O's trade international bonus pool money for SS Drew Jackson

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Frobby said:

Interesting theory.   

Football, basketball and hockey players have managed to get both larger and faster.

Why would baseball be different?

[atomic]

7 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Football, basketball and hockey players have managed to get both larger and faster.

Why would baseball be different?

Because it is a different sport.  If speed isn't a focus it won't increase.   A slow cornerback won't last a day in the NFL.  A slow second baseman or short stop isn't as big a factor. 

[bobmc]

3 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

They are considering killing the shift, which would address something you cited as a problem.

Personally I consider a strike out more entertaining than a weak ground ball or lazy fly ball.

Except when Manny is loafing down the line (er I meant not being "Joe Hustle") or Ryan Mck is busting it!  A good CD K with a bat broken over the knee is 

[Hallas]

34 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Wouldn't it be easier to deaden the ball?

When all those launch angled pull fly balls stop at the warning track those strike out won't be worth it.

Or stop approving ballparks with current dimensions.  Maybe minimum 420 feet to the farthest fence, and 340 down the lines unless you have environmental considerations (i.e it's cold and that kills hangtime) or you have a high fence.

 

This one would take longer to see effects, of course.

[Aristotelian]

1 minute ago, Hallas said:

Or stop approving ballparks with current dimensions.  Maybe minimum 420 feet to the farthest fence, and 340 down the lines unless you have environmental considerations (i.e it's cold and that kills hangtime) or you have a high fence.

 

This one would take longer to see effects, of course.

You could get some interesting gamesmanship. You would have ballparks looking like gerrymandered electoral districts.

[weams]

3 minutes ago, Hallas said:

Or stop approving ballparks with current dimensions.  Maybe minimum 420 feet to the farthest fence, and 340 down the lines unless you have environmental considerations (i.e it's cold and that kills hangtime) or you have a high fence.

 

This one would take longer to see effects, of course.

It would be cheaper to make the balls soft. Like softballs. 

[Hallas]

56 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

You could get some interesting gamesmanship. You would have ballparks looking like gerrymandered electoral districts.

Lets make the parks look like this:

Penalize those pesky RH pull hitters by making the LF fence 419 feet away.

[25 Nuggets]

2 hours ago, bobmc said:

Except when Manny is loafing down the line or Ryan Mck is busting it!  A good CD K with a bat broken over the knee is 

[bobmc]

2 minutes ago, 25 Nuggets said:

And on Jack Robby Day - awesome!  Thanks!

[Legend_Of_Joey]

1 hour ago, Hallas said:

Lets make the parks look like this:

Penalize those pesky RH pull hitters by making the LF fence 419 feet away.

Just being back Polo Grounds.

[weams]

1 hour ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Just being back Polo Grounds.

 

[Hallas]

4 hours ago, atomic said:

Because it is a different sport.  If speed isn't a focus it won't increase.   A slow cornerback won't last a day in the NFL.  A slow second baseman or short stop isn't as big a factor. 

Or... Maybe the hitters are hitting the ball harder because they're stronger, and because theyre hitting back 97 mph heat instead of 89 mph heat.

[El Gordo]

3 hours ago, Hallas said:

Lets make the parks look like this:

Penalize those pesky RH pull hitters by making the LF fence 419 feet away.

Or this, I knew an old guy who saw Josh Gibson hit a LD 10 ' over the CF fence.

[El Gordo]

39 minutes ago, Hallas said:

Or... Maybe the hitters are hitting the ball harder because they're stronger, and because theyre hitting back 97 mph heat instead of 89 mph heat.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/40170/prospectus-feature-mlb-commission-confirms-baseball-changed/

[Hallas]

3 hours ago, El Gordo said:

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/40170/prospectus-feature-mlb-commission-confirms-baseball-changed/

That explains the increased HR/FB rate, but it doesn't address atomic's claim that fielders are less athletic and cover less range.  Harder hit in-play balls would lead to a decrease in perceived range.