Follow our new Twitter account for real-time updates and in-depth analysis of all things Chicago Cubs.
Whether you like it or not, it is now pretty obvious that MLB’s new balls that are being put in humidors aren’t traveling as far as previous years. You like a lot of home runs? Too bad. You can read all about it here.
On one hand, I completely get it because a few years ago there were some ridiculous hits leaving ballparks all over the league that had no business being home runs. But now it kind of just seems like MLB over corrected for those record-high home run totals and now we’re left with guys crushing balls and seeing them die in the outfield.
Frank Schwindel was the latest victim to the new balls Tuesday night against the Padres.
Follow our new Twitter account for real-time updates and in-depth analysis of all things Chicago Cubs.
I’m a Cubs fan, so yeah I was really pissed off at that. And I get it, San Diego at night isn’t the best combo for hitting home runs, however this isn’t an isolated thing.
Lance Brozdowski, an analyst for Marquee Sports Network, looked up the numbers for barreled balls in 2021 and compared it to 2022 so far. Not only is the batting average down by 100 points, but that last column shows the distance on the hardest-hit balls is down by an average of seven feet.
Specifically on Schwindel’s fly out to the wall, 79 of 132 similarly-hit balls went out for home runs.
There were 132 balls last year hit at 102.5 MPH and at a 33 degree LA. 79 went for homers. Oh well! https://t.co/UHRFSRF0h9
— Sam Fels, But Who's Buyin'? (@FelsGate) May 11, 2022
But hey, I’m willing to give in here. All 30 MLB parks have the humidors now, so the league is at least attempting to normalize the conditions for the balls across the entire league, even if there may be some issues with that in terms of the temperature that is being used. Anyway, the main problem is that it’s not only position players complaining about the balls. Pitchers, who obviously threw one every pitch, are saying the new balls are bad.
Why? Because they all feel different.
“They’re all different. The 1st inning they’re decent. The 3rd inning they’re bad. The 4th inning they’re okay. The 5th inning they’re bad… There’s no common ground with the balls. There’s nothing the same outing to outing. They’re bad.” #TwoBaseballs? 🤔pic.twitter.com/ds6uOsyw9n
— Dr. Meredith Wills (@Bbl_Astrophyscs) April 27, 2022
Pete told Wayne Randazzo after the game "you don't know if you're hitting spongebob or patrick's rock."https://t.co/4rYMYC6OOR
— The Randazzler (@wayne_randazzle) May 4, 2022
This thread does a great job of explaining the issues with the balls so far. Basically, MLB wanted to have consistency with their balls compared to previous years and instead they’ve so far gotten the opposite result.
🧵 Based on what we’ve seen of the new dead ball and its response to humidity, I suspect the changes MLB implemented in its “concern for improving consistency” may have led to the least consistent ball the game has ever seen. 1/https://t.co/JrAOxmqwtf pic.twitter.com/dgG2qKNiDg
— Dr. Meredith Wills (@Bbl_Astrophyscs) May 10, 2022
So, fine, I’m not asking for the juiced balls back. I’d be equally pissed when a pop-up against my team goes sailing out into the stands. However, whatever is happening now isn’t good either.
Fix your balls, MLB.
