What Happened To Baseball's 300 Hitter?

[GOLDFINGER123]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

[ICCFIM2]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

Again, didn't verify this. But somewhere I read heard around 10 years there were 4-5 ML pitchers that could throw around 100 MPH. Now every ML team has at least one. One thing I did look up is the average ML fastball is now slightly over 94 mph. Just 15 years ago it was slightly under 92 MPH. That extra velocity is making a huge difference. I don't really think there is a solution. Moving the mound back, even a foot is likely to result in a spike in pitching injuries. The game is just different.

[Goldfan]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

Again, didn't verify this. But somewhere I read heard around 10 years there were 4-5 ML pitchers that could throw around 100 MPH. Now every ML team has at least one. One thing I did look up is the average ML fastball is now slightly over 94 mph. Just 15 years ago it was slightly under 92 MPH. That extra velocity is making a huge difference. I don't really think there is a solution. Moving the mound back, even a foot is likely to result in a spike in pitching injuries. The game is just different.

Hmmm…..1968……lower the mound??? But again….hitter aren’t attempting to get “hits”…almost All take same approach regardless of count or situation
And swing for the moon…pretty simple

[mattmitchl44]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

Again, didn't verify this. But somewhere I read heard around 10 years there were 4-5 ML pitchers that could throw around 100 MPH. Now every ML team has at least one. One thing I did look up is the average ML fastball is now slightly over 94 mph. Just 15 years ago it was slightly under 92 MPH. That extra velocity is making a huge difference. I don't really think there is a solution. Moving the mound back, even a foot is likely to result in a spike in pitching injuries. The game is just different.

To add, it is the combination of velocity and movement throughout MLB pitching that has made hitting more challenging. There is more depth to ML pitching than ever before.

I read years ago that, as a batter, there is lower bound on reaction time of about 0.3 seconds. That is how long it takes the eye to see the ball has been thrown, the eye to send a signal to the brain, the brain to decide to activate the body to swing the bat, and for the brain to send the signal out to the muscles to have the body swing. A human being simply can't react faster than that.

If you assume the pitcher releases the ball something like 56 feet or so from home plate, at 90 mph the batter has 0.424 seconds to react, at 95 mph the batter has 0.402 seconds, at 100 mph the batter has 0.382 seconds.

So the excess time (time greater than the minimum) declines from (0.424 - 0.3 = 0.124 sec.) at 90 mph, to (0.402 - 0.3 = 0.102 sec.) at 95 mph, to just (0.382 - 0.3 = 0.082 sec.) at 100 mph. So just going from 90 mph to 100 mph has reduced the batter's excess time by 33%.

Every additional mph, especially when coupled with movement, has a larger and larger impact on the margin batters have to react.

And batters have compensated with the philosophy of - since it is so difficult to make contact anyway, swing hard at everything so, when I do make contact, I may do more damage (XBHs).

[blackinkbiz]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

[Goldfan]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

[swatski]

Gotta start putting more emphasis on shorter swings esp with 2 strikes.

[Ozziesfan41]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

Again, didn't verify this. But somewhere I read heard around 10 years there were 4-5 ML pitchers that could throw around 100 MPH. Now every ML team has at least one. One thing I did look up is the average ML fastball is now slightly over 94 mph. Just 15 years ago it was slightly under 92 MPH. That extra velocity is making a huge difference. I don't really think there is a solution. Moving the mound back, even a foot is likely to result in a spike in pitching injuries. The game is just different.

Yea I agree with that and add in using technology to figure out how to increase spin rates add those things with a lot of hitters sacrificing hitting for power and striking out a ton of times becoming acceptable it combines for terrible hitters. The strike outs are a big part of it in 1982 Lonnie smith had the most strike outs on the team with 72 in 2006 the cardinals had one player with over 100 strike outs it was 101 in 2011 they didn’t have any players with 100 strike outs this season the cardinals have 6 players with 100 or more strikeouts and 3 with 120 or more

[Quincy Varnish]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

Cobb and the like were not facing 100mph fastballs and mid-90s sliders. It isn’t the coaching, or your favorite scapegoat “analytics” that is causing a decline in offense.

[Goldfan]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

Cobb and the like were not facing 100mph fastballs and mid-90s sliders. It isn’t the coaching, or your favorite scapegoat “analytics” that is causing a decline in offense.

Forget analytics……if you think Cobb, Rose, Gwynn, and again even Bonds have the same undisciplined swings a Gorman, TO, and all the 150K hackers then you have vision issues. And analytics has brought into the game that slugging every swing is a greater reward than looking for the single so that’s how their swings are programmed and taught now. Barry Bonds used to choke up on the bat…..ever see that now??

[JohnnyMO]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

Cobb and the like were not facing 100mph fastballs and mid-90s sliders. It isn’t the coaching, or your favorite scapegoat “analytics” that is causing a decline in offense.

Forget analytics……if you think Cobb, Rose, Gwynn, and again even Bonds have the same undisciplined swings a Gorman, TO, and all the 150K hackers then you have vision issues. And analytics has brought into the game that slugging every swing is a greater reward than looking for the single so that’s how their swings are programmed and taught now. Barry Bonds used to choke up on the bat…..ever see that now??

Why would you compare the greatest hitters of their generation to Nolan Gorman?

[Quincy Varnish]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

Cobb and the like were not facing 100mph fastballs and mid-90s sliders. It isn’t the coaching, or your favorite scapegoat “analytics” that is causing a decline in offense.

Forget analytics……if you think Cobb, Rose, Gwynn, and again even Bonds have the same undisciplined swings a Gorman, TO, and all the 150K hackers then you have vision issues. And analytics has brought into the game that slugging every swing is a greater reward than looking for the single so that’s how their swings are programmed and taught now. Barry Bonds used to choke up on the bat…..ever see that now??

Do you think that has anything to do with the pitching they face?

[Goldfan]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

Cobb and the like were not facing 100mph fastballs and mid-90s sliders. It isn’t the coaching, or your favorite scapegoat “analytics” that is causing a decline in offense.

Forget analytics……if you think Cobb, Rose, Gwynn, and again even Bonds have the same undisciplined swings a Gorman, TO, and all the 150K hackers then you have vision issues. And analytics has brought into the game that slugging every swing is a greater reward than looking for the single so that’s how their swings are programmed and taught now. Barry Bonds used to choke up on the bat…..ever see that now??

Do you think that has anything to do with the pitching they face?

How do you think Rose, Gwynn, Carew, Boggs, Bonds would perform today?

[Goldfan]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

Cobb and the like were not facing 100mph fastballs and mid-90s sliders. It isn’t the coaching, or your favorite scapegoat “analytics” that is causing a decline in offense.

Forget analytics……if you think Cobb, Rose, Gwynn, and again even Bonds have the same undisciplined swings a Gorman, TO, and all the 150K hackers then you have vision issues. And analytics has brought into the game that slugging every swing is a greater reward than looking for the single so that’s how their swings are programmed and taught now. Barry Bonds used to choke up on the bat…..ever see that now??

Why would you compare the greatest hitters of their generation to Nolan Gorman?

It’s the approach……Ozzie, Willie, Herr, Pendleton were they swinging like Gorman…..Walker…..TO

[Quincy Varnish]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

Cobb and the like were not facing 100mph fastballs and mid-90s sliders. It isn’t the coaching, or your favorite scapegoat “analytics” that is causing a decline in offense.

Forget analytics……if you think Cobb, Rose, Gwynn, and again even Bonds have the same undisciplined swings a Gorman, TO, and all the 150K hackers then you have vision issues. And analytics has brought into the game that slugging every swing is a greater reward than looking for the single so that’s how their swings are programmed and taught now. Barry Bonds used to choke up on the bat…..ever see that now??

Do you think that has anything to do with the pitching they face?

How do you think Rose, Gwynn, Carew, Boggs, Bonds would perform today?

Not as well. Why aren’t you able to answer simple questions?

I get it… MLB teams, coaches and their players are all doing it wrong. You know what’s right, but nobody is listening. It must be hard for you.

[Goldfan]

Thought this was interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2025/09/18/nx-s1-55 ... hitter-mlb

I read somewhere just recently that analysts have, well, analyzed, that the average fastball speed in the Babe Ruth era was around 86mph.

If that's the case, that alone pretty much answers the question, velocity. And that's to say nothing in regards to movement and replay so that guys can go back and see exactly what their grip was when they had a good feel on a pitch.

Both Ruth and Gehrig used 40oz+bats……today they swing Highly engineered 32oz bats…..please factor into the “pitcher just throws too hard today for hitter to compete” equation…..
The hitting tech and strike zone shrinkage NEVER comes up in the conversation about how disadvantaged today’s poor hitter is.
Much heavier bats….NOT engineered for perfect balance
No helmets until the 50’s
No body armor
With the mound up until 1969 being 5 in higher than it is today
But those old timers had it so easy hitting the slightly slower pitches……
Someone take a look at Ty Cobb, Rob Carew, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds even and compare the swings to the grip and rip heroes Nolan Gorman…..WC…..Jordan Walker…..TO……or whoever is out there striking out over 150x a year……no great mystery after watching those comparisons

Cobb and the like were not facing 100mph fastballs and mid-90s sliders. It isn’t the coaching, or your favorite scapegoat “analytics” that is causing a decline in offense.

Forget analytics……if you think Cobb, Rose, Gwynn, and again even Bonds have the same undisciplined swings a Gorman, TO, and all the 150K hackers then you have vision issues. And analytics has brought into the game that slugging every swing is a greater reward than looking for the single so that’s how their swings are programmed and taught now. Barry Bonds used to choke up on the bat…..ever see that now??

Do you think that has anything to do with the pitching they face?

How do you think Rose, Gwynn, Carew, Boggs, Bonds would perform today?

Not as well. Why aren’t you able to answer simple questions?

I get it… MLB teams, coaches and their players are all doing it wrong. You know what’s right, but nobody is listening. It must be hard for you.

I’ve written this elsewhere….. go listen to Will Clark, Chipper Jones, Curt Schilling on today’s hitter approach and of the past. Clark specifically states that if a hitter wants to hit .220 and K 150+ a year…….use the approach of todays hitter.