re: These new MLB rules have Made Baseball Great Again!!!!!

quote:

---

The only data point that matters is runs per game. Where is the data that shows decreased on base percentage, with a few more home runs, is leading to more runs?

---

When Marlon Byrd, JD Martinez, Justin Turner etc broke out by optimizing launch angle in 2014, offense was at a pretty historical low. Teams had started shifting to optimize defensive positioning and sinker ballers were in vogue to pitch to that change. Runs per game were 4.07. By 2019 they rose to 4.82 as more players figured out hitting over the shift was the path forward and tapping into dormant power. This was the highest since the end of the steroid year. Player development staffs and pitchers then responded in kind by emphasizing spin up in the zone and a more north south approach, which resulted in the subsequent downturn in offense over the last few years. I’m of the opinion hitters would naturally correct back and we would go through another cycle, as that’s been the history of baseball. MLB went ahead and banned the shift anyways (I’m not a fan of that rule change).

Data here

To suggest “the launch angle BS” didn’t increase offense is statistically false

Also funny to suggest it’s “SABER nerds” who started it when it was 3 or so journeyman veterans and an old time hitting coach in Southern California