Baseball shifts are as bad as Free Speech?

freerepublic.com ^ | 6/23/2018 | a little elbow grease

[a little elbow grease]

There is a haunting stirring in the baseball community to establish that fielders defensive “shifts” should be against the rules.

From BusinessInsider.com: “MLB's New Commissioner Is Open To Banning Defensive Shifts To Increase Scoring — Here's A Simple Way To Do It.”

Does this seem to anyone else as more than heavy-handed, almost totalitarian???

Do you suppose that they also will want to impel OUTFIELDERS NOT TO SHIFT, play deeper in the outfield when a power hitter comes to the plate?

Do they suppose to suggest that when a sacrifice bunt is most likely about to be attempted, that the first and third basemen should NOT BE PERMITTED to creep in toward the plate in order to get the ball and throw out the runner at second base for a force play?

Should outfielders not be permitted to shade toward the right field line when a strong left handed pull hitter comes to the plate? My, my.

Baseball has been shifting since Ted Williams and even before that. Now that we realize its effectiveness, we exploit the advantage. Personally, I don't think that this particular strategy EVER should be made illegal.

As a baseball fan said on reddit.com: “People hate the shift when their team hits into it, but love it when the opposing team hits into your shift. It's a part of the game now. Hitters will just have to adjust.

As Wee Willie Keeler used to say, “ Keep your eyes clear, and hit’ em where they ain’t: that’s all.”

I’ll just say this now …………. I find this idea of restrictions on defensive players’ shifts to be about the most ignorant, idiotic, witless, reactionary, vacuous, mindless, unintelligent, half-baked, harebrained, imprudent, unwise, and foolish idea of which I have ever heard.

“If all seven position players want to form a human pyramid behind second base then they should be allowed to.” LOL

________________

LEAVE THE GAME ALONE …………… and hit’ em where they ain’t.

[a little elbow grease]

"Here’s one from youtube, ha that thing is 80 mph which is way hard for knuckleball, a true corkscrew."

__________

That was great.

I first faced a knuckleballer back in 1968 when we were playing UCLA out in California. They were # 2 in the countrynthat night yet we eaked out a 4-3 win. Anyhow they brought in a relief pitcher late in the game .... and here came that damn knuckleball. I struck out, missing the last two pitches. I thought I was swatting at a butterfly.

************

Here is video of Ted Williams hitting a HR in the '46 All Star game........ off Rip Sewell's Eephus pitch. This is funny!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7V6a6VfPrM

[a little elbow grease]

Did you see this yet?

___________

Here is video of Ted Williams hitting a HR in the '46 All Star game........ off of Rip Sewell's Eephus pitch. This is funny, even the short interview.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7V6a6VfPrM

[Ransomed]

Yeah, pretty cool. It’s amazing a pitch like that was effective with regularity. Of course they only worked because so few pitchers used them, and the ones I have seen less than a handful a game. The same principal applies to a junkballer that throws a below 60 mph breaking ball as a surprise pitch once or twice a game. In today’s MLB hitting climate of wailing at everything as hard as you can I could see an occasional eephus pitch being effective, but maybe the use of video would negate that.

That’s another knock on the state of the big league game—there is much less uniqueness in how players go about their business on the field— more giant hard throwers less soft tossers and crafty guys. More power hitters and less slap hitters. It’s more monotonous with less speedsters as more teams don’t steal and go station to station.

Freegards

[LakeEffectLad]

I read this article earlier today and hearkened back to this thread from several weeks ago. You both present as “baseball junkies” like myself. Thought you might be interested in some MLB players’ takes on the subject.

Best FReegards for a fine weekend.
LEL

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24049347/mlb-hitters-explain-why-just-beat-shift

[discostu]

It’s no different than when the NBA outlawed the zone defense. Offense is struggling, the games are getting unwatchable, and they’re desperate for a fix.

[Mariner]

Thanks for the article.

Of course they cannot beat the shift consistently. And of course they have to hit the ball in the air.

Good pitching is making for a more exciting game. No easy runs. More defensive masterpieces.

Pitching/defense continues to develop. Hitting is the same as always. Many will not like this development in the game.

They can watch NFL or NBA.

Baseball is not going to fail. It will outlast the Republic.

[a little elbow grease]

"Baseball is not going to fail. It will outlast the Republic."

________________

"Outlasting the Republic" might not be all that difficult given what the far left is doing to "our Republic".

;-)

PS -- I don't know if you have noticed the substantial declines in attendance at games. Luckily these teams are making most of their money from media coverage, etc. But attendance is pretty bad. I notice it every morning when I watch the game highlights on "Quick Pitch."