[Westheim]

There is some concerning development going on in the ABL. Pitchers are becoming more and more dominant.

In the 70s, the FL averaged about 4.10 ERA with a high of 4.21 in 1978. The CL sat lower, around 3.70. While the CL’s mark has remained largely constant since then, except for an abnormal 3.46 mark in 1982, the FL has consistently come down from the 4+ marks. That league’s ERA was between 3.94 and 3.95 every year from 1981 to 1983, and since then has plummeted to levels in the 3.70 region. This season marks the first in ABL history where the CL has a higher ERA (3.68) than the FL (3.61).

It’s also really tough to find great offensive players. They all have flaws one way or the other. The Tetsu Osanai type player in the league is pretty much limited to … Tetsu Osanai. :-/

But mainly it’s the pitchers. Looking at a particular stat I nail the issue down to pitchers just becoming more and more beef: individual single season K/9. How many 1970s seasons by individual pitchers are in the Top 50?

Two. 1977 Juan Correa and 1977 Joe Ellis. The highest ranking Federal League pitcher from the 1970s on the list is Bill Smith, who pitched for the Pacifics in 1979 and ranks 54th all time with that season.

Even more clear, this number: how many marks in the Top 20 among individual single season K/9 charts have been set either this or last year?

Ten. Dallas’ Neil Ford was the first pitcher to shell the 9 K/9 barrier last season (not even “Mauler” Correa managed that before!), and he has repeated the feat this season, but was superseded by the Warriors’ Manuel Paredes (yes, the one the Coons traded away for David Vinson; get off my back already …)

I will have to watch this, but don’t know how to counter it anyway. Some crazy people have already suggested to replace the pitcher in the batting order with another batter that doesn’t have to take the field.

Such nonsense of course can not be tolerated under any circumstances. (rolls eyes)

(Side note: the only player to make the Top 100 in single season K/9 as a Raccoon? Kisho Saito, twice, including this season)

(Side note #2: which two players have gobbled up the Top 10 single season BB/9 positions between them? “Mauler” Correa (eight times) and – AND! – Christopher Powell (twice))