Whiff of offense: Ks top hits, lowest average since ’72

NEW YORK (AP) — The most-heard sound at major league ballparks this year was “Strike three!”

A whiff of offense would be nice rather than all those nights filled with nonstop whiffs.

Strikeouts are likely to exceed hits over a full season for the first time in major league history. The overall batting average has dropped to its lowest level since 1972, the year before the designated hitter. Lefty hitters — facing smothering defensive shifts — have fared even worse, with their lowest average since 1968, before the pitcher’s mound was lowered.

The arguments as for the causes of this and any ways to solve it (or, for that matter, if it needs to be solved) continued long into the night.

Baseball on pace for lowest batting average since 1972

Let the bickering about what this means begin!

The batting average for the major leagues is on track for its lowest finish in nearly a half-century.

This comes despite slightly more robust offense of late — hits topping strikeouts the past two months.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there were 7,134 hits and 6,818 strikeouts in August. That left the season totals at 34,350 hits and 34,103 strikeouts, the first time this season hits led at the end of a full month.