Last year, looking at USA Today stats
NL hit 261, 3.4% of at bats were home runs, 20.3% strikeouts
Scoring 4.7 runs per team per game
This year, hitting 251, 2.8% of at bats home runs, 20.4% strikeouts
4.2 runs per team per game
Pittsburgh was worst last year in batting average, anyway, at 247 but no less than FIVE teams currently below that, mil, ny, sd, atl, pit
corresponding AL numbers,last year 267/3.2/18.6/4.9
this year 264/3.1/18/5.1
so not a lot different with AL hitting as a league, but some teams are execrable, lowest end of year was 248, 5 teams below that this year, tam, oak, kan, ana, bal
So perhaps this trending downwards too, Seattle and Chicago can't hit 300+ forever to prop that up?
Mariners at 7 runs a game.
Theories, baseball experts? NHL disease catching? (which the doctors couldn't work out either)
some further investigation from mlb.com
In April last year, their splits give, for the NL
batting 260 (barely different to the season)
runs 4.8 per team per game, higher
strikeouts 21.1%, also higher
home runs 3.7%, also higher
and another stat, walks 10.2% last year in april
this year, walks 10.5%
overall walks last year 9.7%
so Ks down, walks up, not the strike zone?
it is the hitters? (or the pitchers, or both?)
fire all the NL batting coaches?
In April last year there were 6 teams lower than the worst team for the season, in batting average, but the worst was 235 - 4 teams worse than that currently
so, horrible old pitchers, ton of new good pitchers?
or, have they changed the balls? another possibility?
NL hit 261, 3.4% of at bats were home runs, 20.3% strikeouts
Scoring 4.7 runs per team per game
This year, hitting 251, 2.8% of at bats home runs, 20.4% strikeouts
4.2 runs per team per game
Pittsburgh was worst last year in batting average, anyway, at 247 but no less than FIVE teams currently below that, mil, ny, sd, atl, pit
corresponding AL numbers,last year 267/3.2/18.6/4.9
this year 264/3.1/18/5.1
so not a lot different with AL hitting as a league, but some teams are execrable, lowest end of year was 248, 5 teams below that this year, tam, oak, kan, ana, bal
So perhaps this trending downwards too, Seattle and Chicago can't hit 300+ forever to prop that up?
Mariners at 7 runs a game.
Theories, baseball experts? NHL disease catching? (which the doctors couldn't work out either)
some further investigation from mlb.com
In April last year, their splits give, for the NL
batting 260 (barely different to the season)
runs 4.8 per team per game, higher
strikeouts 21.1%, also higher
home runs 3.7%, also higher
and another stat, walks 10.2% last year in april
this year, walks 10.5%
overall walks last year 9.7%
so Ks down, walks up, not the strike zone?
it is the hitters? (or the pitchers, or both?)
fire all the NL batting coaches?
In April last year there were 6 teams lower than the worst team for the season, in batting average, but the worst was 235 - 4 teams worse than that currently
so, horrible old pitchers, ton of new good pitchers?
or, have they changed the balls? another possibility?
