Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth
What's different that it results in more strikeouts?
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You're Kidding?
Where do I start?
1) with the advent of regular relief pitching, starters no longer pace themselves, and can, instead, use more power pitches later in their five or six innings...and conservatively 95% of them throw 95MPH with some regularlarity. Even their breaking pitches are faster than previous era's fastballs.
2.) Those same starters are replaced by specialized relievers tasked to face only three or even one batter...with the same all-out approach as the starters. And 95% of them also throw 95MPH regularly with several now topping triple-digits.
3.) George H. Ruth's contribution's to the game has taken over almost completely as the one true goal of every hitter. In that effort, strikeouts are now accepted, in bunches, as long as some eventually contact is the result. The best Contracts are now created at the sweet spot, not at the end of the bat.
4.) The advent of drastic defensive shifts used with full knowledge of the all-or-nothing hitting approach where hitters are, almost to a man, totally predictable. Gone are the days when hitters hit against the shift. Gone are those trying to be Tony Gwynn (mister 5.5) with all instead emulating the other San Diego native's approach in the 1948 World Series.
5.) Stadium walls are created to encourage all of this, being made just high enough to allow for heroic defensive efforts, while being close enough to allow many 'cheapies'.
6.) Sports channels' highlight reels are almost always headed by continuous homerun replays.
Peter- Is that enough?