This 'shift thing' ain't so new. (1946 World Series)
What do you all think of telling defensive players where to play?
Crazy, eh?
This 'shift thing' ain't so new. (1946 World Series)
I’m more concerned with length of games than with scoring. A well pitched 1-0 game is a beauty to behold.
But, to speed up games, I’d limit each side to 3 or 4 pitchers per game and 1 to each 3 innings after 9.
The only reason there are baseball defensive positions is because they offered the best odds of covering the bases to make outs and the most even distribution across the field in general. I doubt that ‘second baseman’ or ‘shortstop’ even appear in the rules. Tradition and common sense do not always dictate location on the diamond.
If a team wanted to array 7 fielders within 30 ft of home plate to catch a bunt that would be entirely kosher as long as they’re within the foul lines.
The issue, as always, is that the players don’t like having their liabilities exposed. As one baseball writer noted recently, a team shifted and dared the hitter simply to make contact to the opposite field over 17 pitches or so and the major leaguer couldn’t do it. How can that be the fault of the defense who exposed fully half the infield?
If MLB wants to increase scoring, then maybe they should eliminate half the players on the field. Or maybe they can make everyone play with 50-pound weights chained to their ankles. WTF?
All the batter needed to do was lay a bunt to left to get on base, instead he hit it right at the left fielder who was standing behind the shortstop, who was standing behind the second baseman, but the right fielder ran up and caught it on the fly.
There's some honor system or union contract involved I suppose, because it doesn't make sense and looks silly.
Shifts have been around in some form since the 1870’s. And there is no evidence it works to increases on base % unless you are talking a tiny fraction of one percent.
I heard a stray reference on a telecast last week. I didn’t catch all of it. I’m with you. There is no reason to prohibit the “shift.” If the offensive side can’t take advantage by stealing third, or bunting, or being a spray hitter, they don’t deserve to succeed. Maybe next they should limit the speed the pitcher can throw the ball? Or maybe the amount of movement on a curve ball? Or even start every batter with a 3 ball count.
I once saw a MLB team deploy a rather unusual strategy. The bases were loaded with no outs in the bottom of the ninth and the score tied. The team in the field placed 5 players in the infield to cut down a runner at the plate. Any ground ball getting through the infield would have been a walk off. Any fly ball to moderate/deep outfield would be a walkoff. So, the defense deployed 5 players in the infield to protect the lines, and enhance the probability of a groundball resulting in a double play. Over the years, I’ve thought about that many times.
In that particular instance the batter grounded into a 7-2-3 double play with the left fielder playing at the gap between 5 and 6. The SS was in front of second base. The next batter, when the defense resumed a “normal” placement, filed out to deep left center field.
You always see something new at every game.
Gwjack
Hitters need to learn to adapt.
Right now the game is driven by sabermetrics. OPS über alles. A walk is NOT as good as a hit.
When Ty Cobb attended a game where Ted Williams hit into a shift, he nearly went crazy. He said that if they did that to him, they would never get him out. Williams was an intuitive sabermetrician. He preferred taking a chance on an extra base hit over an easy single.
The weak knee, wet, pink panty idiots float a BS regulation to see how many assholes salute. Pissonthemall.!!
Proggs are ruining everything else so why should baseball be immune?
Schemes like this could ruin Baseball. So much of what makes Baseball fascinating is strategy, outmaneuvering the odds. There's already too much interference. Example....in playoffs, long breaks between innings affect the flow and probably even the outcome of the game. I don't even like to watch playoff games because of that.
Now why are they trying to tell the coaches what to do? I thought the purpose of the coaching was to win.
EVERY level of baseball, from wiffle ball on up, has the outfielders going deep when a slugger gets up.
My son plays in B ball Little League. If shifts weren’t allowed, either every power hitter would get an in the park home run when he doesn’t strike out or walk, or every punch and judy hitter will get doubles routinely.
I don’t think the “having all the infielders 10 feet away” from the bunter thing works, but the coaches sure do.
I barely survived staying a fan with the DH, but once they allowed inter-league play, I was through. Baseball was a great game because they DID NOT change it through the decades...until the Baby Boomers took over.
They can keep it.
Until the Dodgers return to Brooklyn, nothing will ever be right.
When the ball is hit, a sensor in the bat would send a signal that would release the clamp and the players would now be able to move anywhere they want.
After the batter is out, has stopped at a base, or has crossed home plate, the defense would move back to their clamps to be ready for the next pitch.
Elon Musk is probably working on it right now.
How bout telling batters to hit to opposite fields?
How much more interesting would THAT be?
That’s a strategic part of the game. That could plqy hell with all kinds of century old record keeping. Some people don’t have enough to do so they spend the extra time irdanuzing there to their to their point if view. 9 times out if 10, a “progressive” is driving the change. Churches, football, baseball...damn them! Leave MY world alone!