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There are easy ways to reduce a run environment without too much effort: adjust the ball, adjust the bat, and adjust the strike zone. None of us would even be aware. David notes:

Year Called Strike Rate on Pitches Taken in Zone 2008 74.5 2009 76.3 2010 78.9 2011 79.1

The difference between 2008’s called strike rate on in-zone pitches taken and 2011’s rate amounted to an extra 5,732 called strikes on hitters

This is an enormous change!

I don’t know why David gave the low run values per pitch that he did, which I won’t quote because either they are terribly wrong, or I can’t read. (Both are possible.)

A switch between a called ball to a called strike is close to 0.15 runs, depending on exactly what you are measuring. So, those 5732 called pitches that toggled is worth about 859 runs. And since there are

81

162x30 games, that means it’s an average of

0.35

0.17 runs per game.

He noted that the runs scored in 2008 was 4.65 and it was 4.28 in 2011, which is a difference of 0.37 runs per game.

There you go… no need to look at steroids or anything else. The umpires are calling strikes alot more on pitches that the batter takes. Just like that, you get 0.35 fewer runs per game.