Lefties bunting against the shift?

[Rollinghard]

Guess I am talking about Calhoun. Goodwin could do it too, but he is hitting just fine. But if he did every once in a while it would make teams think twice about giving him an easy base hit. Calhoun is slumping. He is relatively fast. Don't understand why he cant bunt, slap, or just hit a ground ball the other way especially when they throw outside to him regularly.  Why wouldn't  he work on it a BP?  Maybe he could  extend his career. Who knows?  What he is doing now is not working and he is going to find himself playing right bench very soon.  

[Angel Oracle]

It's all about the three true outcomes, and unfortunately poking it the other way isn't one of them. 

[T.G.]

Welcome to AW @Rollinghard - now go back and read all 1,065 pages and let us know when you come across the thread(s) where this was already discussed.  See you in September.

[T.G.]

@VariousCrap I'm not really trolling... I'm just giving the new guy a hard time. He might as well get used to it early on.

[yk9001]

I love the shifts.  

I think that if LH hitters slapped the ball down the third base line, it would be a delightful cat-and-mouse game.

Alas, I never see it.

[floplag]

Never going to happen, as logical as it may be, as much sense as it makes, its just not if it hasnt by now. 
As others have said its about the math and somehow an honest to god hit doesnt seem to have value anymore. 

[yk9001]

I can't remember the angels hitter on Sunday, but there was a mile wide gap between the 3rd base and where the shortstop was playing.

 

I think the angels hitter struck out.

 

(sad trombone sound)

[yk9001]

That's why i get bummed when people denounce the shifts.  I love the shifts.  its a different alignment than i've seen my whole life.

 

It's the approach to the shifts that is disappointing.

[VariousCrap]

I personally think it is lazy baseball preparation by guys like Calhoun to not spend the entire offseason working on bunting the ball to the left side of the field to get teams to stop shifting on them.  This is their job.  Learn to F'n bunt!!! 

[Homebrewer]

I saw Brantley (astros) do this just yesterday vs the Twinkies.

It was amazing how well it worked and you know what?

He ended up scoring.

I think guys that can't do this should be fined or benched or both...it's  f'n embarrassment to the game.  

[Troll Daddy]

If it’s good enough for Harper ... then Calhoun should take notice 

[Jeremiah]

As much crap as Harper rightly receives for some of his antics, that bunt against the shift was great. If that happens enough, maybe defenses will need to play more honestly.

[Lou]

I don't want my $300M player bunting 

[T.G.]

Bunting is for decorating.

[Angel Oracle]

4 hours ago, yk9001 said:

That's why i get bummed when people denounce the shifts.  I love the shifts.  its a different alignment than i've seen my whole life.

 

It's the approach to the shifts that is disappointing.

I'm coming around to this thinking.   I despise the three true outcomes philosophy, it's so UNtraditional.

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, Lou said:

I don't want my $300M player bunting 

That's fine.   It's the other much lesser paid players not taking advantage of the huge hole even just sometimes, that is frustrating.

[Angel Oracle]

4 hours ago, VariousCrap said:

I personally think it is lazy baseball preparation by guys like Calhoun to not spend the entire offseason working on bunting the ball to the left side of the field to get teams to stop shifting on them.  This is their job.  Learn to F'n bunt!!! 

Even just slapping the ball that way

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, Lou said:

I don't want my $300M player bunting 

So everyone on the team but Trout should give it a try. 

[totdprods]

I hypothesized this in another thread, but part of me wonders if players like Kole, Chris Davis, etc., are actually hitting worse because they’re trying to go the other way or hit against the shift.

I know that sounds crazy at first, because you’d think we’d see more poor attempts to hit the other way if that was the case, and the data probably is strong enough these days that defensive shifts could take a .700-.800 OPS bat and turn them into a .400-500 OPS hitter...but...what if these guys have been so ingrained and developed in hitting a certain way over 20 years that all the tinkering in an effort to hit the other way is just causing their mechanics to totally fall apart? And that’s why they’re not just dropping to .600 OPS, but way, way below...losing BA, losing OBP, and losing SLG? All elements of their offensive game? Makes you wonder if an overcompensation is bringing worse results than if they did just keep hitting the way they’ve always done.

That doesn’t excuse them - their approach and mental make-up should be stronger to allow such tinkering - but I do wonder if there is something that’s causing these players to just totally fall apart offensively that is beyond shifts. Perhaps we’re just seeing a generational thing play out, where guys who grew up watching the roided generation didn’t learn enough about adjustments, contact, approach. 

Edited April 23, 2019 by totdprods

[Angel Oracle]

Nothing else is going to stop the shifts besides slapping the ball the other way, outside of Manfred instituting an NBA like rule limiting shifts or the ball becoming so lively that it whizzes by the fielders or the fielders being forces to wear smaller gloves.

[Jeremiah]

1 hour ago, Lou said:

I don't want my $300M player bunting 

I would generally agree, and so do the Phillies from what I’ve read. That said, Harper is a streaky hitter who has had struggles against the shift. So much so that he and his agent have been vocal critics of it. I would look at it more situationally. Also, someone like Harper trying that may get players who don’t have his complete skill set to try it more often.

[Jeremiah]

3 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Nothing else is going to stop the shifts besides slapping the ball the other way, outside of Manfred instituting an NBA like rule limiting shifts or the ball becoming so lively that it whizzes by the fielders or the fielders being forces to wear smaller gloves.

One of the things shifts may be doing is lowering batting averages, but increasing walks. Patience and the occasional bunt may be the best ways to combat the shift.

https://www.mlb.com/news/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-shift-c276706888

[Jeff Fletcher]

Right now Calhoun is 9 for 25 when he pulls the ball. 

He is 4 for 19 when hitting it up the middle 

He is 1 for 12 when hitting it the other way

[Angel Oracle]

2 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Right now Calhoun is 9 for 25 when he pulls the ball. 

He is 4 for 19 when hitting it up the middle 

He is 1 for 12 when hitting it the other way

He is one that seems to be the opposite.    But does that mean that everyone should continue to pull the ball, even if they aren't nearly as successful as Calhoun has been? 

[Jeff Fletcher]

6 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

He is one that seems to be the opposite.    But does that mean that everyone should continue to pull the ball, even if they aren't nearly as successful as Calhoun has been? 

Stop being obsessed with batting average.

The major league average right now is about .245, I think. But there are still plenty of runs, because of walks and homers.