https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/10/29/world-series-baseballs-leather-justin-verlander-yu-darvish-ken-giles-kenley-jansen?utm_campaign=si-mlb&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&xid=socialflow_twitter_si

The pitching staffs on both teams are complaining that the balls provided by MLB for the World Series are notably slicker and they're having trouble with their command. The data and metrics also suggest this, it seems to have affected the slider more than any other pitch. Tom Verducci confirmed that the balls feel different. We are seeing a lot more hanging breaking balls this series than either pitching staff has tended to throw over the course of the year on average. Some of that most assuredly has to do with nerves, but considering both staffs, and their pitching coaches, have stated the same thing about the balls, it's likely there is a factor here.

I don't think this would be much of a conspiracy. They've changed the ball to help offensive numbers before and games like what we've seen don't hurt viewership at all.

Forum Troll said:

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Could help explain Giles. His fastball has zero movement and if he can't throw a slider he's a glorified bp pitcher.

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Giles fastball hasn't had movement all year. I remember talking about it in the first month of the season. So many 99-100 mph pitchers now that speed by itself doesn't get it done.

It is the umpires responsibility to rub up the baseballs prior to the game to make them less slick

Smoltz also brought it up last night.

ABATTBQ87 said:

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It is the umpires responsibility to rub up the baseballs prior to the game to make them less slick

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Clubbies or other support staff mud the baseballs. The umpires never apply mud.

ABATTBQ87 said:

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It is the umpires responsibility to rub up the baseballs prior to the game to make them less slick

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They're supposed to have some top secret, special mud that they apply to the balls before the game to remove the slickness.

http://baseballrubbingmud.com/

I doubt that there's some grand conspiracy here, but it does help explain how these games have been played.

My big takeaway from that is to only pitch Giles if there's a "secure" lead in game 6.

Furlock Bones said:

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Forum Troll said:

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Could help explain Giles. His fastball has zero movement and if he can't throw a slider he's a glorified bp pitcher.

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Giles fastball hasn't had movement all year. I remember talking about it in the first month of the season. So many 99-100 mph pitchers now that speed by itself doesn't get it done.

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So much this. Charlie Morton, Verlander, a bunch of other pitchers go out there and throw 96-98 mph smoke with movement for 6-8 innings a game. This isn't the late 90's where a guy throwing 98 mph would be 6mph faster than everyone else; they're usually within a couple of mph of the starter or reliever they're replacing. Going out there and piping 99 lazers down the middle of the plate isn't going to phase anyone at this level.

OKCAg2002 said:

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I doubt that there's some grand conspiracy here, but it does help explain how these games have been played.

My big takeaway from that is to only pitch Giles if there's a "secure" lead in game 6.

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How do you explain the three games that more or less were dominated by the pitchers? Even Game 2 was a pitchers duel until things got crazy late.

jkag89 said:

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OKCAg2002 said:

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I doubt that there's some grand conspiracy here, but it does help explain how these games have been played.

My big takeaway from that is to only pitch Giles if there's a "secure" lead in game 6.

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How do you explain the three games that more or less were dominated by the pitchers? Even Game 2 was a pitchers duel until things got crazy late.

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Agree. The ball is probably different enough to at minimum impact the game mentally. That's mostly what baseball is, anyways. As the game gets late, the pitchers are less confident in their stuff and the hitters can take advantage. Bottom line is there's not competitive advantage for either team. They're all using the same ball.

that's what happens sometimes when you take the low bid!

seriously, it does look like it is affecting the game. Guys aren't even trying to throw sliders anymore, or they are not successful when they do.

jkag89 said:

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OKCAg2002 said:

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I doubt that there's some grand conspiracy here, but it does help explain how these games have been played.

My big takeaway from that is to only pitch Giles if there's a "secure" lead in game 6.

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How do you explain the three games that more or less were dominated by the pitchers? Even Game 2 was a pitchers duel until things got crazy late.

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It's impacting sliders. The pitchers that rely a lot on the slider have been impacted much more.

MosesHallRAB04 said:

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jkag89 said:

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OKCAg2002 said:

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I doubt that there's some grand conspiracy here, but it does help explain how these games have been played.

My big takeaway from that is to only pitch Giles if there's a "secure" lead in game 6.

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How do you explain the three games that more or less were dominated by the pitchers? Even Game 2 was a pitchers duel until things got crazy late.

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It's impacting sliders. The pitchers that rely a lot on the slider have been impacted much more.

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Not good for JV. He's thrown the slider about 24% of the time as an Astro and more in the postseason I believe (haven't seen the #s).

Last night there were seemingly way more fastballs thrown, by each team, in moments where you expected a slider.

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Last night there were seemingly way more fastballs thrown, by each team, in moments where you expected a slider.

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It's been like that all series. Pitchers who have other pitches or can paint their fastball have faired well.

But, we've seen the hitters catch up (or the workloads wear them down).

This series feels like it's going to come down to whos B-team reliever happens to get the final out in a 20 run game.

dont know much baseball but it's definitely a slider issue to hear all players and experts talking.

makes for exciting baseball but shouldnt be at expense of certain players' livlihoods. maybe they can find a happy medium somewhere.

Forum Troll said:

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Could help explain Giles. His fastball has zero movement and if he can't throw a slider he's a glorified bp pitcher.

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Gilidge.

Nino Brown said:

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With all the hot Asian pics on the stros season thread I know my balls are different this morning

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good for you. not all of us like Asian chicks, and the number of posts was obscenely excessive last night.

Didn't see that this had it's own thread before I posted on the Stros thread. I do really think this has had an affect on the slider-heavy pitchers. Keep Giles out of the series, he is worthless handling slick balls.