The Ball is Insanely Juiced

[Derwood]

I’m sure the overcorrection by this idiot will be measured and everyone will be keyed in on it and he won’t go rogue again.

 

 

2020....welcome back to the Dead Ball Era!!!!

[minnesotacubsfan]

wait, I didn't think MLB were saying the ball was juiced? wtf commish

[Clem Fandango]

wait, I didn't think MLB were saying the ball was juiced? wtf commish

 

They came out a while back and admitted the pill at the center of the ball was different from previous baseballs, IIRC.

[Cubswin11]

wait, I didn't think MLB were saying the ball was juiced? wtf commish

 

They came out a while back and admitted the pill at the center of the ball was different from previous baseballs, IIRC.

And the seams were lowered too, Iirc. But think they blamed it on the manufacturer and not that it was changed by any directive. They just kinda threw their hands up like “Well the manufacturer knows the limits they can make the ball within a range of preset measurements what are ya gonna do?!?”

[Brian]

Theo's on it

 

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[Transmogrified Tiger]

oh man bread-eating guy is totally gonna be eating baseball yarn next year, isn't he

[Bertz]

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I don't have a BP subscription, but it sounds like the ball has been de-juiced here in the playoffs. If someone with a sub can report back on how de-juiced it is that would be nice. (i.e. is it still fairly juiced like 2015-2017, or mostly normal like 2018 and pre 2015?)

[Transmogrified Tiger]

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I don't have a BP subscription, but it sounds like the ball has been de-juiced here in the playoffs. If someone with a sub can report back on how de-juiced it is that would be nice. (i.e. is it still fairly juiced like 2015-2017, or mostly normal like 2018 and pre 2015?)

 

You only need a free account to read it. The short version is that when looking at batted ball data for the playoffs, if the ball was the same as the regular season you would expect there to have been 24 more home runs already, a 50% drop. The first thing I thought of was cooler weather, but he mentions average temperatures are a shade higher than for the season as a whole, so that's unlikely to be a big driver.

[Sammy Sofa]

I no like-a de-juice.

[Brian]

Should have juiced it more for postseason

[Cubswin11]

Here’s a Fangraphs article on it (haven’t read it yet) but probably has similar info to the BP one and doesn’t require any sort of account.

 

[Bertz]

I no like-a de-juice.

 

This is an EXTREMELY deep cut and I love it

[ChiCubsFan]

Haven’t read the articles and I’m sure this is discussed but how do home run rates typically differ from regular season to post season in a normal non-juiced year?

[Cubswin11]

Haven’t read the articles and I’m sure this is discussed but how do home run rates typically differ from regular season to post season in a normal non-juiced year?

I haven’t read either so idk. I do know run scoring is typically down a little from regular season to post season most years since there’s more elite and situational pitching (don’t know if that would mean HRs see a dip too). I feel like the 2017 playoffs was when we noticed the ball changed.

[Cubswin11]

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[ChiCubsFan]

More juice please

[cl smooth]

More juice please

 

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[Brian]

It's all the seams fault.

 

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[jersey cubs fan]

I like that they blow it off as just a fraction of an inch difference, as if the baseline measurement of seam inch is multiple inches.

[Brian]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/faridyu/status/1204832350426681344[/tweet]

 

According to google translate ...

 

MLB announces that home runs are increasing due to the batter's approach rather than the flying ball. Almost everyone has become a home run since 2016 when almost no home run was given by the pitcher's batting practice before 2016. Even after hitting the Dodgers and hitting the left bat, who had never hit the game, he was able to hit the center. What is it?

[jersey cubs fan]

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[Thurman Merman]

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Ok, so I'm not saying this is the only cause, but taken in conjunction with the Rizzo quote about not stealing signs, it would explain why the Cubs players didn't seem to benefit as much as others.

[Cubswin11]

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Ok, so I'm not saying this is the only cause, but taken in conjunction with the Rizzo quote about not stealing signs, it would explain why the Cubs players didn't seem to benefit as much as others.

I mean there’s literally been studies showing the ball is materially different which would lead it to going further (lower seams, different “pill”, wound tighter, etc). Maybe sign stealing exasperated it like the swing/approach change, launch angle focus, but the ball being different is still the driver.

[Thurman Merman]

Yeah, that's what I was getting at.

[Sammy Sofa]

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Ok, so I'm not saying this is the only cause, but taken in conjunction with the Rizzo quote about not stealing signs, it would explain why the Cubs players didn't seem to benefit as much as others.

I mean there’s literally been studies showing the ball is materially different which would lead it to going further (lower seams, different “pill”, wound tighter, etc). Maybe sign stealing exasperated it like the swing/approach change, launch angle focus, but the ball being different is still the driver.

 

PROBABLY THE SAME SCIENTISTS THAT MADE UP GLOBAL WARMING.