Here’s a Potential Rule Change Even David Ortiz Can Be Excited About
New MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is open to considering a rule that would limit defensive shifts in baseball. Baseball traditionalists cringe at the sight of a shortstop or third baseman on the right side of second base, but forward-thinking teams have been using analytics to better position themselves defensively.
Manfred made his position known in an interview with ESPN, and Karl Ravech didn’t let him off the hook easily.
“So all of the work that the Cubs and/or Angels and/or whoever has done, you’re willing to say, ‘I appreciate that, good idea, but it’s killing the game in a sense?’’’ Ravech asked.
“I mean, we have really smart people working in the game,’’ Manfred answered. “And they’re going to figure out way to get a competitive advantage. I think it’s incumbent on us in the commissioner’s office to look at the advantages that are produced and say, ‘Is this what we want to happen in the game?’’’
[fragment number=0][fragment number=1]
Change is in the air in MLB as the league tries to speed up the pace of the game and Manfred takes over the top job from Bud Selig. When Ortiz was told a new rule was in place that forced hitters to keep one foot in the batter’s box between pitches, he was incensed.
“It seems like every rule goes in the pitcher’s favor,’’ Ortiz said in an expletive-filled rant. “After a pitch, you got to stay in the box? One foot? I call that bull%#@$’’
Something tells us Ortiz might be a little more receptive to a rule change that would prevent teams from shifting against him. Considering how much he cares about every last hit on his resume, he should be baseball’s biggest advocate for abolishing the shift.
In 2014, the Wall Street Journal found that Ortiz had been “robbed’’ of 21 hits over the course of the season due to shifted defenses. Those 21 hits were the difference between a .263 batting average and a .306 batting average.
While studies like this one from FanGraphs show that the shift isn’t hurting offenses on the whole, Ortiz is one of the players where the numbers reflect the usefulness of sabermetrics and heat maps. Will MLB put an end to the “progressive’’ defensive trends? It’s hard to say. The American League and National League can’t even agree on whether the pitcher should bat or not.
There are people with strong opinions on both sides of the shifting argument. One person whose opinion shouldn’t be hard to sway is Big Papi’s.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com