tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post655691793042428605..comments2024-03-28T07:19:18.670-07:00Comments on the joy of sox: G76: Red Sox 9, Twins 2allanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673233312198832937noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-8923021632982572182018-06-21T20:15:00.013-07:002018-06-21T20:15:00.013-07:00McAdam, BSJ:
The Red Sox devote a lot of time to s...McAdam, BSJ:<br />The Red Sox devote a lot of time to studying where opposing hitters tend to hit the ball and position their fielders accordingly. The team's analytics department determined that the outfielders should shift way around to left against left-handed hitting Joe Mauer. That meant having right fielder Mookie Betts shifted way around toward center against Mauer, leaving most of right field unoccupied. Sure enough, leading off the sixth, Mauer hit a ball that Betts had to move about a half-step to glove. After making the catch and throwing the ball back into the infield, Betts took the information card that instructs players where to position themselves for every member of the lineup and with a smile, playfully waved the card toward the Sox' dugout.<br />"That was a big topic before the game," said Cora with a smile. "It was an extreme (shift) from the analytical department. The (players) see stuff like that and they panic, so we made a few calls before, and they were like, 'It's right on — go with it.' I'm glad that it happened because while (the players) believe in what we're doing, sometimes they see something extreme. I was the happiest guy because...it reinforces what we're trying to accomplish."<br />allanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04673233312198832937noreply@blogger.com