Bonds sets HR record in off year for offense

Here's something that makes Barry Bonds' home-run record even more impressive: It came in a down year for baseball offense.

Pitchers, helped by a bigger strike zone, regained a little ground in their never-ending battle with batters. Scoring was down 7.1 percent this season, home runs were down 4.2 percent and the overall ERA dipped 7.4 percent.

There were 5,458 homers this season, an average of 2.25 per game. That was down from 5,693 homers and a record 2.34 average last year -- and even below the 2.27 average in 1999.

Twelve players hit 40 or more homers, four fewer than last year, and 41 hit 30 or more, down from a record 47 last year. There were 46 players with 100 RBIs, down from 53 last season and 13 below 1999's record.

Runs per game dropped to 9.55 from 10.28, the overall batting average fell to .264 from .270 and the overall ERA declined from 4.76 to 4.41, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, baseball's statistician.

In perhaps the biggest proof the strike zone really did get bigger, strikeouts were up 3.3 percent, to 13.34 per game from 12.90. And walks decreased 13.3 percent, to 6.51 per game from 7.50.

Partly because there were fewer walks and pitches, the average time of a nine-inning game dropped to 2 hours, 54 minutes from a record 2:58 in 2000.

Despite the opening of new ballparks in Milwaukee and Pittsburgh, attendance was basically flat. According to preliminary figures, the average attendance was 30,050, up 0.1 percent from 30,013.