Quote:
Originally Posted by bocage44
Moreover, there are some individuals within the game that believe that it is the crackdown on amphetamines – not steroids, that has impacted the declining offensive numbers in baseball.
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I'd say the historical trend towards more and more strikeouts and less and less of everything else has something to do with it. Plus, after a decade of every new park adding offense to the league, we've actually swung in the opposite direction with the last several new parks.
I mean, on the first point, you could argue that a decline in PED usage is related but a.) I don't actually believe that PED usage has declined much b.) the period of greatest offense in baseball history was the 1930's, when people were certainly taking uppers but weight lifting still had a massive stigma attached to it in regards to baseball and c.) the last dead ball era, 1962-1968, was in all likelihood the period where PED usage in baseball was at its all time peak as people were taking not only strong amphetamines but steroids that were designed for horses since no one really knew what the long-term consequences were.
But yeah, every year since around 1890 or whenever the modern baseball rules were stabilized, the strikeout rate has increased at a pretty constant rate unless there was a massive outside influence affecting it. With strikeouts basically being the direct opposite of every other outcome possible, it's inevitable that offense is going to decline. 7 of the highest 8 K/9 rates in baseball occurred in the past 7 seasons. The 20 highest K/9 rates are also the last 20 seasons. Then you get some mid 60's dead ball years mixed in with some seasons from the 80's.
(Edit: There's also the historical trend towards higher fielding percentages. 2013 being on pace to set the record once again. I'm not sure if defensive efficiency follows a similar trendline or not.)