Wednesday, May 21, 2025

90% of baseball is two guys playing catch. Would increasing hitting make it like batting practice?

Recently a friend reacted to some of suggestions, like start each inning with the top of the order, by saying he doesn't want to watch batting practice.

I've long described it:

90% of baseball is two guys playing catch.

So, how accurate is that? Let's look at the 2024 World Series using game by game data, not series totals.

GB: ground balls

FB: fly balls

They both include Hits.

PitchersgamepitchesGBFBGB+FB(GB+FB)/pitchesRuns
Yankees11369233223.53%3Yankees
Dodgers117116112715.79%6Dodgers
Yankees21306192519.23%2Yankees
Dodgers215011132416.00%4Dodgers
Dodgers31768122011.36%4Dodgers
Yankees316311122314.11%2Yankees
Dodgers41698223017.75%4Dodgers
Yankees413911132417.27%11Yankees
Dodgers518610102010.75%7Dodgers
Yankees515610172717.31%6Yankees
Totals
1,57610015225215.99%

Something is happening on only 15.99% of pitches: 16%. So, for 84% of pitches it's two guys (pitcher and catcher) playing catch.

84% of baseball is two guys playing catch.  84%

What the heck kind of game is that?

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