Trying for Home Runs

Tom Tango provides some evidence from StatCast that batters are intentionally trying to hit home runs this season by getting a better launch angle.

Now, this could happen either because they are “mis-angling low”, meaning they are keeping the same attack angle, and just getting under the ball more. Of course if you do that, your exit speed will ALSO decrease. Which we don’t find. Or, the hitters are changing the way they are batting, just slightly enough, that they are launching the balls higher with a matching attack angle. And maybe improving their approach slightly so they get a bit more of the ball (1 mph of higher exit speed), and at an angle that leads to more HR.

StatCast has been around a couple of years, and teams have full access to the data. So I wonder if at some point the word got out about the optimum launch angle, and batters adjusted.

Note that MLB wants to raise the lower part of the strike zone next season to the top of the knee. In light of the increase in home runs, they may also want to raise the top of the strike zone a bit, too. The way to combat the launch angle is with high strikes, which would make it difficult for batters to get an uppercut (see Matt Cain in his prime). If MLB is going to give batters more low pitches, they should give pitcher more high ones. Unless, of course, MLB wants a lot more home runs.

from baseballmusings.com http://ift.tt/29TkQLp