Saw some stuff on Twitter this morning about MLB considering elimination of the shift because left handed hitters are at such a disadvantage in today's game. Seems like baseball is finally going the way of football where defense is going to be marginalized. Heaven forbid hitters have to adjust, let's just make the game easier for them.

Nothing more jaw-dropping than watching a lefty pull an outside pitch to five waiting "infielders" when all he has to do is hit or bunt the other way.

So pulling in a 5th infielder to prevent a run from being scored will be banned as well?

The fact that it's suggested is insane. All 7 position players could shift to the left field foul line if that is the tendency of the hitter.

Know what will stop the shift? Base hits/bunts to the opposite field.

How are you gonna legislate where fielders can and can't play? This might be the dumbest rule proposal I've ever heard of.

They are not going to do this.

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How are you gonna legislate where fielders can and can't play? This might be the dumbest rule proposal I've ever heard of.

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Seems like it would open a can of worms, that's for sure.

Plus this proposal would go against already established rules:

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4.03

When the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than
the catcher shall be on fair territory.

(a) The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position
at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being
given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the
lines of the catcher's box until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

PENALTY: Balk.

(b) The pitcher, while in the act of delivering the ball to the batter, shall take his legal
position;

(c) Except the pitcher and the catcher, any fielder may station himself anywhere in fair
territory.

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Mr.Ackard beat me to it. The remaining 7 can and should be able to play anywhere in fair territory.

Check the ego, mix in some discipline, and beat the shift by working the opposite field.

This would be stupidity of NCAA proportions.

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Check the ego, mix in some discipline, and beat the shift by working the opposite field.

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About all that needs to be said.

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Plus this proposal would go against already established rules:

quote:

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4.03

When the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than
the catcher shall be on fair territory.

(a) The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position
at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being
given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the
lines of the catcher's box until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

PENALTY: Balk.

(b) The pitcher, while in the act of delivering the ball to the batter, shall take his legal
position;

(c) Except the pitcher and the catcher, any fielder may station himself anywhere in fair
territory.

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They added or amended 9 rules before the 2014 seasons. I do not want them to do this, but MLB could just add a "(d)" or amend (c) and the issue would be taken care of.

Commissioner Manfred seems to be determined to add offense to the game. Why precisely does he want to do so at the same time he's trying to make games shorter? I'm not sure, those are difficult to reconcile.

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Nothing more jaw-dropping than watching a lefty pull an outside pitch to five waiting "infielders" when all he has to do is hit or bunt the other way.

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Bingo. Drop a few bunts down the 3rd base line and they will likely rethink their strategy. And if they don't, you're essentially getting a free base every AB.

Removing defensive tactics from the game.

What a great idea.

Could pick up a lot of doubles by just learning to take the ball the opposite way

Apparently stuff like a shortstop jumping to cover 2nd could result in a "false start" type penalty and only two infielders on either side of the mound are some of what I read. Definitely feel like this opens up a big can of worms that will ruin the game.

What's next, dots on the infield that the fielders can't move off of until the ball is put in play? Ugh.

I coach my daughter's softball teams, and early on you have to walk out there and draw circles in the dirt and say, "you stand here". So this could be like that.

Strategy is what makes baseball great.

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Plus this proposal would go against already established rules:

quote:

---

4.03

When the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than
the catcher shall be on fair territory.

(a) The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position
at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being
given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the
lines of the catcher's box until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

PENALTY: Balk.

(b) The pitcher, while in the act of delivering the ball to the batter, shall take his legal
position;

(c) Except the pitcher and the catcher, any fielder may station himself anywhere in fair
territory.

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Rule books are changed/modified/amended all the time. The same could be done with this rule.

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Commissioner Manfred seems to be determined to add offense to the game.

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Just make steroids legal...problem solved

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Commissioner Manfred seems to be determined to add offense to the game.

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Just make steroids legal...problem solved

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They've already tried that.

Yes, they can always amend the rule. But messing with this particular rule is changing one of the most fundamental aspects of the game. In my book, dictating where the remaining 7 can/can't position themselves in the field of play is almost akin to telling teams that double plays are no longer allowed.

Dumb rule but Bo Porter used to drive me insane with that ****

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Yes, they can always amend the rule. But messing with this particular rule is changing one of the most fundamental aspects of the game. In my book, dictating where the remaining 7 can/can't position themselves in the field of play is almost akin to telling teams that double plays are no longer allowed.

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First, I disagree that defensive shifts are one of the most fundamental aspects of the game. Defensive shifts are really the new strategical kid on the block and I can still watch a baseball game and I'll see guys in traditionally defined positions 80%, maybe 90+% of the time. They can change this rule and the game will mostly be played exactly how it is now.

Second, I don't totally understand the comparison to double plays. I would find this rule change more akin to akin to them telling a batter where they have to start and be when they swing or bunt to make it fair for the opposing defense...or telling a pitcher and catcher where they have to be to make it fair for the batter...or perhaps most akin to them telling a runner where they have to stay in order to make life easier on the defense.

Baseball actually has a relatively rigid scheme for telling players where they have to be on the field. (It even tells coaches where they have to be on the field ) Baseball isn't as rigid as football, but its actually not quite as free form as the other major sports in this country (basketball, hockey, and soccer).

That said, I really, really don't want this rule because I enjoy the strategy and the challenge it presents to hitters.

The solution should be for hitters to adapt and make defenses have to cover the entire field.

The current shift is simply a new kind of shift. But there have always been strategic shifts for position players to gain a defensive advantage. Positioning of OF's, guarding the lines, DP depth, playing in, etc. All of these shifts have a strategic goal and have a risk/reward component, while the offense has an opportunity to take advantage if it in some way. When you start telling them which of these are acceptable and which ones aren't, you are absolutely messing with the fundamental aspects of the game.

Baseball has been rigid with P and C out of necessity. Its never been rigid with the other 7. And by telling coaches where to stand, you mean the coaches boxes that none of them actually stand in?

who remembers Keith Hernandez? When holding runners on first base he liked to stand with 1 foot in foul territory. I think MLB made him stop doing that or they did not enforce the rule when he did that

I will say...some of the shift stuff has gotten out of hand

how can you not like this?

How in the world can a professional major league hitter not learn to just hit it the other way?

Drop a bunt down the 3rd base line and you're almost guaranteed a single in that pic if you have any kind of speed.

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Drop a bunt down the 3rd base line and you're almost guaranteed a single in that pic if you have any kind of speed.

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Singles don't get the big contracts.

35 homers with 220 strike outs will.

Most of the hitters that they put the shift on for would rather try for the homer than settle on a bunt single.

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Singles don't get the big contracts.

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I think Ichiro and Jeter did pretty well for their career money wise.

And if the sluggers start dropping down some bunts eventually the defenses will stop going to the shift against them.