Dewan: Shifts against right-handed hitters in 2014
From SABR member John Dewan at ACTA Sports on June 26, 2014:
In general, defensive shifts have increased dramatically over the last few seasons. That trend is more than simply a greater number of teams deciding to shift players like David Ortiz and Chris Davis. Teams are also relying on hitter ball-in-play tendencies to uncover nontraditional candidates to shift. One such grouping is right-handed hitters.
We frequently cite how the total number of shifts in baseball has nearly doubled in each of the last three seasons. For right-handed hitters, shifts have increased exponentially. From 2011 to 2012, shifts against right-handed hitters increased nearly tenfold. The 2014 season is not yet half over, but teams have already flown by the 1,718 shifts versus right-handed batters from a year ago.
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Originally published: June 26, 2014. Last Updated: June 26, 2014.