since Bonds, McGwire, Sosa no one has his 60+ HRs even with the HR ball in play.  Now they want to change the ball so there are less HRs.  And that is just the HR records.  Strikeouts, stolen bases, batting average - all  are part of circumstances.  

 

Hornsby hit 424, Willliams hit 406 and then Brett, Carew, and Gwynn took a shot but fell short.  Now BA is no longer a primary judgment of a ballplayer.  

 

My point is that I have always liked records, but not the manipulations of seasons, and balls points out the difficulty in comparisons.  When players don't care if the strikeout it should not surprise that we have pitchers with more Ks than historical pitchers had.

 

Even records like most hits in the post season or similar metrics don't mean much when the post season might consist of three series and in the past Yogi Berra, Mantle, Ruth, etc had seven possible games in the post season.

 

I will watch the stats, but my innocence has been damaged. 

[bobs]

  Does this mean we don't have to watch every stinking at bat be a HR, BB or K?!  Let's hope so.  

[AceWrigley]

Over the years probably every aspect of athletics has changed. Apparel, equipment, stadiums, fitness, diet, training, strategy, etc. Even cheating. Football used to be 3 yards and a cloud of dust, now its aerial bombardment. Baseball used to be hit the ball and run around, now its stand around until someone goes downtown.

 

Stuff changes all the time to make comparisons across eras pretty tough to do. But each athlete has the current playing field to compete on and teams strive to win in the environment they're given. It's what makes athletics fun to watch (except in-game video reviews).

[ashbury]

I will watch the stats, but my innocence has been damaged. 

I'm sorry this had to happen to you at such a young age.

 

[mikelink45]

 

I'm sorry this had to happen to you at such a young age.
 

That is such a good response!