“No shifts? Sounds like a good thing.”
Pitch clock, coming soon, and ABS, already here, are the biggest changes in the KBO’s baseball revolution for the 2024 season. But they’re not the only changes. The KBO is introducing a shift ban, or more precisely, a shift limit, starting with the opening game of this season.
In short, it marks the end of the “second baseman” era that was popularized 10-15 years ago. Infielders cannot step onto the outfield grass. Second basemen can stand anywhere in the infield dirt between second and first base. However, they cannot go beyond second base to third base. Shortstops can also stand anywhere in the infield dirt between second and third base.
Left-handed hitters with extreme pull are welcome. This is because the second base position has been under a lot of stress. In fact, right-handed hitters don”t have to worry about the center fielders being in the right place. The general consensus is that this is a welcome change from the batter”s point of view.
I asked Ahn Chi-hong, 34, a right-handed hitter who also plays second base, who joined the Hanwha Eagles as a free agent, at Melbourne Ballpark in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on March 3 (ET).
Ahn’s answer was a twist. “They say you can’t shift, but I think it’s a good thing as a second baseman,” he said. “The infielders end up going to where the barrel balls and good pitches go. Of course, you’re going to have to give up some grounders, but you’re also going to have other pitches that you can catch.”
Defense is a grind. When a second baseman gives up second base due to the rule change, he has a better chance of catching balls that take a different course. For example, if a second baseman stays close to second base, he has a better chance of catching a ball that goes to center field. It’s not against the rules, and Ahn agrees.
“The prohibition on defensive shifts means that you can end up on the side of the field where you don’t get as many hard-hit balls, which makes it a little 파워볼사이트 easier. You have to give what you get. As an infielder, you can’t catch every pitch. It’s about catching what you can catch.”
Shift restrictions will change power analysis and infielders’ responses. Since the shift is not being abolished, they will have to prepare the best possible response to the rule change. This may not be something that batters will be happy about. While the “grounders” will be different, hitting is still a three-way art. Major League Baseball has proven it. And baseball fans may find a newfound fascination with the game.
