Well I guess that settles it then. I don't like being a slave to the shift. There are a whole lot of times that it makes perfect sense. There are times it does not. Are you saying that the type of pitches and location just do not matter? I don't understand how you do not understand that a diet of fastballs outside (he threw 1 pitch under 97, a 92mph "changeup") will inevitably result in a ball getting hit the other way, where the closest person with a glove is the ballboy down the line. Do go look at the pitch chart to Crawford (right here: https://www.mlb.com/gameday/astros-...state=final,game_tab=play-by-play,game=531097), he's not Joey Gallo or anything, he can handle the bat, why wouldn't you bust a fastball inside or put a slider at his feet just to keep him honest? Unless that's Rondon's MO to LHB, refuse to throw a slider down and in or even a FB I dunno. Regardless, it's too late and 5:45 was too early this morning, would love to talk about this the next off day or something, good to see you back around talking Stros.
A loss tonight with Bumgarner AND Paxton looming in b2b games would have been rough. Just a monster, monster walk off by Marwin. A split over the next 2 games facing two Ace lefties while short handed would be a huge success. Need some more clutch hitting and/or a Gem by Dallas or Justin.
Now that is interesting. How many guys really choke up anymore though, as opposed to just grip and rip?
There’s a pitching component to the shift’s effectiveness. Also, the reason why the shift peaked and isn’t used quite as frequently as when Maddon first went crazy with it is because it hasn’t proven to be as effective as first thought. So there are definitely variables to shifts, and the data/science is not settled at all. I think there needs to be a nuanced approach to it because everything from pitcher psychology to pitch location/approach are in play here.
Bats are lighter than they used to be. Barry Bonds used to choke up. Not sure what that means. But it's interesting given he had enough steroids it wouldn't seem to matter.
On defensive shifts, the Astros FO have all the numbers. It won't work every time, but the percentage is higher that it will work than that it won't. For example, when the Dodgers in Game 7 kept hitting into our infielders' spots, that was the shift at work. Luhnow said that last out where Altuve was at the right spot, he was there because of the shift.
He’s also not realizing that advanced metrics suggest abandoning the shift with 2 strikes in an AB where a good hitter has actively tried to beat it. The Astros do this as well (and should have done it in this AB). hard for people to notice sometimes, esp when they don’t point it out on tv.
Astros are a slave to playing where each batter is most likely to hit the ball. This leads to a lot of shifts. Regarding pitch selection, it is up to pitcher and catcher to select pitches, and they should take defense into account. Defense adjusts based on pitcher, but not on individual pitches.
It seems like it happens a lot when DK is on the mound. You'd think they would play more straight up with 2 strikes, but I guess the numbers say it is less likely a guy goes the other way with 2 strikes versus a shift?
