whats the deal with richie sexson?
finally thought he was going to take off after shaking off the cobwebs and hititng his first HR since april the other day... but nope
is he just one of those power hitters that aint shit without the juice? always thought his agressive ass was a juicer, seems like some of his outbursts came off as a little roid-rage ish
Really not a big believer in the juice theories . Sure helps your confidence to go up there being strong as fucking hell but it doesnt do much for you as hitter . Some guys see benefits of course but must of it all BS media hype. Its just one of things that you cant define. To many things happened in baseball over the period were Hrs started to skyrocket to say juice was the reason.
Expansion - dilutes the pitching pool more then anything else . Not only 2 do you add 2 horrible pitching staffs to the league but you dilute the other teams resources . Think about the HR explosion and who seemed to benefit the most ? NL West ....adding Col then Zona to launching pads complete with terrible pitching staffs ?
new parks - outside of petco name a pitchers park added in the last 15 years and almsot every new one was more hitter friendly .
live baseballs- everyone swears the balls were changed at some point . Cant say exactly when but I know guys years ago saying you could tell what balls were old in BP by the way they bounced . For non believers go back to 1987 the year MLB admits to messing with the baseballs and look at the HR totals. How many guyshad career years ? Dale Svuem ? Wade Boggs hit 24 . McGwire rookie year hits 49 ....do the research huge spike in Hrs from 86 and 88 .
maple bats - now there all everyone is talking about . However no one remembers Barry Bonds was one of the first guys to use them in the mid to late 90's. The clearly are lighter which increases bat speed and retain the same barrel as other bats . See in the 80's guys started hollowing out the tops of bats to make them lighter while shaving down the handle . Well actually I cant say it started in the 80s but it was common practice . Try swinging one of the older bats and see what type bat speed you generate .....
Plus year to year you cant measure the weather unless you do team by team research. The Northeast hasnt had nice April or Mays for awhile
There is just alot of factors which contribute to Hrs spiking . Most of the reason they are done now is the pitchers are the guys coming off from the minors who are having quick success filled with high ceilings . Look how position players are going to the HOF from the last 15 years and ask how many new guys look like HOF material?
Sexson always was a long swing slugger . Really he was a 270 hitter with 40 Hr power and he went Seattle not as kind to the long ball and did exactly that .263 39hrs then 264 34 hrs but saw some decline in year 2 . Last year injuries and whatever else he fell to pieces and simply has not got back on track. He is 33 so its not abnormal to lose a bit . really he excelled in MILW a great hitters park and at the time the Central had some bad pitching . He started in 2004 @ Zona another hitter sparadise and while the production was there he still was at 233 when he was lost to injury so maybe injuries have robbed him as well.
I think people really forgot how BAD pitchers were in the late 90s to early 2000s . Now the cycle is going the other way .....
2001 reds SP-
Jim Brower 10
Elmer Dessens 34
Lance Davis 20
Chris retisma 29
Jose Avecedo 18
Rob Bell 9
Pete harnisch 7
Joey Hamilton 4
Osvaldo fernandez 14
Bryan reith 9
Pirates 2001 SP-
Dave Williams 18
Todd Ritchie 33
Jason Shicdmt 14
Bronson Arroyo 13
Jimmy Anderson 35
Tom mcKnight 12
Joe Biemel 15
Omar Olivares 12
Ramon Martinez 4
So everyone forgets the lack of pitching in that time period were HRs skyrocketed as did all offensive stats. Look at the list of guys Bonds Hr off in his record year and doubt he hit 10 off quality SP ...
