In the 1970s, large-scale multi-purpose stadiums appeared in the major leagues. At the same time, the home run craze slightly subsided. When the home run slowed down, the factor that rose again was the stolen base. Running baseball, which found vitality in the 1970s, had a revival in the 1980s.
Since 1900, when modern baseball began,토토사이트 only eight players have stolen 100 bases in a single season. And 7 out of 8 came in the 1970s and 1980s. It was an era in which speed stars such as Lou Brock and Vince Coleman, led by ‘Legendary Sword’ Ricky Henderson, crept in.
Players with 100 stolen bases in a single season:
1962 – Maury Wills (104 steals)
1974 – Lou Brock (118 steals)
1980 – Ricky Henderson (100 steals)
1982 – Ricky Henderson (130 steals)
1983 – Ricky Henderson (108 steals)
1985 – Vince Coleman ( 110 stolen bases)
1986 – Vince Coleman (107 steals)
1987 – Vince Coleman (109 steals)
The stealing power was short-lived. In the 1990s, Major League Baseball entered the so-called “era of steroids.” He raised his status, which had fallen due to a strike, with a home run. In 1998, the home run match between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa engrossed the world beyond the major leagues. At the time, Commissioner Bud Selick thought a home run was the ‘correct answer’. It created an atmosphere for more players to hit home runs.
The value of home runs did not decrease. Hitters knew that home runs made money. Here, as pitchers with faster velocity tried to strike out, batters responded with home runs, not to be outdone. In 2019, the major leagues also set a new single-season record with a total of 6776 home runs.
Most home runs in a single season league
2019: 6776 home runs
2017: 6105 home runs
2021: 5944 home runs
2000: 5693 home
runs As the number of home runs increased, the number of stolen bases decreased. He focused more on hitting home runs than stealing bases. In addition, with the rise of the Saber Matrix, questions arose about the usefulness of stealing bases. It is known that the loss of the expected score is greater when the base is stolen than when the base is stolen. Above all, as players’ ransoms rose vertically, stolen bases, which caused injuries, were more neglected.
The era of stealing seemed to end like this. However, the secretariat did not just leave the league standardized with home runs and strikeouts. Ahead of this season, it created a pleasant environment for runners to play by announcing the introduction of a pitch clock, restrictions on runners, and reinforcement of pitcher balks. As a result, each team prepared to adapt to the changed season by testing the baseball they played from spring camp.
Secretariat-recommended stolen bases actually increased significantly this year. A total of 2213 in 2021 and 2486 in 2022, and the first half is still ahead of 2000 (1903). If this continues, the season with 3,000 stolen bases is expected for the first time since 3,229 in 2012. His average of 0.72 stolen bases per game is also up from 0.46 in 2021 and 0.51 in 2022. For reference, in the major leagues, the average number of stolen bases per game has never exceeded 0.70 since the 2000s.
It’s not just about running a lot. In the major leagues this year, the success rate of stolen bases in the league is high at 80%. Last year, the success rate was 75%, and five years ago, in 2018, it was only 72%. The devices prepared by the secretariat for base stealing are clearly having an impact.
Currently, the team with the most stolen bases is the Tampa Bay Rays. 109 were successful. Following Tampa Bay, the Cincinnati Reds ran hard with 106 stolen bases. Cincinnati is creating an unexpected sensation by taking full advantage of the changed rules this season. The same goes for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who rank fourth overall with 85 steals (the Oakland Athletics, third with 89 steals).
Arizona has an 88% team steal success rate. However, there is a separate team with the highest stolen base success rate. New York Mets. The Mets have stolen bases 69 times in 76 stolen base attempts. The stealing success rate is as high as 91%. First base coach Wayne Kirby, who oversees the stealing operation, did not reveal the specific secret, but said, “When the pitch clock starts, pitchers have different habits. I’m trying to find that part.” With the rise of base stealing, microscopic baseball, which discovers details, is also being emphasized.
My personal record also improved. Last year’s major league stolen base was John Buddy of the Miami Marlins. Birdie stole 41 bases. However, in the first half of this year, two players already surpassed 40 stolen bases. Oakland Esteuri Luiz stole 43 bases and Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuna Jr. stole 41 bases. It is the first time in 9 years since 2014 that two players with 40 steals in the first half (The Strange-Gordon 43 steals, Jose Altuve 41 bases).
Lewis, who came to Oakland in a triangle trade last December, is the biggest beneficiary this season. Oakland, for which Rickie Henderson is a special advisor, is more open to stealing than any other team. Thanks to this, Lewis has been given the green light to run freely, and Lewis is running freely as the team wishes. Stealing successes are the most common, but stealing failures are also the most common. Lewis, who looks to the next base when he goes out, has already broken Mitchell Page’s 1977 record for most stolen bases (42) by an Oakland rookie.
Acuña is having a better season than Luis. Acuna, who hit 21 home runs, is the first player in history to achieve a first half season with 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases (Henderson 15 home runs, 51 stolen bases in 1986). If he only raises his home run pace, he can show off his fifth season with 40 home runs and 40 steals in history. In addition, a season of 40 home runs and 60 stolen bases, which has never occurred, is possible. Unlike Lewis, Acuña, who has excellent team performance, is a strong league MVP candidate this season.
1988: Jose Canseco (42 home
runs, 40 steals)
1996: Barry Bonds (42 home runs, 40 steals)
1998: Alex Rodriguez (42 home runs, 46 stolen bases)
2006: Alfonso Soriano (46 home runs, 41 stolen bases)
As stolen bases, which had been sluggish for a while, revived, the major leagues regained their dynamics. Not only pitchers and batters, but also the fact that pitchers and runners and catchers and runners have become more intense is adding to the fun. Stealing bases, which can change the flow of the game in the postseason, is expected to be a bigger weapon for the rest of the season.
Maury Wills, who had the first 100 stolen base season in modern baseball, said about the existence of speed stars in the past.
“The quick runner is out. So do you watch the batter or the runner on first base?”
We are having a season where even the first base runner is watched more.