Shift happens

By foxsports
Published

This season the San Francisco Giants deployed the extreme infield shift quite often. Per Baseball Info Solutions, the Giants were shifted on 361 balls in play during the regular season, which a) was fourth-most in the National League, and b) more than doubled their total in 2013. In Game 3, they probably swiped a couple of singles from the Royals in the first five innings. Meanwhile, Travis Ishikawa lost a single to the Royals' extreme shift.

Are you sensing a theme here? Teams are shifting a LOT more this season. And it seems to be working. According to BIS's John Dewan, shifts were way up in 2012, way up again in 2013, and way up yet once more in 2014. This year, there were 13,296 shifts. Dewan:

The example of the Astros does suggest that teams can do a lot more of it. And probably will, until those stubborn hitters finally do something about it.