Age of the Pitcher

[reillymcshane]

Interesting article by Jayson Stark about the decline of scoring in baseball - and the rise of the pitcher.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8048897/the-age-pitcher-how-got-here-mlb

 

It's a good read. Steroids is the obvious answer, but I really liked how he got into this being the Information Age - how pitchers can know in seconds what happens when you throw a slider to a particular batter in a particular spot over the last five years or whatever crazy thing you want to know.

 

Personally, I don't mind less scoring. I might lament and complain and moan about our batters, but I love a good pitchers dual.

[logan82]

I love low scoring too. A lower run scoring environment makes small ball a good strategy.

[jerichoholicninja]

I really don't care if a game is 15-13 or 2-1 as long as it's entertaining.

[pebadger]

It's hard to know without and really good data, but to the degree PED testing is a factor, that may well be a wash. Pitchers were using, too. Though they're not seen as PEDs in the classical sense, I think there might well be more of an impact on everyday players in terms of stimulant use being curtailed than there is any sort of net advantage to hitters in terms of the PED arms race.

 

Information tech cuts both ways, too. Hitters have the same video on pitchers.