I'm sure this isn't the spot I should be posting this, but apparently my brain is broken because I can't think of this phrase and it's driving me CRAZY. I'll accept any wrist slap deemed necessary if it gets me an answer.

 

So... when one team figures out a "secret" that most of the others haven't opened their eyes to yet.

 

Like how the A's were all in on OBP instead of average. Or maybe some teams figured out exit velocity and how to make use of that info before other teams. Every time there's a new thing like that they say....

"Exit Velocity is the new ________"

 

It's something like "inequity" or "inbalance" but that's not it.

 

Please help!

Rabbit's foot.

Market Inefficiency?

 

 

"Exit Velocity is the new ________"

 

 

...plastics."

...thing."

...Coke."

...standard."

...baseline."

 

I think the word you want is "differentiator."

In the corporate world we say ‘buzz word’.

 

The promoter calls it a ‘differentiator’ or ‘competitive advantage’...but the truth is the thing is usually simple recycling of a concept that’s been around forever, with maybe a small twist. In your example, scouts/coaches, etc. have been able to distinguish players that give up or create hard contact for about 150 years now. Now we can assign it a number.

 

Buzzword.

 

Market Inefficiency?

 

Thank you. It actually came to me while I was typing a reply to the moderator who moved my thread to "other baseball"

 

Sweet god, that brain fart was torture.

Oh, I was thinking "edge." Or "secret sauce." Somebody's always coming up with a key bit of observation, like a pitcher's tell (Liriano was notorious for tells). Or in the accepted gibberish of the toobs, this could be a meme, or an ultra-temporary online highlight.

 

Watch this adorable kitten show humans how to hit a curve ball!