How would these 2 things help the team's cumulative batting avverage?

[Scorekeeper]

Assume the team’s cumulative batting average is .350.

1st Question. Assume a new rule goes into effect that says every pitcher has to declare the pitch type and location of the next pitch. What would the team’s BA be a year from now?

2nd question. Assume Devine intervention has taken place and for the next year every pitch your hitters see would be straight as a die, straight down the middle, and at batting practice speed. What would the team’s BA be a year from now?

I try to ask those same questions at least once every year, and with the recent threads I thought this might be a good time to ask them here. Just so no one think’s I’m trolling, I’ll come right out and say my answer to question one is, the team BA MAY go up as much as 10%, and for question 2 is it MAY go up as much as 15%, and probably would continue to climb to as much as 30% greater.

 

[riseball]

I would not dispute your numbers. Probably dead on. I find the declaration of the pitch and the location interesting. I have a habit of calling out the pitch and the location (quite loudly) when teams go to lengths to pick our pitching signals which granted are not overly complex. I have found that few hitters can actually capitalize on the information, and by calling it out their failure at the plate is nothing short of being totally owned.

 

[Mocoso]

I would not dispute your numbers. Probably dead on. I find the declaration of the pitch and the location interesting. I have a habit of calling out the pitch and the location (quite loudly) when teams go to lengths to pick our pitching signals which granted are not overly complex. I have found that few hitters can actually capitalize on the information, and by calling it out their failure at the plate is nothing short of being totally owned.

Cant dispute the numbers as there is no way to really validate and anyone's opinion is as good as mine... on the pitch calling I will agree on the drop/rise/curve/fast etc but I cant believe "few" hitters would be the only ones capitalizing on inside, outside, high, low - that would be capitalized by most girls Ive seen in a heart beat.....

The one that ALL girls would stomp on is CHANGE UP... if you know its coming you deserve to get owned if you still dont adjust for it

 

[riseball]

Cant dispute the numbers as there is no way to really validate and anyone's opinion is as good as mine... on the pitch calling I will agree on the drop/rise/curve/fast etc but I cant believe "few" hitters would be the only ones capitalizing on inside, outside, high, low - that would be capitalized by most girls Ive seen in a heart beat.....

The one that ALL girls would stomp on is CHANGE UP... if you know its coming you deserve to get owned if you still dont adjust for it

Which is why I have no problem throwing it 3 times in a row.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I would not dispute your numbers. Probably dead on. I find the declaration of the pitch and the location interesting. I have a habit of calling out the pitch and the location (quite loudly) when teams go to lengths to pick our pitching signals which granted are not overly complex. I have found that few hitters can actually capitalize on the information, and by calling it out their failure at the plate is nothing short of being totally owned.

IMO they don't take advantage of it because they are not 100% certain that you are being straightforward. It may put uncertainty in their mind and a hitter with any doubts to their approach at the plate will be less effective. It's a strategy I sometimes tried as a last resort to get a struggling pitcher through a game.

As to SK's presumptions, I am more optimistic. I would say a 350 hitting team would hit at least 425 if they were certain of the pitch being thrown. And that team should hit 500 at absolute worst against grooved BP fastballs. I am assuming that the 350 hitting team consists of all good-excellent 350 hitters who therefore will be able to put a good swing on every pitch in SK's first scenario and square up 90% of pitches in the second scenario.

 

[chinamigarden]

Who would win in a fight superman or Mighty Mouse?

 

[00fpdaddy]

Cant recall if MM has a weakness, Superman does, MM uses kryptonite, buh bye SM

 

[Scorekeeper]

I would not dispute your numbers. Probably dead on. I find the declaration of the pitch and the location interesting. I have a habit of calling out the pitch and the location (quite loudly) when teams go to lengths to pick our pitching signals which granted are not overly complex. I have found that few hitters can actually capitalize on the information, and by calling it out their failure at the plate is nothing short of being totally owned.

I’m afraid I can’t take credit for think up that one. My son played on one of those “hot shot” travel teams, and the HC had a habit of teaching snotty pitchers a lesson when they started shaking off signals too much. BTW, he didn’t call pitches from the dugout. He’d have the catchers quit giving hand signals, and just holler them to the pitcher out loud. The 1st time it happened to my son, he didn’t quite know what to make of it. But after a few batters, it became a game, and one he became quite adept at winning.

As I tracked what took place that year, I noticed that the “pitchers” didn’t have much of a hiccup in performance when it happened, but the “throwers” sure did. My best guess is, when the hitters didn’t have to worry about getting “tricked” by an OS pitch, they could load up and nail just about anything thrown hard if it was close to the zone, and not bother to swing at anything else.

 

[Scorekeeper]

Cant dispute the numbers as there is no way to really validate and anyone's opinion is as good as mine... on the pitch calling I will agree on the drop/rise/curve/fast etc but I cant believe "few" hitters would be the only ones capitalizing on inside, outside, high, low - that would be capitalized by most girls Ive seen in a heart beat.....

The one that ALL girls would stomp on is CHANGE UP... if you know its coming you deserve to get owned if you still dont adjust for it

As you said, everyone’s opinion is just as good as anyone else’s. All I can say is, you should actually see what happens when hitters have been given the signs like I have, and I think your opinion might just change. 

 

[CatchTheFever]

I think the scenario mentioned of having balls grooved down the middle of the plate would have a much greater increase than 15%. I'm thinking more like 50% increase or at least great than .500 avg