Witty to be sure, but obviously false. The causal connection between baseball and the content (as opposed to the name) of the law is probably fairly tenuous. The number three is ubiquitous in all areas of human culture.
We can still blame the propaganda for helping make the laws appealing and getting them to pass
The first true "three-strikes" law was passed in 1993, when Washington state voters approved Initiative 593. California passed its own in 1994, when their voters passed Proposition 184 by an overwhelming majority, with 72% in favor and 28% against. The initiative proposed to the voters had the title of 'Three Strikes and You're Out', referring to de facto life imprisonment after being convicted of three felonies.[4]
And given the popularity of things ...
Here's another installment of rationality quotes. The usual rules apply: