Major League Baseball

[rousseau]

A fascinating series concluded with the Dodgers going to the World Series for the second year in a row. It was interesting to see Jansen come in early and then Kershaw come in and close out the game. I enjoyed the series but by the end, I was getting a bit tired of hearing about how awesome Hader is from the commentary. It's not like he pitched a no hitter game. Anyway, I look forward to playing Boston and would love to go but on checking prices, the minimum is $700 for nose bleed seats. WTF ?!

I agree - that was a really interesting series, and will probably cause a lot of managers to re-examine their options during the regular season next year. I only wanted the (hated) Dodgers to win because they represent "our" division, but truth be told, I feel like it would be a shame if the Sox don't win the WS after taking 108 reg season games.

I couldn't be more apathetic to a Dodgers or Sox win, and am becoming more and more dispirited with most major leagues, as they've all become a battle of one wealthy owner vs another. The Red Sox spent the most money in the entire league, and out-spent the closest team by nearly 30 million. So statistically a Red Sox World Series win is exactly what you'd expect from them. Absolutely nothing interesting about it.

On the plus side the lack of a salary cap exists for the benefit of the players, and rightly so, as it's them putting their necks out to play. Anymore I'm starting to look at the story behind these leagues as player-oriented. The story isn't the teams winning championships, it's the players who are strong enough to be recruited to these teams, and the accolades they achieve there.

How about what we do for future seasons is divide a teams number of wins by the number of millions they spent. Top 8 get in.

 

[rousseau]

Wins Per Million from 2017

The Brewers were the best performing team last year when normalized by salary, Red Sox were 25th.

 

[TSwizzle]

Wins Per Million from 2017

The Brewers were the best performing team last year when normalized by salary, Red Sox were 25th.

I'm not sure what to make of that other than you need to spend big to get to the World Series. It probably doesn't take into account injuries. The stats are from last season but for this season, for example, Justin Turner of LA Dodgers, a very productive player, was out for a number of weeks due to injury. Mike Trout of the Angels was out for a while as were a number of starting pitchers which hobbled the Angles. Last season, the World Series Dodgers were paying a lot on pitchers Darvish and Kershaw alone but dumped Darvish' salary later. Crazy money involved at the Dodgers and they are still getting their ass kicked.

 

[TSwizzle]

The Dodgers were stymied by great pitching from the Red Sox. Some weird Dodger pitcher changes too. At least the fans got their money's worth on Friday. 18 innings ! Wow.

 

[rousseau]

Wins Per Million from 2017

The Brewers were the best performing team last year when normalized by salary, Red Sox were 25th.

I'm not sure what to make of that other than you need to spend big to get to the World Series. It probably doesn't take into account injuries. The stats are from last season but for this season, for example, Justin Turner of LA Dodgers, a very productive player, was out for a number of weeks due to injury. Mike Trout of the Angels was out for a while as were a number of starting pitchers which hobbled the Angles. Last season, the World Series Dodgers were paying a lot on pitchers Darvish and Kershaw alone but dumped Darvish' salary later. Crazy money involved at the Dodgers and they are still getting their ass kicked.

I should try harder to not kill the magic for people, but the more I look at the business side of these leagues the less I care. Or maybe disillusioned is the right word.

I still watch so I can see talented athletes compete, but actually attaching myself with any sincerity to a team seems a bit pointless. At the same time I can admit that a team like the Pittsburgh Penguins winning three cups really is a meaningful story about Sidney Crosby, rather than the Pens themselves.

 

[James Brown]

There was a time when New York Yankee players rode the subway to the ballpark chatting with fans heading to the same game. Today players seem to operate in a completely different orbit than the rest of us.

 

[rousseau]

There was a time when New York Yankee players rode the subway to the ballpark chatting with fans heading to the same game. Today players seem to operate in a completely different orbit than the rest of us.

Back in the early days being a baseball player was nearly akin to slave labour, owners had all the control. But now that the players actually have rights owners have to pay them what they're worth.

Usually puts them in the stratosphere, their health is pretty critical.

 

[TSwizzle]

I should try harder to not kill the magic for people, but the more I look at the business side of these leagues the less I care. Or maybe disillusioned is the right word.

I still watch so I can see talented athletes compete, but actually attaching myself with any sincerity to a team seems a bit pointless. At the same time I can admit that a team like the Pittsburgh Penguins winning three cups really is a meaningful story about Sidney Crosby, rather than the Pens themselves.

I pretty much feel the same way and I like your use of "sincerity". I have a preference and (loosely) root for my local teams, Dodgers, Rams, Kings and some of the other CA teams but it is probably slightly above indifferent until they reach the playoffs. Then I get a bit more sincere

 

[steve_bank]

I should try harder to not kill the magic for people, but the more I look at the business side of these leagues the less I care. Or maybe disillusioned is the right word.

I still watch so I can see talented athletes compete, but actually attaching myself with any sincerity to a team seems a bit pointless. At the same time I can admit that a team like the Pittsburgh Penguins winning three cups really is a meaningful story about Sidney Crosby, rather than the Pens themselves.

I pretty much feel the same way and I like your use of "sincerity". I have a preference and (loosely) root for my local teams, Dodgers, Rams, Kings and some of the other CA teams but it is probably slightly above indifferent until they reach the playoffs. Then I get a bit more sincere

Then you need to include music, TV, and Hollywood as well. The button line is always profit. People attach themselves to entertainment figures.

The image of the drug rebel Rolling Stones was crafted by Mick Jigger who parlayed the money into a fortune for the band. He had been an economics student. They arrive at a venue in a limo in suits, put on rahs and costumes for a show, chmage back, nag return to their 4 star hotel.

The Rolling Stones were always an act. And young people bought the act. Same with Bob Dylan.

 

[TSwizzle]

Then you need to include music, TV, and Hollywood as well. The button line is always profit. People attach themselves to entertainment figures.

The image of the drug rebel Rolling Stones was crafted by Mick Jigger who parlayed the money into a fortune for the band. He had been an economics student. They arrive at a venue in a limo in suits, put on rahs and costumes for a show, chmage back, nag return to their 4 star hotel.

The Rolling Stones were always an act. And young people bought the act. Same with Bob Dylan.

Professional sports is very much part of the entertainment industry.

 

[rousseau]

Looks like this is going to be the year I take a break, I've cancelled my MLB.TV subscription.

Tired of the same teams winning every year, tired of nothing happening every game but home-runs, tired of the stupid clips now played between innings.

Actually, the only thing I've reasonably cared about the past few seasons were the playoffs, except the games start at 8pm and end past 12, making it impossible to watch them and still get enough sleep for the next workday, so I usually don't end up watching anyway.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Looking at the stats, it looks like the only thing up notably is strikeouts, up about two more a game than a couple decades ago. Comparing 2014 with 2017, homeruns were up 50%! But otherwise, seems similar with the decade.

 

[rousseau]

Looking at the stats, it looks like the only thing up notably is strikeouts, up about two more a game than a couple decades ago. Comparing 2014 with 2017, homeruns were up 50%! But otherwise, seems similar with the decade.

I think we had this conversation previously. A few years ago MLB tweaked the composition of the balls, which caused a spike in home-runs, but IIRC they've been rising for a while.

 

[rousseau]

Article by FiveThirtyEight:

We X-Rayed Some MLB Baseballs. Here’s What We Found

When comparing the new and old groups, however, there was a clear difference in the density of the core.

Dr. Law’s team isolated the density difference to the outer (pink) layer of the core, which was, on average, about 40 percent less dense in the new group of balls.

It may not seem obvious, but these slight changes in the chemical composition of the core could have an impact on how the balls played once they were sewn up and shipped to major league teams.

But the timing of these changes to the weight and density of the core coincides with a much larger boost to the bounciness of the baseball. According to a previous analysis performed by The Ringer, that increase in bounciness alone would add around 0.6 mph to the speed of the ball as it leaves the bat and add roughly 3 feet to the travel distance of a fly ball — enough to make the difference between the warning track and the stands.

. . .previous research at FiveThirtyEight showed that they also became less air resistant. The decrease in drag is probably a result of a smaller, slicker baseball with lower seams. The change in air resistance could add an additional 5 feet to the travel distance of a fly ball. Combine all these factors together — a lighter, more compact baseball with tighter seams and more bounce — and the ball could fly as much as 8.6 feet farther. According to Nathan’s calculations, this would lead to a more than 25 percent increase in the number of home runs. Asked whether these changes in combination could have significantly affected the home run rate, MLB declined to comment.

TL;DR the MLB lowered the density of the baseball cores, as well as the air-resistance of it's seams which may have accounted for a 25% increase in home-runs after the 2015 season. Article also mentions that hitting philosophy accounts for some of the difference too.

Wasn't the HR increase seen just in one league, where as the other league it was flat with the previous season and homeruns?

Oddly enough, the numbers have been back and forth since 2000. First column is AL, second is NL, third is MLB.

[SIZE=-1]2,688[/SIZE]	3,005	[SIZE=-1]5,693[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2000[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2,506[/SIZE]	2,952	[SIZE=-1]5,458[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2001[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2,464[/SIZE]	2,595	[SIZE=-1]5,059[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2002[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2,499[/SIZE]	2,708	[SIZE=-1]5,207[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2003[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2,605[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2,846[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]5,451[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2004[/SIZE]
2,437​	2,580​	5,017​	2005​
2,546​	2,840​	5,386​	2006​
2,252​	2,705​	4,957​	2007​
2,270	2,608	4,878	2008
2,560	2,482	5,042	2009
2,209	2,404	4,613	2010
2,271	2,281	4,552	2011
2,500	2,434	4,934	2012
2,504	2,157	4,661	2013
2,025	2,161	4,186	2014
2,275	2,634	4,909	2015
2,657	2,953	[SIZE=-1]5,610[/SIZE]	2016
3,170	2,935	[SIZE=-1]6,105[/SIZE]	2017

Wasn't the HR increase seen just in one league, where as the other league it was flat with the previous season and homeruns?

Oddly enough, the numbers have been back and forth since 2000. First column is AL, second is NL, third is MLB.

[SIZE=-1]2,688[/SIZE]	3,005	[SIZE=-1]5,693[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2000[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2,506[/SIZE]	2,952	[SIZE=-1]5,458[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2001[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2,464[/SIZE]	2,595	[SIZE=-1]5,059[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2002[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2,499[/SIZE]	2,708	[SIZE=-1]5,207[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2003[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]2,605[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2,846[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]5,451[/SIZE]	[SIZE=-1]2004[/SIZE]
2,437​	2,580​	5,017​	2005​
2,546​	2,840​	5,386​	2006​
2,252​	2,705​	4,957​	2007​
2,270	2,608	4,878	2008
2,560	2,482	5,042	2009
2,209	2,404	4,613	2010
2,271	2,281	4,552	2011
2,500	2,434	4,934	2012
2,504	2,157	4,661	2013
2,025	2,161	4,186	2014
2,275	2,634	4,909	2015
2,657	2,953	[SIZE=-1]5,610[/SIZE]	2016
3,170	2,935	[SIZE=-1]6,105[/SIZE]	2017

Early 00's was the steroid era. Bouncing up and down would be attributed to random variation, but you can see that 2016 and 2017 are markedly higher than the previous near decade.

My guess about the NL having more home-runs in general would be due to the pitcher having to bat, and having a weaker overall pitching performance, but hard to say.

Here's the convo.

 

[steve_bank]

Bats and balls have always been adjusted for competition. Back in the 90s when pitching began dominating hitting the ball was livened. It is no secret. Fans want to see homeruns and hitting as well as strikeouts.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Bats and balls have always been adjusted for competition. Back in the 90s when pitching began dominating hitting the ball was livened. It is no secret. Fans want to see homeruns and hitting as well as strikeouts.

Was it pitching or trying to combat anger over the strike.

 

[TSwizzle]

Dodgers hit eight home runs, a record for opening day.
Seattle hit five, not too shabby.

 

[TSwizzle]

A tasty brawl in the Reds v Pirates game;

The best thing about Tuesday's Reds-Pirates brawl in Cincinnati is how unique it was. While most fights begin with a player charging the mound, this one began with Reds reliever Amir Garrett charging OFF the mound and toward the opponent's dugout to seemingly take on the entire team by himself.

CBS

It's also funny that former Dodger Puig got got himself involved and will most likely get a ban, had been traded from the Reds to the Indians

 

[blastula]

Postseason! Houston should be the favorite, their pitching is scary. Yankees and Dodgers do have a slugger's chance. Dodgers set a franchise record in wins, but this team is not looking as good as their last couple going in. Their pitching is not playoff caliber. Everyone knew they had one major weakness in relief but they didn't get anybody. They may have to rely on some rookies which will be dicey. And Justin Turner may be out. Rooting for Milwaukee today.

 

[TSwizzle]

Postseason! Houston should be the favorite, their pitching is scary.

I happened to be at the Astros v Angels game on Saturday and Verlander was pitching. He got his 3,000th strike out which was graciously acknowledged by the Angles and fans in attendance with a round of applause and a cheer. Next batter hit a home run

Rooting for Milwaukee today.

Dang !! Costly error in the outfield put the Brewers out. Shame because I was looking forward to seeing "Front Row Amy" behind home plate at Brewer games.