Through nine weeks of the season, major league games average 8.76 runs per game compared to 9.04 runs per game through the same number of weeks in 2017. (All comparisons are through nine weeks.) Hits are down across the board, with 2.26 HR per game and 14.4 other hits per game this season compared to 2.43 HR per game and 14.63 other hits per game last year. This makes sense, as strikeouts are up to 17.2 per game against 16.4 per game in 2017. Earlier in the season, strikeouts were up but hits were also up. Maybe it took awhile for defenses to adjust against hitters. Week nine was the lowest scoring week of the season at 7.91 runs per game.
It also quite possible that the ball was fixed. MLB confirmed this week what others had discovered, that their was less drag on the ball. While it took awhile to confirm this to the public, I suspect the manufacturer had already taken steps to remedy the situation. Now MLB needs to figure out how to reduce strikeouts.
Note, too, that with fewer mound visits, offense is down. So maybe all those delays to talk to the pitcher were not really needed.
from baseballmusings.com https://ift.tt/2ku7tYP
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