Are too many strikeouts hurting the game of baseball?

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

No, that's boring, too.

I like to see the ball in play.

Bob Gibson's highest single-season K/9 was in 1970, with 8.4 K/9.

His career K/9 was 7.2 K/9.

Last season, there were 21 qualifiying pitchers (162 IP) with a K/9 of more than 8.4.

There were 49 qualifying pitchers with a K/9 of more than 7.2.

There were three teams with a K/9 of more than 8.4.

There were 26 teams with a K/9 of more than 7.2.

The league average K/9 was 7.6.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

But not 72% of pitches.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

The A's have Sean Doolittle, who was a washout Single A first baseman in mid-2011 when he asked for a chance to pitch. By mid-2012 he was in the majors blowing away guys at a rate of 11.4 Ks/9. Obviously he did not have the hitting part of it down well enough to get to the majors, but I think it's possible that you could have an outfielder/infielder type -- especially a lefty -- who is a decent hitter and can help as a pitcher in a matchup spot.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

Of the top 50 all-time K/9 career leaders (min. 1,000 IP), 25 were active in 2013.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

Verducci wrote about it last year, apparently:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20130423/joey-votto-jayson-werth-taking-pitches/

What we are left with is a sport in which games keep getting longer but with less and less action. The ball is not put in play on 81 percent of the pitches, an all-time record of inactivity. The knottiest issue for baseball is not the stadium issues of Oakland and Tampa Bay or the Biogenesis scandal; it's the increased lack of action in your average baseball game.

Mindsets need to change.

I'm trying to get my 4 1/2-year-old into baseball, and he likes it, but it's tough for him to sit there and watch pitch after pitch after pitch where nothing happens.

How do I justify not flipping over to hockey or an NBA game?

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

Yeah I'm pretty sure that was the article where I saw Longoria talking about how he never changes his approach with two strikes.

Of course, Verducci's answer to the problem was the "bonus at-bat." That was fun.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

I wish they gave our Razzies for sports writing.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

Razzies for sports writing -- now that's a thread!

They'd have to be called the Whickers, though.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

What award do we nominate Caleb Hannan for?

LOL.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

Stop derailing this important thread, guys.

Zack Greinke hit really well last year.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

I'm not asking because I'm being defensive, I'm asking because I'm honestly curious:

What is so wrong with this thread that you've found it objectionable from the get-go? It feels perfectly reasonable to me.

 

Re: Does baseball have a strikeout problem?

The subject line. You are not paid to get clicks here.