Are we going old-school? While the sport is evolving with new technologies and rules for better thrills, a few 19th-century tactics might also be on the table. Well, most of MLB absolutely love Shohei Ohtani’s towering homers or Juan Soto’s power hitting! But while power baseball is making the game more offensive, former Mariners Manager Scott Servais is hoping to bring back a few dead-ball era tactics.

Small ball! The strategy around base-running instincts, bat control, and situational awareness — things that don’t always show up in highlight reels, but are crucial in the leagues. Something we have left behind after embracing the power-hitting era might be eyeing a comeback.

“The game keeps changing. We can’t stop it, but I also think it comes full circle.” Servais is pitching for the reintroduction of small ball to make the players learn how to manufacture runs with minimal hits.

Well, the minor league is embracing it. There, small balls remain a core teaching strategy. Considering the high-leverage or clutch moments in MLB, it’s important to have that kind of discipline, which becomes the difference-maker in tight games. As per Servais, the game now comes full circle by having the maximum utility of the power-hitting.

While now baseball has Ohtani, Soto, and others leading the offense, it is noticeable how managers are getting creative with more stolen bases and more aggressive base running, especially in close games or in the postseason.

Remember last August? When the Mariners opted for a small-ball strategy to get the better of the Giants by 4-3. The game saw the Mariners stealing 5 bases and even dropping down a sacrifice bunt. Remember the 2023 Major League Baseball campaign of the Diamondbacks?

That was a textbook example of how small-ball can thrive in the modern game, especially when executed with speed, smartness, and aggression. They didn’t have the same raw power lineup as some other contenders. However, their small ball strategy paid off — the D-backs made a surprise run to the World Series, knocking off teams with far more firepower on paper. Only in June, they were standing 5th in MLB in terms of stolen bases (63). And well, at that point they were even ahead of the Dodgers, leading the NL West by 4 games.

Well, back in 1908, small balls recorded low home runs. But while that dead-ball era might not be completely back, what’s interesting is that baseball values players who can do both. The ability to hit 20+ homers and steal 30 bases? That’s gold in today’s game. Think guys like Ronald Acuna Jr., Corbin Carroll, or Bobby Witt.

Still, power-hitting is the face of Major League Baseball

Well, power hitting is here to stay in baseball  — no doubt about it. It’s become one of the pillars of the modern game. And why not! When it can make the game more attractive to the fans!

The new generation audience loves to recall the towering homers of Ohtani and not his stolen base tactics. Moreover, the teams lean heavily into analytics now, with massive valuation given to slugging percentage and home runs. A three-run homer is more efficient than stringing together singles — it’s just math.

That being said, pure contact guys and situational hitters might have more value now than they did, say, five years ago, because pitchers have adjusted. The ongoing games, witnessing high-velocity, high-spin pitching, have made it harder to hit home runs consistently. Hence, the teams are balancing lineups with guys who can put the bat on the ball and beat shifts. Something that Servais commented about Major League Baseball coming back to small ball.

Well, expectedly in the postseason, small-ball can prove effective when home runs are not coming. At least the scoreboard will keep running.

Yeah, so, while power isn’t going anywhere, some of the old-time play might make a return. And if that happens, the most dangerous hitters will be the ones who can smash and still make consistent contact at the plate. Think there’s going to be a visible difference?