Beating the shift

#1
VolsFan4Ever-11

VolsFan4Ever-11

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#1
I've always wondered when a power hitter comes up (more often a left handed hitter) when the shift is put on, why not have him drop a bunt down the line. I know you want your power hitter swingging away, but i think this could take away from them always having the shift played against them.
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#3
#3
Because power hitters are typically terrible bunters and poor runners, and the pitcher and catcher both have a good chance at getting to the ball.
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#5
#5
If i were that bad of a bunter, i would work on it. At least try and sneak a bunt in every now and then
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#6
#6
VolsFan4Ever-11 said:
If i were that bad of a bunter, i would work on it. At least try and sneak a bunt in every now and then
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Priorities. No sense working on a yearly gimmick.

However, the passing of the steroid era, and a larger emphasis on/need to produce runs, has shown that competent bunters are few and far between.
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#7
#7
I agree. It blows my mind of how many guys can't even lay down a sac bunt, let alone to try and bunt for a hit.
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#8
#8
Watched Mike Cameron trying to lay down a sac bunt a few weeks ago, Helen Keller would've done better.
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#9
#9
It's like some guys have never even tried to lay one down even in practice. It's hard to watch sometimes.
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#10
#10
I'm not paying my cleanup hitter to bunt.

And as stated, unless he perfects the bunt down the line, there is a good chance he's slow and the pitcher or catcher will get him.

Finally, they can just adjust the shift and play the 3rd baseman in bunt position in a situation where no one is on because if there is a runner on first and my power hitter is bunting im going to be angry.
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#11
#11
I think the best way to beat the shift is just to go the other way. Still seems Ryan Howard and others still pull it 90% of the time.
 
#12
#12
It's probably pretty tough to bunt a cutter some of these pitchers are throwing now.
 
#13
#13
Mr_Henley said:
I think the best way to beat the shift is just to go the other way. Still seems Ryan Howard and others still pull it 90% of the time.
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great post. I mean obviously teams put on a defensive shift because the batter has shown how good he is at sending it to the opposite field.

As Tiger said, I'm not going to pay my power hitter to lay down a bunt and I'm not going to screw his swing up by getting him to try to hit to the opposite side of the field.
 
#14
#14
I've always taught/been taught middle away, but to jump all over the inside pitch. Purposely pulling the ball gets you rolling over too much.
 
#17
#17
Mr_Henley said:
I think the best way to beat the shift is just to go the other way. Still seems Ryan Howard and others still pull it 90% of the time.
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Of course it is but do you really think it's that easy? They put the shift on for a reason, because the batter hits it almost exclusively to one side and does it well. If they could effectively hit to both fields they wouldn't put the shift on.
 
#18
#18
volfanbill said:
great post. I mean obviously teams put on a defensive shift because the batter has shown how good he is at sending it to the opposite field.

As Tiger said, I'm not going to pay my power hitter to lay down a bunt and I'm not going to screw his swing up by getting him to try to hit to the opposite side of the field.
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I agree to a certain extent. But letting the ball travel a bit more and staying inside of it would not screw his swing up. Might make some opposing teams take notice and avoid the shift down the road.
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#19
#19
NYYVol said:
I agree to a certain extent. But letting the ball travel a bit more and staying inside of it would not screw his swing up. Might make some opposing teams take notice and avoid the shift down the road.
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eh... Getting him to learn to wait on it can get in his head. Bad things, and I do mean bad things happen to baseball players when stuff starts moving around in between the ears. I wouldn't risk it.
 
#20
#20
volfanbill said:
eh... Getting him to learn to wait on it can get in his head. Bad things, and I do mean bad things happen to baseball players when stuff starts moving around in between the ears. I wouldn't risk it.
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These are the best hitters on the planet. Surely letting the ball get a hair deeper once in a while wouldn't throw their game off that much. If it did, they need to find a new hobby. I think asking them to change their approach as a whole would be too much. But I don't think telling them to let it travel and stomp it late would be an issue.

Keep in mind they don't even have to keep it fair. Just something to show opposing managers that the shift isn't always a given.
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