Baseball in 2021 is about to change.
Beginning June 21st, major league umpires will begin cracking down on pitchers using a foreign substance to doctor the baseball. Random checks will take place throughout a given game. Guilty parties will be ejected and suspended.
So why is baseball taking drastic measures to follow a rule that has existed for decades, mid-season?
Because 6 no-hitters have already been thrown.
Because the combined batting average for all 30 MLB teams is .239. At the end of the season, that number would represent the second lowest in baseball’s history.
Since baseball made teams aware of its crackdown in early June, batting averages, slugging percentages, and runs per game are all up.
Baseball will tell you the new rule is all about leveling the playing field and removing substances that yield performance benefits. In truth, baseball is constantly searching for any way to increase the quality of entertainment.
