ZIPS predicts that Machado will be the 2nd best player over the next 5 years

[Frobby]

The 60's had the best pitching ever.

Mantle had more than half of his at bats in the 50's, when the pitching was nothing outstanding. By the time the mid-to-late 60's came along, when pitchers really dominated, Mantle was relatively washed up (1.011 OPS through 1964, .836 OPS 1965-68). As you pointed out, he didn't take good care of himself, and that caught up to him eventually.

I don't mean to belittle the guy. I am not quite old enough to have seen Mantle play in his prime (my first year paying attention to baseball was 1966). Obviously, he was a great, great player. It is quite a compliment when I say Trout could be better. We can argue about it ten years from now.

[Frobby]

Some consider 1968 to be the year of the pitcher. The batting title was won with a .301.

League average ERA was under 3.

Highest team ERA was 3.64

Orioles and Indians were tied at 2.66 and league leading team ERA.

McClain was 31 games.

Gibson had a 1.12 ERA and ten pitchers were under .245

Gibson threw 13 shutouts.

Gibson went a span of 99 innings and gave up 3 runs.

Gibson had a 47 scoreless inning run.

Drysdale threw 59 scoreless innings.

"Some" consider it the year of the pitcher? Pretty much everyone does. When that season was over, baseball took action and lowered the pitchers' mound and made the strike zone smaller, lest the game become a complete bore.

Drysdale threw 56.2 scoreless, I believe. Hershiser threw 59, in 1988, in a much more pro-hitter environment.

[Redskins Rick]

"Some" consider it the year of the pitcher? Pretty much everyone does. When that season was over, baseball took action and lowered the pitchers' mound and made the strike zone smaller, lest the game become a complete bore.

Drysdale threw 56.2 scoreless, I believe. Hershiser threw 59, in 1988, in a much more pro-hitter environment.

LOL, I didnt think the posters in OH, could ever agree on anything.

I typoed that number of Drysdale. ESPN claims it was 58 innings long.

Regardless of 56.2 or 58, that's a lot of shutout innings.

[CallMeBrooksie]

No one wants to start comparing Trout to Willie Mays because that would be comparing to Trout to one of the top 3 baseball players of all time, but it's getting clear that Mays is a more apt comparison than Mantle.

Nope, can't do that. Must be compared to another white player.

It's in the Constitution.

[Can_of_corn]

LOL, I didnt think the posters in OH, could ever agree on anything.

I typoed that number of Drysdale. ESPN claims it was 58 innings long.

Regardless of 56.2 or 58, that's a lot of shutout innings.

You could have gone with "1968 is known as the year of the pitcher.".

[Can_of_corn]

Nope, can't do that. Must be compared to another white player.

It's in the Constitution.

So those posters comparing Schoop to Uggla can be arrested?

[CallMeBrooksie]

So those posters comparing Schoop to Uggla can be arrested?

It's being taken care of

[DrungoHazewood]

Some consider 1968 to be the year of the pitcher. The batting title was won with a .301.

League average ERA was under 3.

Highest team ERA was 3.64

Orioles and Indians were tied at 2.66 and league leading team ERA.

McClain was 31 games.

Gibson had a 1.12 ERA and ten pitchers were under .245

Gibson threw 13 shutouts.

Gibson went a span of 99 innings and gave up 3 runs.

Gibson had a 47 scoreless inning run.

Drysdale threw 59 scoreless innings.

When I was a kid I assumed that changes in context were all about the talent pool, and that the pitchers were super awesome in 1968. And in 1900-1919. And that Willie Keeler would hit .432 today. And that Highpockets Kelly was great because he was in the Hall.

[Number5]

Some consider 1968 to be the year of the pitcher. The batting title was won with a .301.

League average ERA was under 3.

Highest team ERA was 3.64

Orioles and Indians were tied at 2.66 and league leading team ERA.

McClain was 31 games.

Gibson had a 1.12 ERA and ten pitchers were under .245

Gibson threw 13 shutouts.

Gibson went a span of 99 innings and gave up 3 runs.

Gibson had a 47 scoreless inning run.

Drysdale threw 59 scoreless innings.

MLK assassinated.

RFK assassinated.

North Vietnamese launch Tet Offensive.

Soviet Union invades Czechoslovakia.

Apollo 8 orbits the moon.

North Korea seizes USS Pueblo.

Nixon elected President.

Captain Kirk kisses Lt. Uhura.

O.J. Simpson wins the Heisman.

Bob Beamon shatters world record in the long jump.

Lolich, not McLain, leads Tigers to WS win over Cards.

Billboard's top ten songs:

1. Hey Jude, The Beatles

2. Love is Blue, Paul Mauriat

3. Honey, Bobby Goldsboro

4. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding

5. People Got to Be Free, The Rascals

6. Sunshine of Your Love, Cream

7. This Guy's In Love With You, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

8. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, Hugo Montenegro

9. Mrs. Robinson, Simon and Garfunkel

10. Tighten Up, Pt. 1, Archie Bell and The Drells

[video=youtube;HbqQL0J_Vr0]

[ledzepp8]

Some consider 1968 to be the year of the pitcher. The batting title was won with a .301.

League average ERA was under 3.

Highest team ERA was 3.64

Orioles and Indians were tied at 2.66 and league leading team ERA.

McClain was 31 games.

Gibson had a 1.12 ERA and ten pitchers were under .245

Gibson threw 13 shutouts.

Gibson went a span of 99 innings and gave up 3 runs.

Gibson had a 47 scoreless inning run.

Drysdale threw 59 scoreless innings.

That doesn't automatically equate to the pitchers being better (or the best ever).

[Redskins Rick]

"Some" consider it the year of the pitcher? Pretty much everyone does. .

LOL, nope, not everybody

That doesn't automatically equate to the pitchers being better (or the best ever).

1968 was the best pitching year ever, hands down.

So strong, that MLB knocked the mound down in height by 5 inches.

[DrungoHazewood]

That doesn't automatically equate to the pitchers being better (or the best ever).

I could come up with a scenario where Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Clemens and Pedro would have 6.50 ERAs against AAA hitters. Just put the mound the right distance away, crank up the tension in the ball factory, give the fielders 1910s gloves, put the ballparks at altitude with short fences, make the strike zone bottom of the kneecap to top of the kneecap.

[DrungoHazewood]

1968 was the best pitching year ever, hands down.

The environment in 1968 favored pitchers by the most of any year since WWII. The observed results don't necessarily have much of anything to do with the quality of the pitchers. And anyway, fewer runs have been scored in MLB seasons. Nineteen-and-aught-eight scored fewer runs despite a dramatically higher error rate.

[Redskins Rick]

The environment in 1968 favored pitchers by the most of any year since WWII. The observed results don't necessarily have much of anything to do with the quality of the pitchers. And anyway, fewer runs have been scored in MLB seasons. Nineteen-and-aught-eight scored fewer runs despite a dramatically higher error rate.

I was shocked at Yaz won the batting title with the robust average of .301

It wasn't just a handful of pitchers that year, starting pitching (stats wise) was strong, even for last place teams.

Later expansions, added more ball players and thinned out the quality for a bit, again, just my opinion.

[DrungoHazewood]

I was shocked at Yaz won the batting title with the robust average of .301

It wasn't just a handful of pitchers that year, starting pitching (stats wise) was strong, even for last place teams.

Later expansions, added more ball players and thinned out the quality for a bit, again, just my opinion.

All of the observed outcomes from 1968 could be replicated with dramatically lower talent levels. Just look at minor league numbers. There are current minor leagues with players who are in no way ready to play in the majors where pitchers dominate. A few years ago in Japan the league ERA was lower than it was in 1968 and many pitchers had tremendous-looking performances; that doesn't suggest the 2011 Japanese League had talent on par with the Majors. Again, offensive contexts only correspond to talent levels coincidentally.