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Related: About this forumMLB attendance drops in boom-bust era of big winners, losers
Source: Associated Press
By RONALD BLUM
September 27, 2019
NEW YORK (AP) Major League Baseball has entered the Boom/Bust Era.
An unprecedented four teams won 100 games in the same season.
Four clubs lost in triple figures for only the second time.
Amid widespread claims the baseballs have changed, hitters shattered the home run record for the second time in three seasons. And sparked by batters going for the fences to beat suffocating shifts, strikeouts set a record for the 12th year in a row and outnumbered hits for the second straight season.
With some teams out of contention even before their first pitch, average attendance has dropped four years in a row for the first time since the commissioners office started tracking it in 1980.
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More and more teams have adopted an all-in or all-out philosophy. If they dont think they can win it, why bother to be in it? Better to shed expensive veterans and rebuild with cheaper rookies and incur the box-office hit. Management calls that prudent rebuilding. The players association labels it tanking.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/c0d4a68ed9034231833e16975327d824
Initech
(99,914 posts)We had the worst season on record, worst attendance, a pitcher died, and nearly lost in the triple figures. Plus the manager got fired. So yeah, calling it a "dumpster fire" is a bit of an understatement.
Auggie
(31,061 posts)Only the wealthiest clubs will be able to afford bullpens with more relievers adept at getting left and right-handed batters to make outs.
Later innings runs scored are going to sky-rocket, including (you guessed it), HOME RUNS.
But, heck, that's okay, right? Exactly what a few focus group millennials said they wanted. More action.
Meanwhile, real baseball fans -- millions of them -- will just stay home.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)A few more home runs isn't going to help. I'm even against the DH.
Auggie
(31,061 posts)Can't beat it for pure escapism. Besides, it's a beautiful game -- despite the DH.
I'm not exactly thrilled with how it's evolved I'm my lifetime, but nothing stays the same forever. I'm okay with that. But don't reinvent the darn thing.
ProfessorGAC
(64,425 posts)What claims? Manfred flat out said testing showed the balls to be firmer and seams slightly lower.
This was bad reporting.