Over the last 12 years Major League Baseball has seen fewer triples, on a rate basis, than any seasons in its history. In 1901, American and National League hitters averaged 0.56 triples per game. This past season, that figure fell to 0.14.
There are numerous reasons for the dramatic shift. Perhaps most significantly, outfield fences have generally moved in over the past century, turning some triples into home runs with no intent on the part of the batter or pitcher. Outfielders play a role, too.
Three years after MLB formally banned the most radical infield shifts, outfielders are still free to stand where they please, allowing them to deny some balls in the gap from falling for triples. FanGraphs' Eric Longenhagen reported Oct. 6 that MLB is testing a rule in the Arizona Fall League that would dramatically restrict where outfielders can stand when a ball is pitched — effectively bringing the shift ban to the outfield. "Sources indicated to me that the league’s motivation is to see if further limiting the locations where defenders are allowed to stand will create more base-hit action and have a positive impact on the game’s aesthetics," Longenhagen wrote.
More news: MLB’s Offer of 154-Game Season Proposes Radical, Fan-Friendly Change Baseball America added further context in a report on Oct. 8, noting that the rule is explicitly designed to make balls in the gaps (left-center and right-center) more difficult to catch. "With the ability to easily track the location of every ball hit into the outfield by every hitter against every count in every situation, teams have gotten much more precise with their positioning of outfielders," Josh Norris and J.J. More news: MLB Makes Statement About Yankee Fan Ejected for Anthony Volpe Interference The Arizona Fall League is an off-season exhibition league for the top minor leaguers from every organization.
It has served as an incubation lab of sorts for several rules proposals over the last decade, from pitch timers, automated ball-strike challenge systems and, yes, the infield shift rule. A test isn't a guarantee of future change at the MLB level. But it's a useful first step toward determining whether the benefits of implementing a rule outweigh the costs.
More news: Brewers Could Lose Key Executive Amid A’s Postseason GM Search In this case, the league is betting on its Hawkeye system to enforce its outfield positioning rules. "Above the stands, hanging just beneath the press box and visible from the field, are LED boards that show the players whether they are in compliance with the location restrictions," Longenhagen wrote. Maybe the LED boards — and more triples — will be coming to the majors in the years to come.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
