MLB believes the league is trending towards a homer-centric approach and it does not like it.
They want to see more hits per game and more stolen base attempts.
They believe the action is on the basepaths and should not be centered at the plate.
That’s why they are making sure hurlers don’t take so much time between pitches so the pace can be quicker and more entertaining, and that is why they are making the bases bigger without altering the distance between them.
The new shift rules are also directly tied to the number of hits the league expects to have per game.
This video from the AP explains the new shift rule with details.
“The infield shift is gone, a change MLB hopes will spur more action. The league expects limits on the shift will lead to 1-2 more hits per game. The league-wide batting average last year of .243 was the lowest since 1968,” they tweeted.
The infield shift is gone, a change MLB hopes will spur more action.
The league expects limits on the shift will lead to 1-2 more hits per game. The league-wide batting average last year of .243 was the lowest since 1968.
by @davidbrandtap https://t.co/yEHCQhTQiz pic.twitter.com/P26g3G3ILq
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) February 22, 2023
Some people love their home runs and strikeouts, while others would love to see more action.
Since we don’t have the stats, we don’t know which camp is bigger.
We do know, however, that the league wants more action on the bases, and more batted balls turning into hits.
Shifts reduced the odds of ground balls turning into hits, so MLB is now forcing teams to have two fielders at each side of second base.
Teams must also have a minimum of four players within the outer boundary of the infield.
With the shift, savvy teams often overloaded the pull side of the infield if the batter was pull-heavy.
That won’t be the case anymore.
We will see the results after the season.
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