Major League Baseball is mired in the muddy waters of batters striking out at alarming rates. The one consistent baseball statistical factor is a nine inning game demands a total of either 51-outs or 54-outs depending on the home team trailing in the ninth or the game going extra-innings. The 2018 season is seeing about 23 of the game-outs coming via the strike out. Never has there been so many swings and misses.
There are two theories explaining this lack of bat-ball contact. 1) pitching specialist with fresh arms generating speeds at nearly 100-mph fast balls throughoutbthevgame and 2) hitters focused on home run productions with all,or nothing swings. The pesky slap type hitters' are not near as prevalent in today's game. Small ball is lacking.
I remember my East St. Louis youth baseball days. The city had a very well designed baseball feeder system. The Jaycee League structure looked like this: 'B' League (10-13 year old), 'A' League (14-15) Senior League (16-17). We played at a seven field complex called Jones' Park. Once a week a gentleman visited all teams to supply them with needed game baseballs and replacement baseball 'wooden' bats. All kids had their favorite autographed bats. The Richie Ashburn and Jackie Robinson Louisville Slugger bats had thicker handles and large barrels. The Al Kaline and Stan Musial models were thinner handles. Personally, I preferred the Ted Williams model...just liked the good grip feeling.
I recall a spell when our 'B' Team (Kurrus Funeral Home) was striking out a lot. Mr. Spickard, our manager, put all the pro bats in the bat bag and told us we had to use this one non-descript, no label, no autograph bat that had a thick handle and big barrel. A hitter had to choke up on the bat to swing it with any control. We named the 'club' 'Brown Betty.' Funny thing, we started focusing more on contact rather than hard swings, we leveled out our swings and we began hitting the baseball up the middle. And to the opposite fields instead of 'pulling' all swings; bingo...base hits and runs followed.
The professional game today offers defense-shift alignments, which place three fielders to one side of second base because every hitter is determined to swing from the heels trying to 'jack' the ball over the fence. Most hitters are too selfish to develop skills to hit the ball to the opposite field. No longer is life or baseball about 'the good of the order' but instead...it's all about ME!
As strike out ratios continue attendance will decline and ownership is going to have difficulties meeting inflated salaries. What's the solution? Well, in the NBA you cannot play zone. In the NFL there are endless rules protecting the offense. Therefore, I look for MLB to place restrictions on the defense-shift. That will open some hitting lanes but the big problem remains strike outs. I would anticipate another lowering of the mound and/or perhaps a six (6) inch move of the pitcher's rubber to 61 feet.
Today's youth and sport parent ain't buying 'baseball as our National Pastime;' ask any soccer Mom.
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