They Were Great, But Not Anymore
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by user Harold Friend LouGehrig
The 1961 New York Yankees are considered one of the better teams in baseball history. The team hit a then-record 240 home runs, led by Roger Maris' 61 and Mickey Mantle's 54. Bill Skowron hit 28, Yogi Berra hit 22, and Elston Howard and Johnny Blanchard each hit 21. In today's game, the 1961 Yankees offense would be unremarkable. Mediocre teams hit almost as many home runs.
The 2006 Philadelphia Phillies hit 216 home runs, which was topped by the Braves 222 and the Reds 217. The Phillies were led by Ryan Howard, who hit 58 home runs. How many fans know that Hack Wilson held the National League single season home run record with 56 until Mark McGwire hit 70 in the magical year of 1998? When was the last time anyone heard Hack Wilson mentioned or the fact that Ryan Howard's 58 home runs would have been a new record until McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds came along? Chase Utley hit 32 home runs, Pat Burrell hit 29, and Jimmy Rollins hit 25. Utley and Rollins are the Phillies' keystone combination. Today, it is not unusual for a shortstop to hit 25 home runs or for a second baseman to hit 32. Shortstop Tony Kubek hit 8 home runs and second baseman Bobby Richardson hit 3 home runs for the 1961 Yankees.
The 2006 Phillies scored 865 runs with a team batting average of .267. The 1961 Yankees scored 827 runs with a team batting average of .263. Today's experts emphasize on base average and slugging average. The Phillies had an OBA of .347 and a SA of .447. The Yankees had an OBA of .328 and an SA of .442. As Phil Rizzuto might say, "Holy Cow! You mean that the 2006 Phillies scored more runs, had a higher batting average, a higher on base average, and a higher slugging average than the 1961 Yankees? Unbelievable! What happened to the 1961 Yankees?"
What happened is that the game is not the same game. "Arena baseball" exists today. Players go for the long ball, managers go for the big inning, and owners go for big crowds and high ticket prices. All get what they want because fans love offense. Since 1995, there have been more home runs, more strike outs, and fewer complete games than ever in baseball history. A strikeout is now considered just another out because neither a fly ball that is caught a foot in front of the fence nor a strikeout is a home run. When Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, he struck out 67 times. When Ryan Howard hit 58 home runs, he struck out 181 times or almost three times as much as Maris. The 1961 Yankees struck out 785 times. The 2006 Phillies struck out 1203 times. So what? The Phillies scored more runs.
All knowledgeable fans know that the Designated Hitter Rule makes the American League a more offense league than the National. The 2006 Yankees led the American League with 930 runs scored. They batted .285, had a .363 OBA, and a .461 SA, all much better than those of their 1961 counterparts. The 2006 Yankees struck out 1053 times. In 2006, the fourteen American League teams AVERAGED 4.97 runs a game. The 1961 Yankees averaged 5.07 runs a game. The 1961 Yankees must be re-evaluated. Until 1995, they were one of the best offense teams ever assembled, but since then, many teams have been more effective run scoring machines.
Following the 1968 season, the height of the pitching mound was lowered from 15 inches to 10 inches. So what? Pitches above a batter's belt are no longer called strikes. So what? Many experts allege that the ball is livelier. So what? Ball parks are smaller. So what? It is undeniable. The 1961 Yankees, the team that won 109 regular season games and beat the Reds in the World Series in 5 games, the team with an offense led by Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, the team that set an all time season home run record of 240, has become just another good team. Why? It's quite simple. Baseball today is an offensive sport.
References:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL_2006.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_2006.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL_1961.shtml
http://www.exploratorium.edu/baseball/tools_7.html
