How many baseballs in a game

But, how many baseballs are used in an MLB game? By Ernesto Cova. Almost every single baseball fan owns a signed official MLB baseball as its most valuable possession, in fact, some of them were even lucky enough to catch them themselves. So, have you ever wondered how many baseballs are used in an MLB game? There are countless reasons why players or umpires can change a baseball. Luck, scratches, discomfort, home runs, foul balls, or just because they want to. They have an almost unlimited supply of MLB official baseballs, and once a ball is thrown away, it's never used again.

Ray Chapman was a shortstop, second baseman, and third baseman for the Cleveland Naps later renamed the Cleveland Indians who was unfortunately hit in the head by a pitch during a game on August 16, This hit to the head led to Ray Chapman dying 12 hours later , which makes him the only player in MLB history to have died from an injury received during a game.

The reason behind this rule was due to how baseball teams encouraged the treatment of baseballs during games. This common strategy led to the ball being discolored and misshapen, especially later in the game.

This treatment of baseballs gave pitchers a big advantage because they were able to throw pitches with abnormal spin. The rough treatment of baseballs is also said to have made it difficult for Chapman to see the pitch because of how discolored it was. Therefore, a new rule was implemented to help protect hitters — umpires must change out dirty baseballs.

In fact, section 3. In addition, the offender shall be suspended automatically for 10 games. The MLB rulebook lists out three specific instances where umpires are required to change baseballs.

Those three instances are:. Foul balls and home runs are always replaced, especially when the baseballs are hit into the stands. There are some spectators who will throw a home run ball back onto the field and in these scenarios, the baseball must still be replaced.

Of course you have your classic reasoning for needing so many baseballs. Home runs, foul balls, and your standard throwing a ball to a fan after the last out of an inning. But you also have warm-ups in between innings from the pitcher, the infield, and two in the out field. Pitchers are also getting more and more picky with the balls they want to use during the game. Sometimes, a ball will only see one or two pitches before making its exist just as quick as it entered.

If you think about the whole day of baseball a MLB team endures, you need ten times more baseballs than in the actual game. Teams use about 1, baseballs a day between workouts, bullpen sessions, and batting practice. And to think someone has to open each one of those individually wrapped balls and prepare them for their thirty seconds of fame. Top Stories. FanSided 2 weeks Former St. Louis Cardinals top prospect dead at