The Year of the Pitcher 2010
August 1, 2010I’m not positive, but to find a season with as much pitcher domination as 2010, I believe you’d have to go back to the last “year of the pitcher” in 1968. What is going on? Why is this happening? The no-hitters, the near no-hitters, the perfect games, the pure domination. I’ve been thinking a lot about it and until a couple days ago had no clue.
Initially I thought (like many people) that it all had something to do with MLB’s steroid and PED enforcement. But the simple fact is, pitchers partook in the drugs every bit as much as the hitters, so that kind of flushes that theory down the toilet…or does it? The more I think about it, I do think this “year of the pitcher” involves PED’s.
Ok, so here’s my latest theory. In order to survive the steroid era, I think pitchers had to develop pinpoint accuracy with their repertoire. Through trial and error, I’m thinking they figured out their wicked stuff or extreme velocity wasn’t enough to get the job done against the freaks they were facing. The new strength of these hitters simply shrunk the traditional holes they had in their swings.
So my theory is, pitchers adapted with control and location. Now fast forward a bit to the year 2010. MLB cracks down steroids creating obvious adverse effects to strength and power (of both hitters and pitchers.) But here’s the kicker. I don’t think the elimination of PED’s has hampered the pitcher’s ability to locate. In other words, everybody’s less strong, but the guys on the mound retained their advances in ball control.
Without the gorilla strength, hitter’s holes have returned and enlarged. But unfortunately for them, they’re facing guys who can hit spots the size of a dime…with multiple pitches no less.
Doc Halladay's perfecto is but one of many outstanding pitching performances this season.
Now, to be quiet honest, I don’t think this is going to last forever. I’ve predicted this state of the game many times before. I’m telling you, don’t be deceived into thinking baseball is cleaning up. Were just in a bit of a holding pattern. Player’s are in-between drugs. As soon as guys get desperate enough, they’ll get a bit more daring and start using new stuff. Couple that with the reality that the drug producing business is about 10 years ahead of the drug catching business and MLB (in my opinion) doesn’t really want to catch anybody (why would they…it’s just bad business) and you’ve got a recipe for a new drug renaissance…soon.
So that’s my theory on why were experiencing the “2010 Year of the Pitcher” in a nutshell. It’s either that or the fact that baseball is just cyclical and now’s the pitcher’s turn. Whatever the reason, I sure am getting a kick out of watching it go down.
This isn’t the place for this, but wasn’t sure how else to contact you. Could you comment on the Carlos Santana (I think that is his name for Cleveland) play yesterday? He had his leg out trying to block the plate, but he didn’t have any weight on that leg. I always felt like if my leg was out there and the spikes were in even if I had my toe pointing up the line I and I had no weight on the extended leg that I should probably not be out there at that point. What is your feelings?
Thanks,
Lewis