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This page displays the percentage of plate appearances where a defensive team was shifted (through the 2022 season) or shaded (starting from the 2023 season). A shift is defined as when three or more infielders are on the same side of second base.
- A Less Lively Baseball
- Interference Rule
- Extra-Inning Runner at Second Base
- Umpire Review Announcements
- Better Bases
- Restricting The Shift
- Step-Off Rule
- 15-Second Pitch Clock
- Automatic Strike Zone
Where: MLB Reacting to changes in ball flight over the past few years, a committee of scientific experts recommended narrowing the gap in the specifications of the official baseball (i.e., size, weight, coefficient of restitution, or COR). Many of the baseballs were playing to the “hotter” end of that gap. This year the baseballs are designed for a...
Where: MLB This is the only new rule added at the big league level this year. If after a dropped third strike the umpire or batter inadvertently deflects the baseball—thereby impeding the catcher—the batter is out and runners are returned to their bases. This is a clarification to an existing rule that makes clear intent is not a consideration.
Where:MLB Okay, it’s not new. But prompted last year by COVID-19 protocols to avoid long days at the ballpark, this one officially is here to stay. Extra-inning games last year ended in the 10th inning 69% of the time, up from 46% in 2017 through '19. With an instant rally in place, viewership on MLB.tv of extra innings as much as doubled in 2020 c...
Where:MLB MLB began to arrange plans last year for umpires to announce results of replay changes with NFL-style explanations over public address systems, but COVID-19 wiped out those plans. Umpires are on board and the plans are still in place, but COVID-19 protocols still are delaying the rollout. You might see such announcements in time for posts...
Where:Triple A This is such a great idea that it should have been in play for this season in the bigs. I have been yelling into the void for years about the hazardous workplace conditions that are the current bases. Too hard and took slick, especially when wet. Bases have shut down great players such as Bryce Harper and Trout, yet baseball and the ...
Where:Double A When the pitch is thrown, the four infielders must have their feet within the outer boundary of the infield dirt. Goodbye, Rover. Goodbye to 200-foot line drives to right field that become boring 4–3 putouts. For now, it still means teams can shift; they just can’t play that flex prevent defense. MLB reserves the right in the second ...
Where:High A The pitcher has to step off the rubber to make a pickoff attempt. (We’re looking at you, lefties; no more of those hanging balk moves.) Again, the idea is to incentivize the stolen base. And wow, does it work. When this rule was tested in the Atlantic League in 2019, stolen-base attempts per game rose from 1.02 to 1.73 and the success ...
Where:Low A (West) Nothing will make a bigger, immediate impact on making baseball more fan-friendly than the pitch clock. When in MLB: 2022—maybe, and with caveats, such as only with the bases empty. Players have shown little appetite for it, but a game that currently gives fans one pitch ever 24.9 seconds needs this kind of help. VERDUCCI: MLB Ca...
Where:Low A (two-thirds of games in Southeast) The strike zone will be redefined from its three-dimensional “box” shape to a two-dimensional “window” that is flush with the front edge of the plate. The top line of the zone will be set at 56% of the batter’s height and the bottom at 28% of the batter’s height. When in MLB:2023 or later. The technolo...
Mar 11, 2022 · Voluntary report date for practice is March 11 with mandatory return for all players set for March 13. Tossed right into the deep end: Spring training games begin March 17. Play ball. Despite...
- Nick Wojton
Mar 1, 2022 · Recently, we’ve seen a resurgence of defensive shifts in Major League Baseball and increasing numbers of calls to limit or even eliminate shifts. The modern-day baseball game now has some sort of shift for nearly one out of every three batters, more than double the number of just five years ago.
The 2022 Major League Baseball season (MLB) was originally scheduled to begin on March 31 and end on October 2. The 2021–22 lockout caused the season to be delayed by one week, starting on April 7. The regular season ended on October 5.
Jun 22, 2021 · The chart below demonstrates several players that have had success hitting into the shift this season. In order to make the chart the batter must have at least 200 plate appearances, at least a 50 percent shift rate, and over a .350 wOBA while hitting into the shift:
Apr 26, 2022 · In fact—in what should be the last season for the shift as we know it—teams are shifting more. Through Monday, MLB had seen infield shifts on 37% of pitches, a new record and a notable...
