Shifting Outfielders

[statman0007]

Looks like the Phillies are experimenting with shifting outfielders (swapping left/right fielders) based on hitter tendencies. Never knew Gabe Kapler was so into analytics. I wonder if the Brewers would consider implementing this if the Phillies have success. Would give more value to the Brett Phillips of the world if you were able to have "defensive outfielder specialists". Will be interesting to see if the trade off of putting your better outfielder in the best spot to make plays outweighs the potential downside of putting fielders in a spot they're less familiar/comfortable.

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

PACE OF PLAY!!!! Having OF shift around between batters will add potential minutes to the game

[TURBO]

PACE OF PLAY!!!! Having OF shift around between batters will add potential minutes to the game

 

How so? Players would have a plan ahead of time as to when they would switch with certain players at the plate. I highly doubt this would add even 1 second to the game.

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

PACE OF PLAY!!!! Having OF shift around between batters will add potential minutes to the game

 

How so? Players would have a plan ahead of time as to when they would switch with certain players at the plate. I highly doubt this would add even 1 second to the game.

If a guy is moving from 1B to the OF or left and right fielders are going to be switching based on the hitter in the middle of an inning, that’s going to take time. Would negate any of the nominal gains made by limiting mound visits. I also was being facetious if that wasn’t picked up on. I don’t care for any pace of play changes like mound visit limits or this shifting adding time. It’s a unique idea and I don’t care if it adds a few minutes a game.

[JosephC]

This will make a real mess of the scorebook.

[stalton]

This will make a real mess of the scorebook.

As someone who used to score baseball games somewhat religiously, I shudder to think how that would work outside of an informal short hand code for each batter this switch occurs

[Oxy]

This will make a real mess of the scorebook.

As someone who used to score baseball games somewhat religiously, I shudder to think how that would work outside of an informal short hand code for each batter this switch occurs

 

Nah. You don't assign numbers to players, but to zones on the field.

[stalton]

Nah. You don't assign numbers to players, but to zones on the field.

But how would you designate which player was in which zone for that play?

[jerichoholicninja]

For scorebook purposes, it doesn't matter where the player makes the play just what position they are listed as in the lineup.

[DHonks]

For scorebook purposes, it doesn't matter where the player makes the play just what position they are listed as in the lineup.

 

 

depends, if you're building defensive putouts and stats, you would need to document some things

[Boomer5]

I learned only the guy playing 1B can wear the 1B glove. So if he moved to the OF in a shift, he has to switch gloves.

[bork]

I learned only the guy playing 1B can wear the 1B glove. So if he moved to the OF in a shift, he has to switch gloves.

 

Well Braun wore his OF glove at 1B today, so it wouldn't be a problem.

[Boomer5]

I learned only the guy playing 1B can wear the 1B glove. So if he moved to the OF in a shift, he has to switch gloves.

 

Well Braun wore his OF glove at 1B today, so it wouldn't be a problem.

 

Poor Braun. It took a lot to make me feel sorry for him but watching him change positions again may just do it.

[FVBrewerFan]

For scorebook purposes, it doesn't matter where the player makes the play just what position they are listed as in the lineup.

 

 

depends, if you're building defensive putouts and stats, you would need to document some things

 

It already happens regularly with IF shifts. Moving SS to right side of IF is hard enough, but some teams put 3B over to 2B position in shallow OF. That's real fun. But easy way is to indicate position of player then I put where play was made in parentheses. For example, groudout to 3Bman playing at 2B would be 6(4)-3. I'm sure everyone was a system, but I found this to be pretty easy yet more accurate.