Home Runs down this season. Coincidence?

[Yoda]

NEW YORK - In the first year of toughened steroid testing, home runs are down in the major leagues for the first time since 2002.

Florida Marlins pitcher Todd Jones doesn't think it's a coincidence. He's convinced there's a connection.

"Unfortunately I do. I hate it, but there has been a correction made in the system, and the numbers are going to suffer for a couple of years," he said Monday. "I hate to admit it because I didn't want to. I'm as disappointed as any fan would be that it's going to end up showing to be the truth. But it's got to be good for the game to get back to an even playing field. I just didn't realize how deep it was."

An average of 1.97 home runs were hit in games through Sunday, down 8.8 percent from the 2.16 average in the first five weeks of last season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It's the lowest level for the first five weeks since 2002's 1.93 average and below the 2.14 average of the last decade.......................Runs per game are down 5 percent, from 9.72 to 9.23, and hits declined 3.1 percent, from 18.37 per game to 17.80. The major-league batting average dropped from .265 to .261.....................Several players and managers cited the absence of San Francisco's Barry Bonds.

I think it is quite peculiar that since the testing has started that hitting has dropped. I don't think it's better pitching, i think players have gone cold turkey and are having troubles hitting the numbers they used to.

What do you think?

 

[walls]

Its possible that the link to steroid use is true for the home run numbers, but batting averages?.....no fcukin way!!! you can do all the drugs you want to and none of them will make you be able to contact a ball better. the fact that bonds is out, giambi's still struggling from his injuries, beltran hasn't quite settled into new york yet along with some pretty spectacular pitching performances, among many other things is most likely a more true statement as to why numbers have dropped. how many times over the years have you heard that the baseballs had been wound too tight or too loose??. this is the media's job, to blow out of proportion and create major problems and contraversy. i'll bet by the end of the year the numbers will be right on track. why didn't any of the media take into account that there are quite a few players using performance enhancing contact lenses that block sun glare and shaddows this season???? 'cause they want to ride this steroid thing 'til its dead.

 

[knvb]

Its possible that the link to steroid use is true for the home run numbers, but batting averages?.....no fcukin way!!! you can do all the drugs you want to and none of them will make you be able to contact a ball better.

Further adding to your list of stupid things posted on TTP I see... Steroids or "performance enhancing" drugs do help you hit the ball better... It's not a matter of just timimg or knowing the pitch. If you're not strong enough or fast enough to get your bat on the bloody ball you can't hit it, can you? Don't get me wrong these guys have talent not many have or I would be in the MLB watching 99 mile an hour sliders whip past me for hours too, putz...

Now look what you've done. You've gone and made me post about Baseball. I hate you!

 

[Yoda]

not to mention the fact that 2 of the three guys you mentioned walls are some of the biggest steroid users in the league.
I'll give you Beltran's flimsy excuse but giambi is struggling because he has to quit his habit you moron.

Next your going to agree with bulljive that Nash got MVP because he was white!

 

[bertrum]

Giambi is going to the minors. From MVP to going to minors in less than 2 years. Wall's, give your head a shake mate. Are you telling me that having increased strength and bat speed is not going to help you catch up to a 95mph fastball and a.) hit a home run or b.) put the ball in play and have a better chance of increasing your AVG? Just ask Giambi. The problem with these roid monkeys is that instead of trying to increase their avg and out the ball in play they try and go yard all the time thus striking out more.

 

[walls]

you guys are fcukin ridiculous and quite obviosely havn't played high level ball before. do you even know what happened to giambi over the past season? the guy almost fcukin died!!! and if you think that bat speed and the ability to make contact with a baseball has to do with your strength, your dead wrong. bat speed does not come from muscle mass it comes from how fast you turn your hips on a ball and how fast you roll your hands over the bat. i'll give you guys the fact that their is a differance between a ball contacted by a guy on juice and one contacted by someone natural. the guy on the roids is gonna put the ball further with his power(if he contacts the ball right).but to say it will assist you in contacting a baseball is just fcukin idiotic and so unbelievably wrong!! if i'm such a putz knvb why don't you list for me a couple of pitchers who are currently throwing 99mph sliders they'd have to be on something stronger than juice . even with your search engines and stellar computing skills you'll be pretty hard pressed to find even one, if you can!!! also, jason giambi admitted to taking steroids(and it was proven)during the 2003 season with the yankees. the interesting fact for you wannabe hitting instuctors is that: 1)BERTRUM- giambi was the MVP in 2000 when he played with the A's(nice counting you fcukin dildo!!!) five years ago is the answer since you can't figure it out.
2)giambi's batting averages from his 2000 mvp year, to his admitted steroid use year, up to current:
2000-333 avg (AL mvp)
2001-342 avg
2002-314 avg (played for yankees)
2003-250 avg (took steroids)
2004-208 avg (only played 88 games for health reasons)
2005-195 avg
if you can't see the pattern then you should stop posting about shite you know nothing about just 'cause i posted on this thread. glad to see you still love me knvb oh wait you said you hate me didn't you. thats not going to help my insecurity now is it. yoda, bonds has been tested and has never tested positive, giambi's disease is quite possibly excellerated by the use of steroids but i think his numbers speak for themselves, MORON!! betrum, i gave my head a shake after reading you three dipshites posts to try and focus my eyes, but it wasn't my head that needed shaking!! you guys seriousely need to gather more info before trying to dis me publicly, on a topic that(by reading your posts) none of you have a fcukin clue about!!!!

 

[bertrum]

Wall's are you on steroids? Because it seems you have some rage issues. Are you a fukcing chemist all of a sudden? Do you work for MLB because it seems that you are in as much denial as Bud Selig that steroids are prevalent in baseball. Ben Johnson never took steroids - Bill Romanowski never shot a needle in his ass. The only pattern I see is that you believe whatever athletes say to the media. Giambi admitted to grand jury under oath that he started using a human growth hormone at least 2 years prior to the 2003 season. He also got these "designer steroids" from Barry Bonds trainer for fukc sake. Get your facts straight detective. I believe no one in baseball uses.

Love bertrum
Professor of Law

 

[walls]

bud selig wants to implement a system that would have first time offenders suspended for 50 games, second time 100 games and third time they'd get a lifetime ban. so your admitting though that (in line with your statement) giambi used steroids in 2001, the year after his al mvp season and the year prior to his batting average started to plumit. even though he admitted to taking them in the 2003 season your comment still doesn't prove shite. i'm not saying that mlb players haven't been taking steroids, one look at sosa's new bobble head body type this year is enough to tell that its used. i'm simply saying that it will not increase a players ability to make contact with a pitch. do you really think that pitchers weren't using roids to get an edge on batters during the past years?? if you can convince me that steroids make you contact a ball better then i'll shut up right now, but i'm sure paul molitor and tony gwynn would disagree. or maybe they were using as well hey.
jog on to a topic you know something about now please.

 

[Frevo]

I think that the reason that home runs are down isn't because of three players anyways. It probably has more to do with widespread use of steroids affect on hitters who would not under normal circumstances be hitting home runs. Say Bonds for example, if he did actually use steroids he perhaps may not have hit it into the bay, but chances are they would have all still cleared the wall. It's all the little squeakers that just barely make it over that don't have the legs this season. People flying out at the warning track. Line shots not clearing the wall but going into the corners for doubles instead. I think we will notice the biggest difference at the tail end of the season when players are not recovering as quickly from fatigue and injury because they have no help from the extra test.

As far as pitchers saying the playing field is being brought closer to even... that's a load too because I'd be surprised if they were not also doping. They aren't going for size they are going for recovery time. So we'll see... end of this season will tell a more realistic tale. It's a long season.

 

[walls]

finally, someone with some brains. very true plantini.

 

[BlazeArmy]

Steroids will affect a player's ability to get hits. The extra power from being stronger may not help his swing speed or hand eye coordination. The extra power and strength will help a player muscle a broken bat hit or a jam shot over the infield and into the outfield. It will allow a player to foul a ball out of play intsead of popping up. It will help a player drive a ball into the gaps better and hit shots into the outfield seats instead of long fly outs.

As for Giambi, i think it it goes without sayign that he was using performance enhancing drugs while he played for the A's. Be they steroids, HGH or one of the many versions of such drugs. The Grand jury testimony has not been fully released as far as i know so who knows when he started taking the stuff.

As for the 50, 100 life suspension thing. This is the first time ever that MLB under Selig has somethign they can hold over the union and grind them on. I'm sure we will see some sort of suspension system agreed to over the season as public opinion seems to not be on the steroid monkeys side but who knows how militant the MLBPA wants to get on the issue.


Side note on Giambi,
Doesn't want to go to minors so the Yankees can't send him. the could release him but they would still be on the hook for the salary. Trading him to another sucker, i mean team is almost impossible as the money left on his contract is retarded and the fact that the Yankees have noone in the minors to stick with Giambi to make any sort of deal possble. Their frontline players are all to old or overpaid for anyone else to want except for Jeter and Posadabut i can't see the Yanks giving up either of those 2.

 

[Yoda]

So i take it that Walls and Plantini vote no then?

 

[walls]

jason giambi named AL player of the month.

i hate to say i told you so................BUT...............
........giambi recorded multi-homer games four times during the month of july to give him 27 for his career. In 26 games, Giambi batted .355 with 24 RBI while leading the league with a .974 slugging percentage, a .524 on-base percentage and 74 total bases. Giambi's major league leading 14 home runs were the most in a month by a yankee since Mickey Mantle hit 14 in july of 1961!!!!!!

i'll give you doubters a minute to digest those feet of yours you have so succesfully crammed down your throats!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[One Dart]

Maybe he's just found a steroid they can't test for yet.

 

[willis316]

Unbelievable the crap I am reading. To assume that steriods would not only help you hit more home runs, a higher avergae and run the bases faster is an obvious statement. I can't even believe it is being argued by some people. If this were not the case, why were so many players doing it???? Is it becasue the like destroying their body or perhaps to inflate thier numbers to get a big contract and keep up with the rest of the cheaters. Anyone who thinks the lack of steroids in league is not affecting numbers has less credibility than Jose Canseco. Who by the way is looking much more credible after Palmiero's testing fiasco.

Great month for Giambi, lets see if he maintains his play as in past big years.

To me it is simple. When Bonds was stealing over 50 bases a year and his helmet still fit him porperly he was an MVP and a great home run hitter. Of course he was lucky to bag 40. Suddenly he is capable of hitting 50-70 every year. Strength helps good hitters hit home runs. That is a fact. All hitters hit the ball to the track but roids sends it over the wall. Maybe if Bonds hit the water 50-70 times per year you could say he would still be doing that non-juiced but he doesn't. Many just clear the fences and some of those would be coming back with out some help. Wind aided or other forms. Apply this thoery to anyone you want.

PS- Please do not compare Gaimbi to Mantle. The Mick would have been the greatest ever if it had not been for knees worse than Captain's and a drug abuse problem or two that were not perfomance enhancing. It was not his destiny to be the greatest just everyone's favourite who saw him play. Just ask any white guy over the age of 50.

 

[walls]

It was not his destiny to be the greatest just everyone's favourite who saw him play. Just ask any white guy over the age of 50.

i actually find that most "baseball fans" regardless of their ethnicity that are over 50 had favourite players like Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Ted Williams. but then again i'm not "white" and i'm under 25, so what do i know right!!

also if you would take the time and read the arguments that were posed before, you would have found that i was not disagreeing with the statement(fact) that steroid use would assist you in powering balls hit to the warning track over the fence. that is obviouse. my argument was and still is that taking steroids will not help you put the ball on the bat!!! if you can show me some evidence that steroids improve your hand eye coodination or improve your eyes ability to see the pitch out of a pitchers hand quicker, allow you to see seem rotaion better or make you react to the delivery position of the pitchers arm and hand and see his grip on the ball any quicker in the 0.8 second time frame a major league hitter has to decide if the pitch is a fastball, breaking ball, or a change up before he takes one in the ear or gets embarassed bailing out of the box on an inside curve then i'll eat my words. best of luck in proving me wrong.
also if giambi tests positive(and trust me he'll be tested for sure now)then yes i'd say the roids put those balls over the fence but until then why not give the guy the benefit of the doubt and think maybe he's simply found his stroke again.