Thomas Boswell - There's Something in the Air, Other Than Another Ball Headed for the Fence

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Boswell: There’s Something in the Air, Other Than Another Ball Headed for the Fence (RR)
Published 5/23/2008 at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
Boswell: There’s Something in the Air, Other Than Another Ball Headed for the Fence (RR) Boswell: Speedy, keen...because the evolution’s here, and you know that it’s right? What is the cause? “Just say that guys look like ballplayers again, like they looked when I was growing up, not like musclemen,” said St. Claire, 47. If the arrival of the Steroid Age was gradual, arriving full-blown in the late ‘90s, then peaking with 5,693 homers in the insane season of 2000, when 47 players hit at least 30 homers, then its reversal might come quite quickly. This spring, only 24 players ...

The Roundup: Enjoy the Long Weekend, Folks
Published 5/23/2008 by TheBigLead at The Big Lead
... on account of too-hot. If it doesn’t make sense, well … wait, what just happened? … they’re calling this the most expensive home in the world … because there was no Office last night - every ‘that’s what she said‘ in the show’s history … everybody tap their feet night! … boo the Mets … Home runs in baseball are way, way down from 2006, which seems like a good thing! (Washington Post) Why does Charles Barkley get away with stuff no other ...

Genius!
Published 5/23/2008 by noreply@blogger.com (Chip's Moody Blues) at Uwe Blog
... good man and journalist (and a big reason I became a journalist) passed away. **** When has Terrell Owens ever cared about a contract? I don't even know why you write the story. **** OK, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten go on "Dancing With the Stars." Which guy would take the most heat for goofing off in the off-season? Owens could've done it, but didn't. Probably better off. **** Genius! **** The general lack of home runs on all fronts and tiers just reminds us how rampant steroid use was. **** ...

Before You Reach That Conclusion...
Published 5/24/2008 by Bill Baer at Baseball Digest Daily
Numerous articles have been written in recent days about the decline in power numbers both this year and in the last couple seasons since drug testing was bolstered. Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post , for instance, writes, “Suddenly, a sport that produced 5,386 home runs in 2006 is on pace for 4,442 this year -- a 17.5 percent drop, or a loss of almost 1,000 home runs in just two seasons.” It’s so easy to note “A occurs in correlation with B; therefore, A causes B.” However, before you join the hordes in attributing the drop in home runs to the stricter drug policies, you ...

Temperature Does Not Explain the Decline in April Home Runs
Published 5/29/2008 by JC at Sabernomics
... While temperatures were down in 2008, they were higher than they were in 2007. 2006, which had a high home-run rate, was hotter than 2007 and 2008. Some commentators have compared this season’s decline in homers to 2006 and have concluded that the decline in steroid use is a big contributor. Here is a sample from Thomas Boswell. ...