- Jun 11, 2014
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Loved the pitching in the 60's and 70's. Koufax, Drysdale, Jenkins, Gibson, Marichal, Seaver, Niekro, Ryan to name a few.
Pitching wasn't anywhere near as good back then, but guys understood how to hit a hell of a lot better.
That depends on which slice of time you're evaluating. The pitching got so dominant by '68 that the league felt it necessary to lower the mound.
In the 1963 World Series the Dodgers staff gave up only 4 runs against the Yankees and won in 4 games. That was a great Yankee team, too! Whitey Ford, Jim Bouton, Mantle, etcI became a Dodgers fan during the 60's-Sandy Koufax-Don Drysdale-Johnny Podres-Ron Perranoski. These guys could bring it.
Well yeah, if you're basically throwing a pitch straight down to the catcher, it's going to be REALLY hard to hit.That depends on which slice of time you're evaluating. The pitching got so dominant by '68 that the league felt it necessary to lower the mound.
Well yeah, if you're basically throwing a pitch straight down to the catcher, it's going to be REALLY hard to hit.
Guys these days throw harder and have more break on their breaking balls than anyone ever has. Watch Bill Mazeroski's or Bobby Thompson's famous home runs. Those were fastballs back then. Total gopher balls. Look at Hank Aaron's 715th home run. Also a fastball.
The game has changed drastically and pitchers don't go the distance like they used to, but that's large in part due to the extra velocity and break these guys are throwing. Arms can't handle that stress like they could when fastballs topped out in the high 80s.
Hitters were much more strategic and better at hitting to all fields back then, and I don't think that will ever change. Chicks and general managers dig the long ball.
And Babe Ruth used to hit 600 foot home runs.Tell that to Bob Feller 106, Nolan Ryan 108 Walter Johnson 102
Nolan Ryan was tossing 100mph at 45 years old.And Babe Ruth used to hit 600 foot home runs.
None of those pitchers threw that fast. I mean, I know you're in the "uphill both ways in 10 feet of snow" generation, but come on. Ryan could hit 100, I'll give you that, but that's about it.