OT: MLB Thread XLVII

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

Yankees linked to Joey Gallo.

 

[Maximus]

Yankees linked to Joey Gallo.

My lord....Gallo and the short right field porch of Yankee Stadium is a marriage made in heaven.

 

[Crease]

I could live with the 7-inning doubleheader. I'm not so bothered by that. The ghost runner, I absolutely f***ing detest and the sooner it's gone, the better.

Agreed.

I would also mandate that all infielders start on the dirt each pitch, in response to the crazy shifts currently being deployed.

 

[romba]

Agreed.

I would also mandate that all infielders start on the dirt each pitch, in response to the crazy shifts currently being deployed.

Also limited number for each side of 2nd base

 

[LeetchisGod]

My lord....Gallo and the short right field porch of Yankee Stadium is a marriage made in heaven.

I'm surprised Cashman is changing his tune on left handed power.

 

[sbjnyc]

Agreed.

I would also mandate that all infielders start on the dirt each pitch, in response to the crazy shifts currently being deployed.

Why? What problem does this solve? Defensive shifts have been around for 100 years.

 

[romba]

Why? What problem does this solve? Defensive shifts have been around for 100 years.

Was every hitter shifted against 100 years ago, with all infielders put on one side at times? Hitters clearly can't adapt so something needs to be done to make the game more exciting and turn a few outs into more singles and doubles.

 

[nyr2k2]

I think it will take a full generation of players to adjust to the shift. Guys that are 30 and have had the same pull-oriented approach for the last 20 years of their lives, they can't just flip a switch and start smacking the ball the other way. I think using the whole field will again be something that is preached to kids throughout their youth careers and into the minors, as a means to avoid the crazy shifts we see now. Again though, it will take some time. The shift has been around for a long time but these severe shifts I feel like are a relatively new introduction (with a few exceptions) and eventually players will adapt to them.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

My lord....Gallo and the short right field porch of Yankee Stadium is a marriage made in heaven.

My lord....Gallo and the short right field porch of Yankee Stadium is a marriage made in heaven.

He can also play the OF and he's LEFT HANDED and is signed for next year. Should be a no brainer if they can pull it off.

Of course these next 11 games with Boston and TB this month likely will decide the season pretty much he would be signed for next year.

 

[sbjnyc]

Was every hitter shifted against 100 years ago, with all infielders put on one side at times? Hitters clearly can't adapt so something needs to be done to make the game more exciting and turn a few outs into more singles and doubles.

We've all complained about the lack of fundamentals in baseball - if other hitters can't or won't adapt that's on them. Or do you want to eliminate outfield positioning, guarding the lines, etc. as well? Maybe restrict pitchers from pitching inside while we're at it. To my knowledge, no other sport restricts how you position your defense (aside from maybe the 3 second rule in the NBA).

I think it will take a full generation of players to adjust to the shift. Guys that are 30 and have had the same pull-oriented approach for the last 20 years of their lives, they can't just flip a switch and start smacking the ball the other way. I think using the whole field will again be something that is preached to kids throughout their youth careers and into the minors, as a means to avoid the crazy shifts we see now. Again though, it will take some time. The shift has been around for a long time but these severe shifts I feel like are a relatively new introduction (with a few exceptions) and eventually players will adapt to them.

They've already had years to adapt. This is not a new phenomenon.

Boston Red Sox DH David Ortiz could benefit from elimination of defensive shifts

 

[Crease]

I think it will take a full generation of players to adjust to the shift. Guys that are 30 and have had the same pull-oriented approach for the last 20 years of their lives, they can't just flip a switch and start smacking the ball the other way. I think using the whole field will again be something that is preached to kids throughout their youth careers and into the minors, as a means to avoid the crazy shifts we see now. Again though, it will take some time. The shift has been around for a long time but these severe shifts I feel like are a relatively new introduction (with a few exceptions) and eventually players will adapt to them.

I see Instagram videos of kids at these “velocity centers” snorting pre-workout and trying to break their velocity PRs with the worst technique imaginable, so I don’t have much hope for the next generation.

 

[nyr2k2]

They've already had years to adapt. This is not a new phenomenon.

Boston Red Sox DH David Ortiz could benefit from elimination of defensive shifts

When I said it's relatively new "with a few exceptions" Ortiz was one of those that came to mind. Still though--this article was from 2015 when Ortiz was 39! You think guys can play until their late 30's then change their approach? I was also talking about the dramtically increased prevalence of shifts--ten years ago you'd see certain big sluggers with some kind of shift, but now half of more of the guys in a game see some sort of shift.

Anyway, as I said, it takes a full generation--and maybe more--to fully adapt. The article seems to peg 2008 as the time period where shifts started affecting Ortiz, with Joe Maddon allegedly being the instigator. If you say shifts started becoming en vogue in 2005 (I think that's early, but for the sake of argument), a full generation of players is going to take you until 2025 or so before you start seeing the tides turn. So, we'll see.

Either way, I wouldn't do anything about it. I think it's a legitimate strategic tool and the batters just have to figure it out eventually, which they will.

I see Instagram videos of kids at these “velocity centers” snorting pre-workout and trying to break their velocity PRs with the worst technique imaginable, so I don’t have much hope for the next generation.

That's a valid point, and certainly possible. However, if hitters know they're going to be shifted and outright refuse to adjust, even though they have their whole career ahead of them...then f*** 'em, that's on them. I wouldn't amend the rules for players who refuse to even attempt to adapt.

 

[Bob Richards]

Yankees/Sox postponed tonight for COVID.

 

[Leonardo87]

Yankees/Sox postponed tonight for COVID.

Was going to be my first game of the season. Was at the train station and all of a sudden the people waiting started to chatter and oh well.

 

[will1066]

Yankees/Sox postponed tonight for COVID.

For or because of?

Sorry. I just got done copy editing a report for work and I'm still in copy editor mode.

 

[will1066]

We've all complained about the lack of fundamentals in baseball - if other hitters can't or won't adapt that's on them. Or do you want to eliminate outfield positioning, guarding the lines, etc. as well? Maybe restrict pitchers from pitching inside while we're at it. To my knowledge, no other sport restricts how you position your defense (aside from maybe the 3 second rule in the NBA).


They've already had years to adapt. This is not a new phenomenon.

Boston Red Sox DH David Ortiz could benefit from elimination of defensive shifts

The NHL instituted the trapezoid behind the nets to prevent goalies from going beyond it to play the puck. It's a defense positioning restriction.

Yeah, I'm a smart ass.

 

[Machinehead]

On top of everything else, the Yankees are antivaxxers apparently. Good to know.

This is their second huge covid outbreak post-vaccines. Has it happened to any other team?

 

[Bob Richards]

For or because of?

Sorry. I just got done copy editing a report for work and I'm still in copy editor mode.

 

[LaffyTaffyNYR]

On top of everything else, the Yankees are antivaxxers apparently. Good to know.

This is their second huge covid outbreak post-vaccines. Has it happened to any other team?

The people who have tested positive have gotten the vaccine.. Its not perfect and you can still get covid just like the flu if you got the flu shot lol

and yes its happened to other teams (maybe not as many) in both MLB and NBA

 

[Machinehead]

The people who have tested positive have gotten the vaccine.. Its not perfect and you can still get covid just like the flu if you got the flu shot lol

and yes its happened to other teams (maybe not as many) in both MLB and NBA

This is the second time this season it's gone through the whole team. The vaccination rate is definitely not what the Yankees are claiming it is.

Nobody said it's perfect but it should work at least a little bit.

The Yankees are allegedly over 85%. This number one bullshit.

 

[romba]

To my knowledge, no other sport restricts how you position your defense (aside from maybe the 3 second rule in the NBA).

Goalies can't play the puck outside the trapezoid, illegal defense (limiting zone-type defense) in NBA, there is some precedent.

 

[nyr2k2]

Goalies can't play the puck outside the trapezoid, illegal defense (limiting zone-type defense) in NBA, there is some precedent.

There's definitely precedent, no doubt.

I could maybe go for something like all infielders must have at least one foot on the infield when the pitch is thrown, to avoid having the 2B in mid-shallow right and that stuff. What I don't like is trying to keep the SS/2B to their respective sides of second; I think if you want to have three guys on one side of the bag you should be able to.

The astronomical strikeout totals are IMO the biggest problem. Guys make so little contact. Honestly I think the shift, if guys put the ball in play more, people wouldn't mind it as much because you'd invariably get some guys--either intentionally or unintentionally--going the other way against it, and just more action in general.

 

[romba]

This is the second time this season it's gone through the whole team. The vaccination rate is definitely not what the Yankees are claiming it is.

Nobody said it's perfect but it should work at least a little bit.

The Yankees are allegedly over 85%. This number one bullshit.

You think they lied abt vaccination rates so they can avoid the restrictions? That would be a hell of a story if true. If they start getting severely sick I'll be more skeptical of the 85% number but I've come to realize integrity no longer exists outside of like 2% of ppl, and when there's $ involved even less, so you might be right here.

 

[Doctyl]

This is the second time this season it's gone through the whole team. The vaccination rate is definitely not what the Yankees are claiming it is.

Nobody said it's perfect but it should work at least a little bit.

The Yankees are allegedly over 85%. This number one bullshit.

I think I saw that the positive players all had the J&J vaccine. It’s much less surprising than if they had gotten one of the other two.

Its doing its job though, they’re not really sick. Only 2 have mild symptoms from what I saw.

 

[RGY]

Joc Pederson to Atlanta