The MLB lockout thread

[dallaschiefsfan]

Originally Posted by Jerm

Oh and analytics have killed what’s great about the game too….

Analytics isn't the problem - but it DOES tell you the problem. Analytics have effectively told us that bad/boring baseball is what wins games.
You can only change what you have control over. And so...while DJ'sLN is generally doing good work in this thread, I'd like to disagree on the point about the fences. To me, the more controllable thing is the ball. Find the most standard, least juiced ball from the last 30 years...bring the seams back up to size and watch the cheap home runs go away.

When you take cheap home runs away, the hitter can then work towards the obvious advantage the pitchers have with the non-juiced ball and start learning other techniques for hitting besides bombs-away. Maybe even a revival of the Walt Hriniak approach to putting the ball in play. Over all, I also love the shorter base path made by the larger bases, shift-banning and finally, the institution of robo-ump behind the plate so that we can stop making the game about the pathetic low-life umps that enter god-mode and squeeze the pitchers, just because they can. Give pitchers their corners and edges and guys will start learning new ways to get the ball into play.