Ag_07 said:

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I don't get the why the juiced balls story gets so much run.

Everyone is using the same balls so WGAS?

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I just wish MLB would say they changed the ball and move on with life

Ag_07 said:

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I don't get the why the juiced balls story gets so much run.

Everyone is using the same balls so WGAS?

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I feel the same but everyone loves a scandal and a conspiracy theory. I think that's the heart of it.

It also answers to the question of why guys struggle so much when they come up and have to see better pitching. If the best of what Tucker & Alvarez are seeing down there is Good juan & co., it's no wonder they're hitting HR like it's BP.

Harry Dunne said:

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Ag_07 said:

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I don't get the why the juiced balls story gets so much run.

Everyone is using the same balls so WGAS?

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I feel the same but everyone loves a scandal and a conspiracy theory. I think that's the heart of it.

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I don't think it's scandalous, and it may not even be intentional, but there is really good evidence that the ball has changed in the last few years. It could be something as simple as MLB changing a supplier for some materials or buying new tooling that's a little bit different than the old stuff; it has happened before (I'd have to do some homework to find a source).

DVC2010 said:

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Harry Dunne said:

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Ag_07 said:

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I don't get the why the juiced balls story gets so much run.

Everyone is using the same balls so WGAS?

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I feel the same but everyone loves a scandal and a conspiracy theory. I think that's the heart of it.

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I don't think it's scandalous, and it may not even be intentional, but there is really good evidence that the ball has changed in the last few years. It could be something as simple as MLB changing a supplier for some materials or buying new tooling that's a little bit different than the old stuff; it has happened before (I'd have to do some homework to find a source).

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But that's definitely not the narrative that the articles are presenting. It's not "Ball may have been unintentionally altered", it's "Juiced Balls!".

The problem is that the evidence does not point towards juiced balls. Hits per game this year and last year are actually at their lowest since the late 60s early 70s. HR per game are at an all-time high, including the steroid era! It's not hard to figure it out.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juiced_ball_theory

In the roid era, folks backed off when they figured out the balls weren't what was juiced. Same story, different culprit this time around.

Ag_07 said:

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I don't get the why the juiced balls story gets so much run.

Everyone is using the same balls so WGAS?

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I don't care about juiced balls, and I don't care about scandals. I am interested in the spike in production.

My question was more about whether or not the AAA production is equal to our ahead of MLB? Was it way behind MLB last year?

I read that in AAA batters are homering every 32 AB. What is the rate in the majors? The above tweet could indicate pitching is less dominant, relative to hitters.

Here is the article about Triple A. People can believe what they want, but the studies that have been performed on MLB balls over the last couple of seasons all indicate the ball flies further (ie, ball that leaves bat at same launch angle and same velocity goes further) so leads to more homeruns. This does not mean that hits or runs will be up because to hit a homerun the ball has to be hit in the air. Trying to hit the ball in the air will likely lead to more strikeouts and fly balls/pop ups, which are much less likely to result in hits than balls hit on ground or on a line.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.baseballamerica.com/stories/new-ball-is-sparking-an-offensive-explosion-in-triple-a/%3famphtml

Here is a prior article about a study on MLB balls.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/in-mlbs-new-home-run-era-its-the-baseballs-that-are-juicing/

Harry Dunne said:

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DVC2010 said:

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Harry Dunne said:

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Ag_07 said:

---

I don't get the why the juiced balls story gets so much run.

Everyone is using the same balls so WGAS?

---

I feel the same but everyone loves a scandal and a conspiracy theory. I think that's the heart of it.

---

I don't think it's scandalous, and it may not even be intentional, but there is really good evidence that the ball has changed in the last few years. It could be something as simple as MLB changing a supplier for some materials or buying new tooling that's a little bit different than the old stuff; it has happened before (I'd have to do some homework to find a source).

---

But that's definitely not the narrative that the articles are presenting. It's not "Ball may have been unintentionally altered", it's "Juiced Balls!".

The problem is that the evidence does not point towards juiced balls. Hits per game this year and last year are actually at their lowest since the late 60s early 70s. HR per game are at an all-time high, including the steroid era! It's not hard to figure it out.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juiced_ball_theory

In the roid era, folks backed off when they figured out the balls weren't what was juiced. Same story, different culprit this time around.

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Hits and BABIP are also going down because of the shift.

Information and training has gotten better for pitching too. I would argue as a whole "stuff" has gotten a lot better lately which should be driving down hits as well. It seems like velo is up and so are breaking balls. People are smarter and ditching bad pitches to throw more of their best stuff.

Balls are coming off hot these days. What did Fisher hit the other night, was it 114mph? Some pitcher is going to get killed if that goes much higher.

Former Astro traded to Arlington

How very Rangers of them. I can't tell if they are making themselves better or worse.

T&P to Mitch Haniger's balls

oof.

when did that happen?? i don't remember seeing that on the broadcast but i tuned in about the 3rd inning

He only had 3 ABs and was replaced. So probably around the 6th inning?

Ouch.....

Is there a minimum amount of time guadan has to be up? Figure he would be optioned already

So the Rangers gave us Chirinos for free and gave something to acquire Fedorwicz?

Yeah that's definitely a Rangers move.

sts7049 said:

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oof.

when did that happen?? i don't remember seeing that on the broadcast but i tuned in about the 3rd inning

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the Orioles (19-43) are in town. They are terra-bad.

some guy named Ynoa starting today vs. Cole.

great chance for the Astro hitters to pad their stats

how about Chirinos...this hot stretch has his OPS over .900.

10 doubles, 10 HR's, and 28 RBI on the season. Plus 28 walks. And scored 31 runs hitting in the bottom half of the order.

he's like a completely different player

bearkatag15 said:

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sts7049 said:

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oof.

when did that happen?? i don't remember seeing that on the broadcast but i tuned in about the 3rd inning

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You would be a different player too if you got out of dead ass last purgatory and got to play for a WS contender and catch JV every 5th day

I had a sports related scrotum contusion. 12 stitches a week before Christmas and I got a bike and a skateboard.

Ouch, and I say that as a female. My sister and I were just whining today about having our tonsils out right before Christmas when we were kids and not getting to eat any candy.

I feel bad now that I complained.

I was 15. As bad as it hurt walking around (stiches pulling), the real pain was the embarassment. A nurse shaved me before the Dr. applied the local and I was horrified. And of course everyone at school heard about it. A good thing I had a few weeks off with the holidays.

That is one of the few potential injuries that make cringe just thinking about them.

Did Cheerios catch all 14 innings yesterday and is catching today?

What a fckin stud