Strikeouts are killing baseball

Fair enough. But then nobody should be complaining about the shift if it can be so easily countered within the current rules.

Rather than proposing rule changes to limit shifts, I hope teams increasingly shift more and more--to the point where that sabermetric equation changes and MLB teams realize they need batters with more rounded skills. The sport needs more who know how to skillfully place the ball and bunt, and fewer who just swing for the fences. The shift is a great way of illustrating that need.

 

I get the willies thinking about *more* rules.

I see what the NFL did with the catch rule.

 

In our softball league one time, I put my right fielder in foul territory. The ump correctly reminded me that everybody except the catcher had to start each play in fair territory. So I put the guy right on the foul line. The batter hit a high fly and my guy trotted over into the street and caught the ball.

 

Did he look both ways before entering the street?

 

Jeez, in our softball league we have an out of play line. For safety.