The shift is getting out of hand.......

[Ashburn Alley]

Ha I don't think a shift is going to prevent a double off the wall unless they shift everyone to the warning track.

 

[scotty216brs]

Yeah yeah, lol...but you get the point. A bunt single is essentially the same as a walk, and I'm sure as heck teams would much rather give Ortiz a "walk" then let him have the bat in his hands, especially with RISP. The good thing about Ortiz is that even though the shift works more often then not against him, he can still hit through the shift on a regular basis.

 

[Sig40cal]

I agree wholeheartedly. I used to scream at the TV when they first started doing it to Giambi in '02-'03-'04 somewhere in there. I would take a half hour a day in practice and have my guys who are "shifted" most practice either slapping the ball the other way or straight up bunting down the line. I don't care that you hit 35 HR last year, I expect you to get on base any way that you can. Are the long balls nice, yes, but seeing a guy hit into the shift 9 straight times makes me want to jump off a high bridge.

 

[MrMet]

Lucas Duda just bunted against the shift vs the Phillies

 

[hive17]

The only thing I like watching more than a batter beating a shift is when a guy gets a hit after the guy in front of him gets an IBB.

 

[Super Mario]

Yeah. The Yanks now use the shift more than anyone in baseball. I think its great. I'd say around 80-90% of the time it works. Some guys have started bunting but some just wont. Someones number 4 hitter isn't supposed to be hitting bunt singles. They are supposed to drive the ball, thus they don't put bunts down.

My only pet peeve is when they shift against contact or leadoff hitters. Like Matt Carpenter of the Cardinals. He should be played straight up, not shifted.

That's what caused me to create this thread. People using the shift against Matt Carpenter.

I just don't get it.

 

[maxe0213]

That's what caused me to create this thread. People using the shift against Matt Carpenter.

I just don't get it.

Its cuz the success rate is so high. I'm not sure what you don't get. If it works 75-85 percent of the time why wouldn't you? Most lefty hitters pull the ball the majority of the time including Carpenter especially against righty pitchers.

 

[Super Mario]

Its cuz the success rate is so high. I'm not sure what you don't get. If it works 75-85 percent of the time why wouldn't you? Most lefty hitters pull the ball the majority of the time including Carpenter especially against righty pitchers.

Using the shift against a player who sprays the ball all over the field is what I don't get. It's useless against Matt Carpenter.

 

[Brewer Andy]

Maybe some teams are confident that they can pitch him to pull