If there are two results to be avoided by hitters these days, they’re strikeouts and groundballs. Come to think of it, neither of the two has ever been particularly well regarded on the offensive side, though a case could be made for the efficacy of the grounder in the Deadball Era or the AstroTurf-covered 1980s.



Today, though, with well-positioned defenses (and more reliable gloves) and a flighty baseball, groundballs qualify as an undisputed triumph for the pitching side. Even when they squeak through the infield for base hits, they almost always go for relatively harmless singles. Thus, hitters are slashing just .242/.242/.266 on groundballs in 2018. While that paltry .508 OPS is actually up 12 points from half a decade ago, the bigger problem with hitting a grounder now is the opportunity cost. Given the homer-happy environment of today’s game, fly balls — and their always-reliable cousin, the line drive — are the ticket to a batting...