MLB Claims Baseballs Used in Postseason Are the Same as the Regular Season
Major League Baseball has finally addressed the ball situation in the postseason. After a record-breaking regular season when baseball's were flying out of parks like crazy, the postseason has seen a big change. Rob Arthur at Baseball Prospectus has dug into the numbers:
Air resistance in the playoffs has shot up to the highest level since 2016, causing fewer homers. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the postseason baseball is totally different than the one used in the regular season. https://t.co/U4NBMd05k9 pic.twitter.com/bdIl09blQF
— Rob Arthur (@No_Little_Plans) October 10, 2019
The speculation is that the league has switched out the regular season balls for new ones in the postseason.
On Thursday afternoon, MLB finally responded to the speculation:
BREAKING: MLB issues statement on baseballs used in postseason. “Balls that are used in the Postseason are pulled from the same batches as balls used in the regular season.... only difference is the stamp placed on the ball.” Additional comments: pic.twitter.com/SX9NqfykiY
— Maury Brown (@BizballMaury) October 10, 2019
MLB's statement said the balls used in the postseason are from the same batches of balls used in the regular season, the only difference is the stamp on the ball. The statement continues:
"The baseballs used in Major League Baseball are manufactured in batches. Balls that are used in the Postseason are pulled from the same batches as balls used in the regular season. Regular season and Postseason balls are manufactured with the same materials and under the same processes. The only difference is the Postseason stamp that is placed on the ball. As has been previously acknowledged, however, the drag of the baseball can very over different time periods."
So Major League Baseball is basically screaming that there's nothing to see here but it's fairly obvious something is up.