Why Are There so Many No-Hitters in Baseball This Year?
2021-05-21
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1The most important battle in the game of baseball centers on the pitcher and the batter.
2The pitcher tries to throw the ball so the batter cannot hit it.
3If the batter does hit the ball, defenders have to catch it.
4If the defense does not get the ball before the batter reaches first base, the result is called a "hit."
5The 2021 baseball season started two months ago.
6So far, it has been harder than almost any year before to get a hit.
7The average number of hits per team in each game is less than eight.
8The last time there were so few hits was in 1908.
9Sometimes, one team does not get any hits.
10And that is called a "no-hitter."
11No-hitters are rare in baseball.
12There are usually only a few every season.
13But this year there have been six.
14The record for one year is seven.
15And three fourths of the season remains.
16There was a no-hitter on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
17On May 18, a pitcher from the Detroit Tigers threw a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners.
18On May 19, a pitcher from the New York Yankees threw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers.
19Many fans are asking, "Why are there so many no-hitters this year?" Baseball experts are not totally sure.
20Some say it just could be luck.
21Others say a number of things are making it hard for hitters.
22For example, they say pitchers are better than ever.
23Matt Chapman is a batter for the Oakland Athletics.
24He said "the pitchers are only getting better."
25He said the pitchers have stronger ideas about how to stop batters.
26In other seasons, teams combined for about 20 hits in each game.
27This year the number is under 15.
28But, even in other seasons with fewer hits, no-hitters were not common.
29David Bell is a former player and is now the manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
30One of his pitchers had a no-hitter on May 7.
31"My instincts tell me the pitching is getting better," he said.
32But he also said people who study the players on the other teams and create a strategy for the pitchers, are doing a better job.
33They are called scouts.
34The scouts also get detailed information about the speed of hits and the flight of the ball from cameras and radar in every stadium.
35The scouts help the defensive players decide where to stand so they can be in a good position to stop the ball if it is hit.
36An Associated Press story notes that during a five-year period starting in 1988, the average number of hits in each game by each team stayed about the same, but the number of no-hitters went up and down each season.
37Dusty Baker is the manager for the Houston Astros.
38He played in the 1970s and 1980s.
39He said batters are different than they were when he played.
40They are trying to hit the ball a long distance.
41"Over the last few years, everybody's trying to hit homers," he said.
42A home run is when the ball travels a long distance over the fence.
43It adds at least one to the team's score.
44But it is not easy to hit a home run.
45Sometimes a batter will swing with less control and miss the ball completely.
46Miss three times, and your turn at bat is over.
47The magazine Sports Illustrated recently suggested that, even if no-hitters are the result of "luck and randomness," the conditions for them have never been better.
48Some baseball organizations are changing the rules so that batters have a better chance.
49One league increased the distance between the pitcher and the batter by about 30 centimeters.
50As a result, the batter has a little more time to decide to swing.
51Another league prevents the defense from moving too many players to the side of the field where a batter's hits usually go.
52This makes it harder for the defense.
53Chapman said better scouting, new technology and stronger pitchers make it harder for hitters.
54"I think that's kind of the way the game's trending right now," he said.
55Mike Matheny is the manager of the Kansas City Royals and a former player.
56He is worried that what was once seen as rare will no longer create excitement and be celebrated.
57"I really hope fans don't start to think it's common."
58I'm Dan Friedell.
1The most important battle in the game of baseball centers on the pitcher and the batter. 2The pitcher tries to throw the ball so the batter cannot hit it. If the batter does hit the ball, defenders have to catch it. If the defense does not get the ball before the batter reaches first base, the result is called a "hit." 3The 2021 baseball season started two months ago. So far, it has been harder than almost any year before to get a hit. The average number of hits per team in each game is less than eight. The last time there were so few hits was in 1908. 4Sometimes, one team does not get any hits. And that is called a "no-hitter." 5No-hitters are rare in baseball. There are usually only a few every season. But this year there have been six. The record for one year is seven. And three fourths of the season remains. 6There was a no-hitter on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. On May 18, a pitcher from the Detroit Tigers threw a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners. On May 19, a pitcher from the New York Yankees threw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers. 7Many fans are asking, "Why are there so many no-hitters this year?" Baseball experts are not totally sure. 8Some say it just could be luck. Others say a number of things are making it hard for hitters. For example, they say pitchers are better than ever. 9Matt Chapman is a batter for the Oakland Athletics. He said "the pitchers are only getting better." He said the pitchers have stronger ideas about how to stop batters. 10In other seasons, teams combined for about 20 hits in each game. This year the number is under 15. But, even in other seasons with fewer hits, no-hitters were not common. 11David Bell is a former player and is now the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. One of his pitchers had a no-hitter on May 7. 12"My instincts tell me the pitching is getting better," he said. 13But he also said people who study the players on the other teams and create a strategy for the pitchers, are doing a better job. They are called scouts. The scouts also get detailed information about the speed of hits and the flight of the ball from cameras and radar in every stadium. 14The scouts help the defensive players decide where to stand so they can be in a good position to stop the ball if it is hit. 15An Associated Press story notes that during a five-year period starting in 1988, the average number of hits in each game by each team stayed about the same, but the number of no-hitters went up and down each season. 16Dusty Baker is the manager for the Houston Astros. He played in the 1970s and 1980s. He said batters are different than they were when he played. They are trying to hit the ball a long distance. 17"Over the last few years, everybody's trying to hit homers," he said. 18A home run is when the ball travels a long distance over the fence. It adds at least one to the team's score. 19But it is not easy to hit a home run. Sometimes a batter will swing with less control and miss the ball completely. Miss three times, and your turn at bat is over. 20The magazine Sports Illustrated recently suggested that, even if no-hitters are the result of "luck and randomness," the conditions for them have never been better. 21Some baseball organizations are changing the rules so that batters have a better chance. One league increased the distance between the pitcher and the batter by about 30 centimeters. As a result, the batter has a little more time to decide to swing. Another league prevents the defense from moving too many players to the side of the field where a batter's hits usually go. This makes it harder for the defense. 22Chapman said better scouting, new technology and stronger pitchers make it harder for hitters. 23"I think that's kind of the way the game's trending right now," he said. 24Mike Matheny is the manager of the Kansas City Royals and a former player. He is worried that what was once seen as rare will no longer create excitement and be celebrated. 25"I really hope fans don't start to think it's common." 26I'm Dan Friedell. 27Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on reports by the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 28Why do you think there are more no-hitters than usual in baseball this year? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. 29______________________________________________________________ 30Words in This Story 31manager -n. someone who directs a team in American baseball 32instinct -n. a way of behaving, thinking or feeling that is not learned 33strategy -n. a careful plan or method for reaching a goal over a long period of time 34stadium -n. a very large building that has a large open area and many seats for sports or other events 35randomness -n. a way that does not show any order, plan or pattern 36trend -n. the general direction in which something appears to be headed