Correct, which makes it harder for righties to bunt for a base hit against the

Oct 22, 2021
10:31:31am

StantonMac Monkey see monkey do

shift because for them, there are more defenders on the 3rd base side so they can’t bunt there, and bunting to the first baseman is likely an easy out for the defense.

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StantonMac

Bio page: StantonMac
Joined: Mar 2, 2001
Last login: Apr 30, 2024
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Messages

Author

Time

Question for baseball guys about the shift. I've had the thought for a year too, so I'm sure a reason this isn't being

unctoothman To extract or not to extract..

10/22/21 9:43am

They could. Some players actually do with success. Most don't. They play for

777

10/22/21 9:45am

So I hear that argument that batters are worried about their own OPS from a contract standpoint. But most of that is

unctoothman

10/22/21 9:49am

The HR is from a metrics standpoint. Most every team plays for the long ball to

777

10/22/21 9:51am

Bunting is hard, many great players have tried but never mastered it. Plus it’s

BigD Coug

10/22/21 9:50am

A fast player outrunning a bunt is exciting.

HighHorse

10/22/21 9:52am

Maybe compared to a slower player being thrown out on a bunt...

Tricky

10/22/21 9:59am

Yes, but even then it's a good play if it advances the runners on base.

HighHorse

10/22/21 10:01am

Which is a good thing. I'm just challenging the idea that its that EXCITING

Tricky

10/22/21 10:02am

True, unless the batter is fast and puts down a decent bunt.

HighHorse

10/22/21 10:02am

Absolutely. Freeman & other great hitters trying to outrun a bunt is not

BigD Coug

10/22/21 10:17am

But at the end of the day, after all the analytics and matchup strategy that goes into the game oh, I don't see a good

unctoothman

10/22/21 9:55am

A good bunter against the shift will turn into a .450-.600 hitter most likely, not a 1.000 hitter.

shimmy

10/22/21 10:12am

That makes sense. Wonder what the value of scoring a run with a guy on 1st 50% of the time and one less out are compared

unctoothman

10/22/21 10:43am

A couple years ago George Brett said that if they had done the shift back when he was playing

HighHorse

10/22/21 9:47am

With all due respect to George Brett, when he played maybe a handful of pitchers

Not Applicable

10/22/21 10:11am

They never would have shifted against George Brett.

shimmy

10/22/21 10:11am

True. One of the greatest pure hitters in history.

HighHorse

10/22/21 11:38am

1) Bunting is incredibly difficult to master. 2) The median age of baseball fans

BigD Coug

10/22/21 9:48am

But you don't have to turn Freddie Freeman into a bunter. If he does it once the series, it serves it's purpose

unctoothman

10/22/21 9:51am

Hitting is incredibly difficult to master, and these guys have done that being

777

10/22/21 9:54am

The team with the shift on wants guys to bunt…. They’d take a bunt single 30%

kotacoug

10/22/21 9:53am

The shift does nothing to prevent a guy from jacking it over the fence. All it's preventing is a single.

unctoothman

10/22/21 10:00am

I’m saying if he bunts that’s what the fielding team wants him to do, if he

kotacoug

10/22/21 10:08am

It's preventing everything but the HR. You get less singles and doubles against the shift.

shimmy

10/22/21 10:13am

Maybe less doubles from a hard hit ball on the ground in the gap. But dor the balls more than ten feet off the ground

unctoothman

10/22/21 10:45am

there is a lot less gap total.

shimmy

10/22/21 11:52am

Pitchers are athletic enough to field a decent amount of bunts.

tarzan15

10/22/21 9:55am

It’s much easier for lefties, because they start 6 feet or so closer to 1st base

StantonMac

10/22/21 10:07am

Of course they can... but most people who defense play the shift

tarzan15

10/22/21 10:19am

Correct, which makes it harder for righties to bunt for a base hit against the

StantonMac

10/22/21 10:31am

Because analytics say a bunt single is less likely to end up in a run

StantonMac

10/22/21 10:05am

Good.explanation, thanks.

unctoothman

10/22/21 10:40am

If he did, the defense would consider that a win anyways

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