The Lurking Influence of Batted Ball Spin

The FanGraphs Newsletter, May 17, 2022 [READ IN BROWSER]( May 17, 2022 Hi there! The uncertainty regarding this season’s offensive environment has made many of us a bit paranoid. Are hitters lagging behind pitchers due to an irregular spring training? Is the ball not traveling like it once did because it’s been replaced yet again, or is the mass introduction of humidors to blame? Or worse, has MLB introduced multiple balls into the game, some of which are being used in certain games to boost action or influence outcomes? That last theory has been floating around Twitter for a while now. I’m not going to discuss whether it’s true, but I brought it up because supporters of the multiple ball theory will often [compare two batted balls]( with near-identical exit velocities and launch angles. One ends up traveling more than the other, despite all the indications that it should not. Aha! Something must be up. In response, a lot of people have suggested [batted ball spin]( as an explanation. READ MORE: [The Lurking Influence of Batted Ball Spin, by Justin Choi]( 📌 [FanGraphs Is Hiring! Seeking a Full-Time Writer]( 📌 Is Hiring! Seeking Site Contributors [The Diamondbacks Are the Majors' Most Improved Team]( New pitching coach Brent Strom has worked magic with the rotation, though the rest of the roster is still a work in progress. | by Jay Jaffe [Tuesday Scouting Notes: 5/17/22]( Notes on prospects from the Astros, Cardinals, Marlins, Mets and Royals systems. | by Eric Longenhagen [Pittsburgh's Josh VanMeter Is a Bona Fide Hitting Nerd]( The Pirates infielder isn't an accomplished hitter at the big-league level, but his knowledge is second to none. | by David Laurila [Player Evaluation on the Moon]( Want to learn how to calculate wOBA from first principles? Want to do it while learning about the fastest man in baseball in the 1950's? Look no further than this calculation-heavy, modern-baseball-light article. | by Ben Clemens [Injury Rundown: Kershaw, Megill, Luzardo Get Put on the Shelf]( Three straight seasons of decreasing production compelled the Cardinals to demote the All-Star shortstop. | by Jay Jaffe [Hunter Greene and the No-Hitter That Wasn't]( The fireballing 22-year-old rookie and a reliever held the Pirates hitless... but still lost. | by Jay Jaffe [Dallas Keuchel's Changeup Has Stayed the Same, While Brent Suter's Has Evolved]( The White Sox southpaw throws the same changeup he learned as a pre-teen. The Brewers lefty tweaked his changeup three years ago. | by David Laurila The Mug in white! [ORDER HERE]( [Time to Panic? (Jo)Say it Ain’t So!]( by Christian Crespo, Pitcher List [The young Yankees fan who lost his autographs]( by Ryan Hockensmith, ESPN [Why aren’t the Oakland A’s trying harder to fill their stadium?]( by Eno Sarris and Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic ($) [We’re Talking About Seam-Shifted Wake Wrong]( by Michael Ajeto, Baseball Prospectus ($) [@fangraphs]( [FanGraphs]( [FanGraphs]( [RSS]( [FORWARD]( [SUBSCRIBE]( Copyright © 2022 FanGraphs Inc, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the FanGraphs Newsletter. Our mailing address is: FanGraphs Inc 1200 N Hartford St. Apt 312Arlington, Va 22201 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](