How Have MLB's New Rules Affected the First Half of 2023 Baseball Betting?

How Have MLB's New Rules Affected the First Half of 2023 Baseball Betting? Pleas Subscribe For Daily Sports Betting NewsShow more

Bet at MGM - IF YOUR BET LOSES, YOU’LL GET UP TO $1,000 BACK IN BONUS BETS - https://bit.ly/BetMGM1

Want To Place a Bet .. Download the Best Online Sportsbook! (IOS) http://bit.ly/453YUZG

Grab Barstool Sports Apparel @ The Official Barstool Store: https://bit.ly/barstool23

Bet On All The Big Games @ Xbet: https://bit.ly/xbetnow
First Deposit Bonus Up To $500 + $10 Casino Chip

Please Subscribe!
At the beginning of the regular season, I examined how the new rule changes would potentially impact the game as MLB established new measures to speed up the game while also increasing scoring. Some of the major changes I looked at were the pitch clock and pitcher disengagements as well as the bigger bases and the partial ban of the infield shift. 
Now 90 games into the 2023 season, it’s time to look at how those rules have affected the game and compare those results with other first-half seasons in terms of runs, balls in play, and stolen bases.
It’s...

At the beginning of the regular season, I examined how the new rule changes would potentially impact the game as MLB established new measures to speed up the game while also increasing scoring. Some of the major changes I looked at were the pitch clock and pitcher disengagements as well as the bigger bases and the partial ban of the infield shift. 
Now 90 games into the 2023 season, it’s time to look at how those rules have affected the game and compare those results with other first-half seasons in terms of runs, balls in play, and stolen bases.
It’s essential to look at the time from late March to the middle of July as not counting for all of July and August would be taking the best hitting months, in terms of weather, out of the analysis. 
I’m starting my data from the 2016 season as that was the first big spike in home runs (around 5,600 a season) and will be omitting the 2020 season as it started in July due to the pandemic. 
Now there is some variance because of the smaller data set (back to 2016) and the seemingly juiced-ball seasons. Still, a comparison to the previous six first halves will give a good indicator of how the new rule changes have altered the contemporary game.  
Balls in play
With the new shift rules, I assumed batting averages would be slightly up to coincide with more balls in play and their success rate. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see a decrease in double plays as pull hitters theoretically have a new lease on life this year. However, despite an across-the-board increase in all four stats year-on-year, the numbers are very similar to the six-year averages.  Year
BABIP
AVG
1B/PA
GIDP/PA 2023
.297
.248
7.04
53.23 2022
.289
.242
7.08
54.09 2021
.291
.240
7.13
54.96 2019
.298
.252
7.16
54.43 2018
.295
.247
7.07
52.55 2017
.299
.254
6.89
48.15 16-22 average
.296
.249
7.00
52.41 I really thought I’d see some more standout numbers in terms of average, balls in play, and even fewer GIDPs, but I was wrong.
Yes, most of the numbers are higher than last season as a six-point jump in AVG is significant, but this season’s first-half numbers are still not as good as the 2016 and 2017 first halves and those were the first two seasons with 5,000-plus home runs since 2010. There was some swing-and-miss in those seasons.
The rule changes have affected the balls in play, but it looks more like a course correction from the last couple of seasons and not the groundbreaking shift to the game over the last eight years some may have anticipated.  Best MLB bonuses
Looking to bet on some baseball action? Here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) New users at FanDuel can get 10x your first bet (up to $200) in bonus bets! Sign Up Now B) Get a profit boost up to 100% on one MLB SGP at DraftKings! Opt-in Now *Eligible USA locations only. Also, check out our full list of best sportsbook promotions for 2023. 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER Runs
Runs per game are up compared to the last three seasons and plus-0.08 runs per game over the averages of the 2016-’22 seasons, but still ranks third over the last eight first halves. 
2017 and 2019 are tough numbers to beat in terms of run production but it does seem the new changes have created a scoring environment somewhere just below those years. 
Home runs also look the same with the 2019 and 2017 seasons leading the way in home runs per plate appearance. However, the r...