1
James also remarked that from the 1970's to the 1990's, the players got much beefier, heavier, and slower... and that now, the last 5 years, that trend is reversing. A lot. Ackley might not be competing with a league full of Bret Boones in this decade.
Teddy Ballgame and Ichiro, Joe Morgan, Fred Lynn, others demonstrate that it *is* a 5-ounce ball, as you put it ... those players who genuinely create leverage to the ball are going to be able to pull the ball over the fence to their straightaway pull field.
In the vids, Ackley *does* look like he has that extra-class leverage. We'll see.