|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
20,000
Retired Number
Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 29999
Location: Likely nowhere near you
|
 Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 7:47 pm Post subject: 1998 MLB baseballs were juiced -- computer study |
|
|
1998 baseballs were juiced
| Quote: | | A company that uses computer imaging claims baseballs had a larger rubberized core and a synthetic rubber ring in 1998, including the ball Mark McGwire hit for his 70th homer. |
This is reported in the NY Times and ESPN.
Now, who actually puts in the order for baseballs? Was this all MLB's doing, or will HOF voters and the public still blame McGwire for hitting all those home runs? Home runs do sell tickets, and that season by Sosa and McGwire really brought back the fans after many years of apathy. Because of this, will MLB and voters turn a blind eye to these studies, or use it against McGwire, or add an asterisk to his numbers?
_________________
Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying...'I will try again tomorrow.' |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
TACH
Retired Number
Joined: 03 Nov 2005
Posts: 28461
Location: Chillin on the Delaware.. from the Jersey Side
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 8:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
So I guess Mac gets double asterisks in the record books, one for the roids, and another for the juiced balls....
Interesting that this drops a week before the Hall of Fame ballot results will be announced Tuesday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TheRod
Star Player
Joined: 24 Dec 2003
Posts: 2019
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 12:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
It was a 3-way race in '98 between Griffey, Sosa, and McGwire. Griffey dropped out and Sosa ended up with 67, while McGwire ended up with 70.
A good way to see the effects the ball had on homeruns is to look at homerun totals year by year, and to see if there was a significant spike in homerun statistics in 98. Sosa did hit over 60 homeruns three years in a row ( I think ) and that is freaking crazy if you ask me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
20,000
Retired Number
Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 29999
Location: Likely nowhere near you
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 7:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| TheRod wrote: | It was a 3-way race in '98 between Griffey, Sosa, and McGwire. Griffey dropped out and Sosa ended up with 67, while McGwire ended up with 70.
A good way to see the effects the ball had on homeruns is to look at homerun totals year by year, and to see if there was a significant spike in homerun statistics in 98. Sosa did hit over 60 homeruns three years in a row ( I think ) and that is freaking crazy if you ask me. |
Even more interesting is that in all three of those years in which Sosa hit for more than 60 HRs, he never led the majors in HRs.
But if the balls were juiced, should McGwire (or Sosa or Bonds or whoever) be penalized for that? If they are on performance-enhancing drugs, yes they should be dealt with appropriately, but it is MLB that orders the baseballs, and my mind cannot get around the fact that someone in the MLB upper offices had to know that the balls were juiced and let it go.
No, more than that, I think someone high up along the chain of command put the order in for juiced balls, not just looked the other way when it happened.
If that was an MLB "call" to do that, then it is a part of the game and should not have any asterisks next to any records that occur as a result. Should any NBA records this season have an asterisk because David Stern decided to go to a synthetic ball for the first half of the season, then return to the leather ball for the second half?
_________________
Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying...'I will try again tomorrow.' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TACH
Retired Number
Joined: 03 Nov 2005
Posts: 28461
Location: Chillin on the Delaware.. from the Jersey Side
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 7:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
| encina1 wrote: | | TheRod wrote: | It was a 3-way race in '98 between Griffey, Sosa, and McGwire. Griffey dropped out and Sosa ended up with 67, while McGwire ended up with 70.
A good way to see the effects the ball had on homeruns is to look at homerun totals year by year, and to see if there was a significant spike in homerun statistics in 98. Sosa did hit over 60 homeruns three years in a row ( I think ) and that is freaking crazy if you ask me. |
Even more interesting is that in all three of those years in which Sosa hit for more than 60 HRs, he never led the majors in HRs.
But if the balls were juiced, should McGwire (or Sosa or Bonds or whoever) be penalized for that? If they are on performance-enhancing drugs, yes they should be dealt with appropriately, but it is MLB that orders the baseballs, and my mind cannot get around the fact that someone in the MLB upper offices had to know that the balls were juiced and let it go.
No, more than that, I think someone high up along the chain of command put the order in for juiced balls, not just looked the other way when it happened.
If that was an MLB "call" to do that, then it is a part of the game and should not have any asterisks next to any records that occur as a result. Should any NBA records this season have an asterisk because David Stern decided to go to a synthetic ball for the first half of the season, then return to the leather ball for the second half? |
Only if the ball dramtically changed the game.
If this is true, then you can't say roids produced these numbers. It just makes the water murkier.
Bottomline, MLB sold it soul when it turned a blind eye on the drug abuse. They knew about it, and chose to do NOTHING. Now, to save face, they are selling Barry Bond out. Pure BS, it's a big crock of (bleep)!
Just wait until that list of 100 positive drug test comes out,.. what will MLB do then??? That's when they come out and say it was the ball that cranked up the numbers, not the drugs...
MLB has to be asking themselves... why are we being singled out,.. what about the NFL?  Talk about getting a pass..... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
20,000
Retired Number
Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 29999
Location: Likely nowhere near you
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 7:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
^^ I've always wondered that too. Why does Congress care so much about Major League Baseball? Why is Congress forcing themselves into MLB business?
I think MLB has a problem where it was the major sports organization in this country for nearly 100 years, but it has quickly fallen behind the NFL and NCAA football (and I would even say NCAA basketball), with the NBA nipping at its heels. And MLB doesn't know how to properly deal with that, so they do those things which will at the same time generate more interest and money, but also more scrutiny.
Frankly, I get the idea of having sports pure, but I am not so much an idealist that knowing McGwire used Creatine (which since then has been proven to be a worthless concoction) would tarnish his record for me.
And honestly, for entertainment purposes (and the pure humor associated with it), I would like to see a sport full of steroid-popping abusers. Remember the old SNL skit (with Phil Hartman as a weight-lifter)?
"I think he even took some fish tranquilizers, Bob."
His arms ripped off, but he felt nothing.
I'd be curious to see what crazy things people could do while popping pills and what records could be destroyed (hello Ben Johnson!). Yes, it is unsafe for those "athletes," but they could volunteer to do that for big paydays, and they have to deal with the repercussions without blame for anyone else.
Why is that any different from a boxer who fights a little too long and suffers the rest of his life as a result (e.g. Ali)?
_________________
Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying...'I will try again tomorrow.' |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Surfitall
Star Player
Joined: 12 Feb 2002
Posts: 3829
Location: South Orange County
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
Of course the baseball executives knew they were ordering juiced baseballs. Does anyone really think that the baseball company, which has a contract to supply major league baseball, is going to modify baseballs without MLB's consent? No way.
I'm guessing that the executives didn't realize just how much of an effect those modified baseballs would have on the historic records though. I think they were just thinking that the total number of homeruns leaguewide would increase, which would be good for the game. If they care at all about the sport, I don't think they would have wanted to see the most hallowed records in the sport destroyed by their antics. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Socks
Franchise Player
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 10761
Location: Bay Area, CA
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | Why does Congress care so much about Major League Baseball? |
Congress focused in on MLB because it was a good way for them to pretend to be doing something for this country when they should've been more focused in on what was going on in the White House and the Middle East at the time. Personally I was disgusted at the way they lorded over MLB players at the hearings, acting all holier than thou, all the while ignoring certain other things going on in our government. Anyway...I'll stay away from getting too political.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TACH
Retired Number
Joined: 03 Nov 2005
Posts: 28461
Location: Chillin on the Delaware.. from the Jersey Side
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 11:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Socks wrote: | | Quote: | | Why does Congress care so much about Major League Baseball? |
Congress focused in on MLB because it was a good way for them to pretend to be doing something for this country when they should've been more focused in on what was going on in the White House and the Middle East at the time. Personally I was disgusted at the way they lorded over MLB players at the hearings, acting all holier than thou, all the while ignoring certain other things going on in our government. Anyway...I'll stay away from getting too political. |
Here here!!! Like these guys don't viagara, another type of performance enhancing drug...
Last edited by TACH on Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TACH
Retired Number
Joined: 03 Nov 2005
Posts: 28461
Location: Chillin on the Delaware.. from the Jersey Side
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 11:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Surfitall wrote: | Of course the baseball executives knew they were ordering juiced baseballs. Does anyone really think that the baseball company, which has a contract to supply major league baseball, is going to modify baseballs without MLB's consent? No way.
I'm guessing that the executives didn't realize just how much of an effect those modified baseballs would have on the historic records though. I think they were just thinking that the total number of homeruns leaguewide would increase, which would be good for the game. If they care at all about the sport, I don't think they would have wanted to see the most hallowed records in the sport destroyed by their antics. |
I think it's funny that they thought nobody would catch on...
Just to add a twist... I bet if you tested a bunch of balls from that year (more than 35)... you would see two types of balls.... you can guess which balls end up in St. Louis and Chi-Town...
j/kidding... I have no proof... just playing the role of the conspiracy nut... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
postandpivot
Retired Number
Joined: 16 Sep 2003
Posts: 36822
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: 1998 MLB baseballs were juiced -- computer study |
|
|
| encina1 wrote: | 1998 baseballs were juiced
| Quote: | | A company that uses computer imaging claims baseballs had a larger rubberized core and a synthetic rubber ring in 1998, including the ball Mark McGwire hit for his 70th homer. |
This is reported in the NY Times and ESPN.
Now, who actually puts in the order for baseballs? Was this all MLB's doing, or will HOF voters and the public still blame McGwire for hitting all those home runs? Home runs do sell tickets, and that season by Sosa and McGwire really brought back the fans after many years of apathy. Because of this, will MLB and voters turn a blind eye to these studies, or use it against McGwire, or add an asterisk to his numbers? |
^ i told u guys in those barry bonds aka balco bonds threads. MLB did what they thought they had to do to bring people back to baseball.
They changed stuff with the pitcher as well. to try an increase hits. and hopefully Homers.
a defense struggle aka a pitchers duel is only fun to baseball fans. or fans of a tough competition. which isn't the casual baseball fan.
hit that ball over the fence and you feel like you felt when you were a kid playing stick ball or little league. finally knocking one over the fence. there's nothing like a homerun. NOTHING. not a dunk. maybe breaking the backboard or something. but thats about it.
So I hope people pay attention and either blame baseball, or dont blame anyone. baseball was probably glad Mark Juiced up, right along with anyone else who juiced up and it turned into homers. and butts in seats. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
