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2021 Around MLB: Return of the Dead Ball Era

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MLB once again pulling the strings to impact the game:
..."slightly smaller ball"...."less bouncy", but all within the present range of acceptable as per current rules. On their face, the changes are not significant enough to need a sign off from MLB Rules Committee.

Also of interest, 5 more teams will begin using humidors for ball storage -- making it 10 total (1/3 of the league). I did not see the new 5 teams named. I wonder if that would make sense on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario?
 
I love the theories surrounding "Humidor effects" on offense. It stands to reason that baseballs in every fair setting should have equal weight and "liveliness".
Ambient humidity, of course, changes significantly day to day, month to month and year to year in every city.

I can think of no reason for MLB not to mandate consistent storage of this very porous equipment, even in high-humidity locations.
 
Any thoughts of what type of teams that this hurts or benefits the most based on their rosters and ballparks?
 
MLB has no one to blame but themselves for being a distant third to the NFL and the NBA. Constantly kicking themselves in their own nuts.
 
I've always surmised that every team benefits from reducing offense; Pitching staffs wear thin from use, not so much hitters.
 
I've always surmised that every team benefits from reducing offense; Pitching staffs wear thin from use, not so much hitters.

If you got a bad pitching staff but good hitting, you would want to take the other staff pitching down a notch to bring them closer to your staff.

Here is link on affect of humidity on the baseball

 
Every move ends up with unintended consequences.

It will be interesting to see what they are for these moves.
 
Unintended: The teams that rely more on run prevention as opposed to run creation should prosper by a more uniform conditioning of the baseballs. With the "change" proposed, the ball will be more uniform.. Stated another way, when Adam Plutko comes into a game, the Tribe won't be able to have him use the mushy balls to keep it in the yard..

Or at least, that's what the opposition managers are going to tell their hitters.. it's all a mind game.. yessiree.. lol..
 
But what if we still get the strike outs, but the home runs turn into long fly balls?

My fear is that the launch angle revolution has done more to strike out totals than any baseball....so changing the ball won't help. But a slightly smaller ball may make it easier for a pitcher to grip, and that may add to the problem.

As long as owners value power over contact...and are willing to pay more for it..the problem will persist.

As long as basic hitting fundamentals, like bunting and up the middle approaches aren't stressed...as long as opposite field hitting is sneered at...the problem is unlikely to go away.

There is a legitimate claim that the steroid induced home run races of Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, et al, saved baseball from the damage done by labor strife.

The owners created this problem. I'm not sure how it gets solved.

On the other hand...a more optimistic view...baseball has always been in the midst of evolution, so we should expect that the way the game is played will change yet again.

Imagine if all these statcast monsters begin to swing for line drives, instead of long fly balls...105 MPH balls zipping all over the place.
 

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