During yesterday’s edition of FanGraphs Audio, the present author and Dave Cameron began a meandering and ultimately conclusion-less inquiry into the amount of actual, physical baseballs used during the course of a typical nine-inning game, with estimates ranging from around 50 to, according to Cameron, “hundreds.”
Below are three answers, aggregated with little effort from the internet and according to credible sources.
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“[A]n average of seven dozen baseballs per game.”
Source: Steve Vucinich, Oakland Athletics Equipment Manager
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“[T]he average nine-inning game requires nine dozen baseballs.”
Source: Jake Efta, Progressive Field Umpires Attendant
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“[A]n average of eight to 10 dozen baseballs are used each game.”
Source: Tim Burke, Minnesota Twins Assistant Equipment Manager
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The conclusion: somewhere between 90 and 120 balls per game, probably, making the average lifespan of a baseball about 2.5 to 3.0 pitches.
Credit to reader Ben Hall, who endeavored to supply actual facts to this conversation.
Another conclusion: MLB baseballs likely are packaged in dozens.