Is it possible this may be JoePos's best yet? Most of us - traditionalists or not- agree baseball use too power based, but wow! This phenomenon of blaming the ball is the oldest tradition of all. My vote is to lower the mound and get the added benefit of less arm strain.
I’m a bit surprised that in writing about the surge in home runs in 1977 that Joe fails to mention that his hero Duane Kuiper hit his only career HR that year.
Joe, I don't think you're getting the right feedback in the comment section this time.....That was a *brilliant* piece -- I laughed out loud on 4 or 5 occasions. Your essay reminds us that in baseball, as in all things, there is nothing new under the sun....Truly enjoy your writing. Thank you!
Hi Joe, I think the main reason we know so much about golf balls is the competition between various manufacturers to have a better ball as long as they meet the various leagues’ standards. Because each player gets to choose his or her own ball, the leagues need to test the balls to make sure they comply. But in baseball, the league chooses and controls the balls so they are all theoretically the same. The league may know way more than they tell the public because they have no incentive to do so. But can you imagine if the hitter got to choose his ball? He comes to bat with the bat he chooses and hands the ump half a dozen balls of his choosing that the pitcher then has to throw. It could really bring some interesting results.
Is it possible this may be JoePos's best yet? Most of us - traditionalists or not- agree baseball use too power based, but wow! This phenomenon of blaming the ball is the oldest tradition of all. My vote is to lower the mound and get the added benefit of less arm strain.
fantastic read, and learned a ton. Thank you Joe!
I’m a bit surprised that in writing about the surge in home runs in 1977 that Joe fails to mention that his hero Duane Kuiper hit his only career HR that year.
Great point! As I was reading this, I was trying to remember what year that HR came in. NOW IT ALL MAKES SENSE.
Joe, I don't think you're getting the right feedback in the comment section this time.....That was a *brilliant* piece -- I laughed out loud on 4 or 5 occasions. Your essay reminds us that in baseball, as in all things, there is nothing new under the sun....Truly enjoy your writing. Thank you!
Hi Joe, I think the main reason we know so much about golf balls is the competition between various manufacturers to have a better ball as long as they meet the various leagues’ standards. Because each player gets to choose his or her own ball, the leagues need to test the balls to make sure they comply. But in baseball, the league chooses and controls the balls so they are all theoretically the same. The league may know way more than they tell the public because they have no incentive to do so. But can you imagine if the hitter got to choose his ball? He comes to bat with the bat he chooses and hands the ump half a dozen balls of his choosing that the pitcher then has to throw. It could really bring some interesting results.
You'd have to let the pitcher pick the ball he throws half the time, too.
Nah, pitcher gets to spin it however he chooses. That's their equalizer.
At least let the pitcher apply a foreign substance occasionally?
One pitch per AB of his choice.
But the batter chooses the substance