MLB to ban the shift

[jacksonianmarch]

Won’t start til 2023, but Halle-f***in-lullia. Been asking for this for awhile.

[Old Red]

Another analytics detriment to the game.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Another analytics detriment to the game.

 

Baseball doesn't need to ban the shift -- just get one organization to un-ban the bunt.

 

If yesterday's smaller weaker slower players could master hit-em-where-they-aint, then surely MLB's modern marvels of hand-eye coordination could learn.

 

Oh, wait -- they want a separate pool to pay guys to bunt instead of swinging from their heels...

[mvp 78]

The shift has been around forever. Players just haven't learned to go the other way. Scoring will go up. Games will be longer.

[Old Red]

The shift has been around forever. Players just haven't learned to go the other way. Scoring will go up. Games will be longer.

 

Yes the shift has been around since the 20’s even before Ted, but when you increase the shifts in MLB by 50,000 in a ten year period, because of todays game of analytics has not made the game better. Yes batters could go the other way, starters could go longer, games could be shorter, and I could go on, and on. One opinion is no better than the other, but it looks like the shift is going bye bye.

[mvp 78]

Yes the shift has been around since the 20’s even before Ted, but when you increase the shifts in MLB by 50,000 in a ten year period, because of todays game of analytics has not made the game better. Yes batters could go the other way, starters could go longer, games could be shorter, and I could go on, and on. One opinion is no better than the other, but it looks like the shift is going bye bye.

 

We watched Papi fight against the shift for almost his whole career. I didn't have a problem with it then. I don't have a problem with it now.

[Old Red]

We watched Papi fight against the shift for almost his whole career. I didn't have a problem with it then. I don't have a problem with it now.

 

It doesn’t bother you, and lots agree with you, but some like me it bothers, and there are lots like me also just not on here. Bottom line Bye Bye Felicia.

[Bellhorn04]

*Conventional wisdom* has been that players have tried to combat the shift mainly with launch angle, leading to more homers and more K's.

[notin]

Banning the shift is stupid. The shift is just a situational strategy. That would be like the NFL banning nickel back packages…

[notin]

*Conventional wisdom* has been that players have tried to combat the shift mainly with launch angle, leading to more homers and more K's.

 

Players were going to optimize launch angles whether or not there was a shift.

 

What’s MLB’s next target? Banning 0-2 pitches out of the zone? Hey if the batter lays off, it’s just a waste of time and slows the pace of play…

[notin]

The shift has been around forever. Players just haven't learned to go the other way. Scoring will go up. Games will be longer.

 

No kidding.

 

The shift has been used for over 100 years. The “Williams Shift” predates Ted Williams by nearly 30 years.

 

If you want teams to shift less, that’s up to the hitters, not the owners…

[Old Red]

Banning the shift is stupid. The shift is just a situational strategy. That would be like the NFL banning nickel back packages…

 

Stupid? Your entitled to that opinion, but I disagree, and I’m entitled to that opinion. MLB may be messing up the Lockout/Strike, but it sounds like they are trying to make the game better again, and a pitch clock, and banning the shift are two things that will head in that direction. Can’t wait.

[Bellhorn04]

Players were going to optimize launch angles whether or not there was a shift.

 

You don't know that. What made players think swinging for more home runs and striking out a lot more was the way to go all of a sudden?

[notin]

You don't know that. What made players think swinging for more home runs and striking out a lot more was the way to go all of a sudden?

 

Because home runs can equate to money…

[mvp 78]

Chicks do dig the long ball. Lots of them. However, lots of chicks don't dig the long ball and like situational hitting. Bottom line Bye Bye Bye Felicia.

[notin]

Chicks do dig the long ball. Lots of them. However, lots of chicks don't dig the long ball and like situational hitting. Bottom line Bye Bye Bye Felicia.

 

But agents do negotiate with the long ball, as opposed to how often the LHH puts the ball into the hole between short and third…

[moonslav59]

Are they going to adjust Papi’s stats upward or just put an asterisk next to every stat pre-2023?

[Bellhorn04]

Because home runs can equate to money…

 

Only if there are other good numbers to go with them.

 

C'mon, man, this is 2022, isn't it? We judge Hunter Renfroe on his whole game, not his dingers and ribbies...

[Bellhorn04]

Are they going to adjust Papi’s stats upward or just put an asterisk next to every stat pre-2023?

 

Why, do you think his numbers were hurt by the shift? Seems to me he did fine.

[Old Red]

Are they going to adjust Papi’s stats upward or just put an asterisk next to every stat pre-2023?

 

Did they put an asterisk next to anyone who played counting a Sac Fly as a time at bat? Did they put an asterisk next to stats of players who took special vitamins, and set HR records? Did they put an asterisk next to stats when there were more games added to the schedule? I could go on, and on. Did you think about his, or are you just throwing out comments. I’m not criticizing, or anything, but just asking.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I was about to say Rod Carew would hit .500 against modern shifts, but he wouldn't, because after about a dozen bunt hits -- anywhere they vacate -- they'd stop trying to shift him.

 

And that's the entire point.

[dgalehouse]

It's just a case of MLB trying to get more offense into the game. They think that is the big problem. They think more baserunners will increase fan interest. I seriously doubt that it will . The problems go well beyond that. Anyway , this is hardly a labor/management issue.

[moonslav59]

Why, do you think his numbers were hurt by the shift? Seems to me he did fine.

 

You really think the shift made no difference in his stats?

[moonslav59]

Did they put an asterisk next to anyone who played counting a Sac Fly as a time at bat? Did they put an asterisk next to stats of players who took special vitamins, and set HR records? Did they put an asterisk next to stats when there were more games added to the schedule? I could go on, and on. Did you think about his, or are you just throwing out comments. I’m not criticizing, or anything, but just asking.

 

Please, go on and on.

[Old Red]

Please, go on and on.

 

Just asking if you thought about it, or just made a comment. Kind of like your idea of putting Major league teams back in the minors if they don’t win enough. Once again not criticizing, but just asking. The good news if you still want to see a short fielder on D you can always watch slow pitch softball. Bye Bye Felicia.

[Old Red]

You really think the shift made no difference in his stats?

 

Lots of things, and changes to any game makes a difference in stats.

[moonslav59]

Please, go on and on.

 

Yes, I did think about it and maybe asterisks should be placed next to other stats for other reasons, but this is a rule change.

 

The shorter season is also a big one.

[moonslav59]

Lots of things, and changes to any game makes a difference in stats.

 

Yup, and this is a buggy for some players and hardly anything for others, as are other past changes.

[Old Red]

Yes, I did think about it and maybe asterisks should be placed next to other stats for other reasons, but this is a rule change.

 

The shorter season is also a big one.

 

So it has to be a rule change to rate an asterisk? Hank Aaron had 3000+ more at bats when he beat the Babes HR record. Do you think that should rate an asterisk? Same with Pete Rose breaking Ty Cobbs hits record with many more AB’s. Asterisk could be used many ways, and many times over.

[moonslav59]

So it has to be a rule change to rate an asterisk? Hank Aaron had 3000+ more at bats when he beat the Babes HR record. Do you think that should rate an asterisk? Same with Pete Rose breaking Ty Cobbs hits record with many more AB’s. Asterisk could be used many ways, and many times over.

 

I'm not making the rules, and I'm not sure of my views on asterisks for other changes.

 

I happen to think this a major rule change that will and would have affected a great many players' numbers, and some not so much.

 

I think Papi's numbers would have been even better, perhaps much better had they changed the rule in 2000.

 

The fact that Aaron played longer and got more PAs does matter, but it's not related to anything the league did. You can make adjustments for shorter seasons, on your own.

 

One can always look at HRs per PA, but how can you adjust, even roughly, for things like the shift being taken away?