Part of it is that pitchers DON'T need to throw more than 100 pitches, and they play with the ball around the plate more so than ever. I think I bigger question is what is the average pitch conut in a game these days compared to previous years.

At some point in every batter's sequence, a pitcher will pitch once or twice to the weak spot. We see it with Sano for sure. He can't lay off those pitches, which are surely balls. Buxton, too. Buxton (as we said for Gomez and Revere) has to bunt more. Well, not actually bunt, but give the illusion that he might bunt a pitch in every at bat. Is that the answer? No. 

Pitchers are stronger. Bullpens are stronger, too. You can shuffle guys in and out on a whim.

Throwing for contact is fine, but there is also a lot of strength in batter arms these days that even the smallest guy on a team can be a long-ball or hard-hit threat (Escobar).

No answers. Shorter games? Longer games? Higher scoring games? 2-1 extra inning games still a good watch?

We can agree that the skill set of major league ball players, on the whole, has never been higher.

I agree and disagree with you here: yes, putting the ball in play with two strikes can prove to be important. I too hate to see a lot of strikeouts, ESPECIALLY LOOKING! But...something that gets missed is that the "2 strike approach" has changed in the MLB.

Here are the hard hit ball stats in 2-strike counts:

2002     19.7%

2003     21.3%

2004     23.7%

2005     24.7%

2006     24.2%

2007     28.8%

2008     24.4%

2009     23.9%

2010     27.2%

2011     21.5%

2012     26.3%

2013     27.5%

2014     27.0%

2015     26.6%

2016     28.9%

2017     29.2%

2018     30.7%  * through April 19th

Basically what has happened is that players want to stay on the attack. This results in more strikeouts, but it also results in more extra base hits. The trade off is higher K rate, but higher HR rate as well.

There is a mantra: The Game has Changed! But is it for the better. Some of the SO issue is mental, the SO has lost its stigma. Some of it is mechanical. The term 'launch angle' is another way of trying to hit a home run. Some will deny that fact, but it's true. You are changing your approach and swing, to attempt to hit a fly ball, preferably a long one. The benefits of HR production have been emphasized. Is that good or bad? The saber metrics guys are gonna have to argue that one out themselves. Working the count? Few hitters can work an AB like Mauer. Yet even he shows that when he has two strikes his BA drops drastically. Think how it drops for the common hitters in the league. Yet, in an attempt to drive an average starting pitcher out of a game, to get into someone's excellent BP, hitters continue to take get em over FB early in the count, and end up swing at someone's tempting slider off the plate on a 2-2 pitch. A good baseball minded friend of mine once told me, "you're gonna get one good pitch to hit in each AB, you better be ready for it". While it's quite possible metrics will show that more runs are scored following some of the newer takes on hitting, launch angle, deep counts, and less concern over SO and warning track FB's, SO seem to be one of the results. That and all or nothing offense. And to me, I just don't see that as good for the game.

I agree and disagree with you here: yes, putting the ball in play with two strikes can prove to be important. I too hate to see a lot of strikeouts, ESPECIALLY LOOKING! But...something that gets missed is that the "2 strike approach" has changed in the MLB.

 

Here are the hard hit ball stats in 2-strike counts:

 

2002     19.7%

2003     21.3%

2004     23.7%

2005     24.7%

2006     24.2%

2007     28.8%

2008     24.4%

2009     23.9%

2010     27.2%

2011     21.5%

2012     26.3%

2013     27.5%

2014     27.0%

2015     26.6%

2016     28.9%

2017     29.2%

2018     30.7%  * through April 19th

 

Basically what has happened is that players want to stay on the attack. This results in more strikeouts, but it also results in more extra base hits. The trade off is higher K rate, but higher HR rate as well.