Back in 2019, friend and colleague Jeff Erickson coined the term, 'Happy Fun Ball.' This season, the flight of the ball is dampened, resulting in fewer homers and more fly balls staying in the yard.
Ground-ball rate is a trait, not always better. Ground balls mean fewer homers but higher BABIP. Fly balls lead to more homers, but that's decreasing this season.
In this landscape, pitchers with excellent control like Seth Lugo, Jake Irvin, Tanner Houck, and Jose Berrios are more trustworthy. St. Louis Cardinals will face the San Francisco Giants at Rickwood Field in Alabama, the oldest pro park in the USA.