Part 5/10:
What caught the media’s attention was the narrative established by players about how the baseballs were affecting game outcomes. High-profile pitchers like Justin Verlander asserted that the baseballs were altered or "juiced," leading to unprecedented home run totals. Injury spikes and the prevalence of “sticky stuff” by pitchers to regain grip illustrated the chaos surrounding baseball dynamics.
In contrast, independent studies began to emerge that indicated subtle variations in baseball manufacturing could yield significantly different results. Dr. Meredith Wills and her investigation into the property of baseballs revealed that the seams were indeed lower and the balls felt smoother, corroborating the complaints voiced by players regarding grip.