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Is playing the Shift the new thing in the SEC baseball?

Posted on 4/29/25 at 4:36 pm
Posted by JayAg
Member since Jun 2021
14321 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 4:36 pm
A few years ago, not a lot of teams used that alignment. Now it seems to be part of everyone’s game.

How do you beat the Shift consistently?
Posted by TriStateAreaFootball
Member since Dec 2024
885 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 4:36 pm to
quote:

How do you beat the Shift consistently?

Hit it where they ain't.
Posted by JayAg
Member since Jun 2021
14321 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 4:39 pm to
Should the shift be implemented the entire game like some teams will do, or is it situational or depends what team you play?
Posted by TriStateAreaFootball
Member since Dec 2024
885 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 4:41 pm to
It depends on the player at the plate. No one shifts every at bat. They pick someone who regularly (statistically always) pulls.
Posted by LSU Delirium
Member since Aug 2013
477 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:00 pm to
I believe it is way more advanced analytics than that, depends on hitter, pitcher, and situation.

I’m fairly certain the announcer on Sunday said something about a shift being on due to 2 strikes and likely an offspeed pitch coming.
Posted by JayAg
Member since Jun 2021
14321 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:05 pm to
That’s what I’m trying to get to. What are these specific situations that the book says, play the shift.

There was a similar comment I caught from an announcer insinuating that the shift tipped a batter what pitch was likely coming.
This post was edited on 4/29/25 at 5:07 pm
Posted by BluegrassBelle
RIP Hefty Lefty - 1981-2019
Member since Nov 2010
103891 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:06 pm to
AJ Reed says are we in 2014 again?
Posted by LSU Delirium
Member since Aug 2013
477 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:07 pm to
Advanced analytics. It’s why they all look at their wrists each pitch, they know the tendencies of every hitter and have instructions for each one.
This post was edited on 4/29/25 at 5:08 pm
Posted by JayAg
Member since Jun 2021
14321 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:08 pm to
I feel like in years past, there have been games we are in that formation 40% of the game. I always wondered why we did it more vs you guys compared to other teams.
Posted by MtVernon
Member since Jul 2024
6447 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:13 pm to
quote:

How do you beat the Shift consistently?


Swing late.

Never mind the ball is coming at 95.
Posted by MtVernon
Member since Jul 2024
6447 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:19 pm to
quote:

How do you beat the Shift consistently?


scoot up in the box
Posted by Bigbens42
Trussvegas
Member since Nov 2013
11056 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:21 pm to
We had a guy beat a shift last Friday on a ball that would have been a simple ground 4-3 groundout had MSU been in a “normal” defensive alignment. Good thing he did too because the guy ahead of him in the lineup had hit a two out double and came across as a result.
Posted by JayAg
Member since Jun 2021
14321 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 5:30 pm to
I always thought that the shift in the days before analytics was based on a coach’s gut feeling or him seeing tendencies that made him switch things up.

Now it feels like there is a computer that does the math real time on situations before the pitch, and the coaches just roll with the computer based on the situation when it spits out “play shift” here.
Posted by AlaCowboy46
North Alabama
Member since Apr 2025
14 posts
Posted on 4/29/25 at 10:13 pm to
quote:

How do you beat the Shift consistently?


Hit to the opposite field. I saw Hank Aaron hit an inside the park home run once.
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