How About Some Facts with that Statement, Buster Olney?

I really do get tired of the talking heads on TV and the radio siting things that have no factual basis. Buster Olney from ESPN was asked his thoughts on why there have been two perfect games this eyar and really a third, but for the blown call. Olney indicated that since MLB instituted steroid testing, which I’ve concluded from a quick search on the internet started in the Spring of 2004, power numbers are down and that’s what’s contributing to the perfect games and recent no-hitters, including Ubaldo Jimenez no-no earlier this year. So, when I hear stuff like this I start to think of what goes into a no-hitter or perfect game. First of all, it has little to do with power numbers; it’s all about hits and getting on base from the offensive perspective, and defense behind the starting pitcher. So thanks to baseball Reference.com I did a little research on my own, and determined that there has been little to no change in the number of hits/9 innings over the course of the last 15 years. Sure power numbers have fluctuated over this time period, but a hit is a hit is a hit, so who cares if a guy drives a ball 500 feet over a wall or dribbles a ball off the plate, down the 3rd base line and beats out an infield hit. Personally, I think that the increase in no hitters and perfect games recently is an aberration, and more luck than anything. Go back and do some research Buster, and then let me know what your theory is! Go O’s, heading to the top of the AL East in the next half century!