Juiced Ball Era 2.0 -
Covered by Pittsburgh Post Gazette, ESPN, Ben Lindbergh of the Ringer — and now the Filibuster Freestyle
Rob Manfred became commissioner in January of 2015 — the uptick of Home Runs began immediately after the All-Star Break in 2015
There’s a lot of science/ research that you can in fact, juice the ball - lower seams and a smaller circumference can do that alone — even if tiny changes are made
But, 1998 wasn’t 75 years ago, it was less than 20 years ago — and we all remember it. My outlandish theory is “yes, the ball is slightly altered, and yes, hitting are trying to put the ball in the air more often because the ball is more likely to leave the confines of the field. But I think that MLB is actually leaking all of this science, because this time the want to head off the “juiced players” conversation before it even gets started.”
There was a line in Lindbergh’s article which stated that, “the PED scenario would require widespread, almost simultaneous adoption of a highly effective Drug that helps only hitters, isn’t detectable, and doesn’t make bodies look dramatically different.”
My response - have you ever watched the Tour De France? Are you familiar with Cycling? Or for that matter, Track & Field, etc, etc… these guys all have the same agents, they have all played together and for multiple teams, they likely have similar personal strength coaches, etc… plus, if the physics of the ball flying an extra few feet over the fence into the 2nd row is more likely to help the guy with warning track power than the slugger… then aren’t more regular hitters going to be willing to try it?”
There’s research from an NCAA seam-height study which concluded that increasing the balls COR or coefficient of restitution by 5 one-thousandths helps the ball fly 3 ft further and .63 mph faster. Lowering the seam by .00246’s of an inch gives it another 2.9 t and another .58 mph. Reducing the Circumference by .03 of in inch gives it 1.1 feet and .22 mph — add those together that’s an extra 7.1 ft and 1.43mph
Players w/ 20+ HR in a season 79 in 2012 (lower than 70 in each of 2013-2015) and then 111 in 2016
5 of the top 10 all-time HR/to Fly ball percentage leaders during the years of 2007-2017 are guys playing this year. 2 more are Ryan Howard in 2007&2008 - 2 more are some guy named Jack Cust during 2007 & 2008 and Nelson Cruz in 2015
Xavier Hemphill
Then Federer keeps it rolling, Wins at Indian Wells (beats Nadal again) and then wins in Miami (beats Nadal a third time) - takes the “sunshine slam”
Federer opts to skip entire Clay court season (Which is Nadal’s specialty surface). At the time, in April did you think this was a smart idea by Federer or not?
Fast forward to Clay Season Rafa wins in Monte Carlo, wins his 10th title in Madrid, his 10th title in Barcelona, loses in Italy, but bounces back and wins his 10th French Open title and his 15th major.
So I ask you again — Federer essentially forfeited any chance to block Nadal from pulling back to within 3 majors of this record — but was this a smart idea?
Next Federer comes back for the beginning of Grass Season - he gets upset in his first match back by Tommy Haas in Stuttgart. But, in Halle he wins the tourney.
Rafa sat out of the lead ups to Wimbledon — played to rounds at an exhibition tourney
Was this is smart move by Rafa?
Who has the best chance of winning Wimbledon Federer, Nadal, or the field?
Who finished with most Majors Federer or Nadal?
Does Novak at 12 have a shot to catch Fed’s 18? Do you think he will? Will 19 majors be enough?
My shirt wasn’t on - sign you still live alone
Odds to Win Wimbledon - Skybet — i’m gonna be in Europe, so this matters
Federer - 2/1
Andy Murray - 4/1
Rafael Nadal - 9/2
Novak - 11/2
Milos Raonic - 14/1
Marin Cilic - 18/1
Wawrinka - 25/1
Dominic Thiem - 40/1 - also he’s 16/1 to reach the final - by far the best odds to maximize winnings
Johnny McEnroe loves Nadal — he’s a homer — and that’s fine — it’s just pretty obvious
Methinks he’s calling Serena out now because she’s in the middle of her first pregnancy — and she can’t call his out immediately. Is John McEnroe looking to be the Bobby Riggs of the 21st century? I think he’d lose — but like, embarrassingly
What is more singular - that Serena has 23 and the nearest competitor of here Era has 7? Or that Nadal and Federer (and now Djokovic) are clearly 3 cuts above the rest of their era
Steffi Graf won the 1999 french open her 22nd major // Serena won the 1999 US Open her first
From 1999-2017 Venus has won 7, Justine Henin has won 7, Sharapova has won 5, Kim Clijsters has won 4
Novak 12 majors 9 runners up (29 years old)
Nadal 15 majors 7 runners up (30 years old)
Federer 18 majors 10 Runners up (35 years old) - Federer won 5 majors in 2003, 2004 2005 prior to Nadal’s coming out party in 2006
Murray 3 titles 8 runners up (29 years old)
Wawrinka 3 titles no runners up (31 years old) - has had most success of any one else during this “Big Four Era”