Baseball has changed quite a bit since Ruben Amaro Jr. left his post as Phillies general manager almost a decade ago. The game’s shift toward launch, home runs and the three true outcomes — whatever your stance on that new offensive approach — is clearly one of those ways.
Sluggball is a response.
The game, co-founded by Amaro Jr. and his brother, David, is described as “baseball’s version of Topgolf” and emphasizes bat-to-ball skills and — well, the opposite of “slug” in the conventional sense. It’s a four-round competition, with Round 1 tasking players to pull the ball, Round 2 requiring them to go up the middle, Round 3 demanding they go the opposite way and Round 4 asking them to spray the ball all over the field.