# Positioning by Data · Baseball Level 6: Advanced

Baseball · Level 6: Advanced · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/baseball/level-6/positioning-by-data/)

Pull hitters, the story of the shift, the 2023 positioning rules, outfield depth by data, jumps and routes, infield positioning within the rules, who sets the positioning, moving with the count and the pitch, pitchers and the defence, and measuring positioning's value.

## Test 1: Pull hitters

- A pull hitter sends most balls to the side he bats from. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Left-handed pull hitters hit grounders towards first and second. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Hitters pull grounders far more than they pull flies. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Inside pitches are pulled; outside pitches go the other way more. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Using the whole field punishes a defence set for the pull. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Spray angle measures left-to-right direction off the bat. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Hard grounders through the pull side are the main threat. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Extreme pull hitters are most predictable. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A pitch on the inner half is easiest to turn on. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Grounders bunched on his pull side mark a pull hitter. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 2: The story of the shift

- The 'Boudreau Shift' crowded the right side against Williams. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Data on spray charts spread shifting through the league. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Batted-ball data made shifting look clearly profitable. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Ground-ball singles disappeared and offence dropped. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Their grounders ran into a crowd on the right side. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Moving the shortstop or third baseman over filled the hole. (Source: General baseball reference)
- New rules took effect in the 2023 season. (Source: General baseball reference)
- 1946, the 2010s, 2023. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Slow left-handed pull hitters lost the most hits. (Source: General baseball reference)
- It is named after the Cleveland manager who drew it up. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 3: The 2023 positioning rules

- Two infielders must stand on each side at the pitch. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Both feet must be within the infield's outer edge. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A shortstop cannot simply swap with the second baseman mid-inning. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The offence may take an automatic ball or keep the result. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Second basemen had played deep in short right field. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Outfielders may still be moved, which is how four-man outfields stay legal. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Limiting shifts brings back ground-ball singles. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Check at the pitch, then the offence's choice. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Three on one side breaks the rule. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Breaking the positioning rule gives the offence that choice. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 4: Outfield depth by data

- Hard-hit flies travel farther, so fielders start back. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Soft flies drop in front of deep outfielders. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Playing back protects the gaps but leaves room in front. (Source: General baseball reference)
- With a lead, teams play back to stop extra-base hits. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Where a hitter's flies usually land sets the depth. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Wind blowing in keeps flies short; blowing out sends them deeper. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Spray and depth tendencies differ from hitter to hitter. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The harder a hitter hits, the deeper fielders play. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Read the wind, signal, adjust, play. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Deep outfields guard against hard-hit flies. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 5: Jumps and routes

- Jump covers reaction, burst and route in the first three seconds. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A straight path to the ball is most efficient. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A slow start leaves too much ground to cover. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Reading the ball well makes up for limited speed. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Opening the hips lets them run straight back. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Making hard catches beats the expected rate. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Live reads in practice sharpen the first step. (Source: General baseball reference)
- React, accelerate, then the path. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Straight is best; a misread costs most. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A misread first step produces an inefficient route. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 6: Infield positioning within the rules

- Fielders may move within their half of the infield. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Hugging second is legal and covers the middle. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Fast runners and soft contact bring infielders in. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Without extreme shifts, fielders must cover ground themselves. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Fewer fielders in the hole meant more singles. (Source: General baseball reference)
- It rose from about .243 in 2022. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A few steps within the rules still save runs. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The average rose after the shift limits arrived for 2023. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Shade, hug second, keep two each side, stay on the dirt. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Shading within his side is legal. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 7: Who sets the positioning

- Data staff and coaches turn batted-ball data into plans. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A designated coach waves fielders into place. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Cards in pockets and waves from the dugout move them. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Pitching to the defence makes positioning work. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Experience can add to what the data says. (Source: General baseball reference)
- New data and new opponents mean new plans. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Some clubs give one coach the job of defensive planning. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Study, plan, print, play. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Analysts prepare, coaches signal, fielders move. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Coaches and analysts build positioning together. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 8: Moving with the count and the pitch

- Two-strike swings are often later and softer. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Off-speed pitches are pulled more; hard ones away go the other way. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Middle infielders read the catcher's sign or PitchCom. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Moving early can tip the pitch to the batter. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Playing in shortens the throw on slow grounders. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A green-lit 3-0 swing can drive the ball farther. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Expecting a pulled breaking ball readies his first step. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Read, wait, lean, react. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Ahead in the count, hitters swing harder. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Slow pitches are often pulled by hitters. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 9: Pitchers and the defence behind them

- Grounders put the infield to work. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Range in centre turns flies into outs. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A sinkerballer and a fly-ball pitcher get different contact. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Fielders catching more balls means fewer runs allowed. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Strikeouts need no fielders. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Grounders with a runner on first can become two outs. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Pitching inside to a pull hitter sends balls where fielders wait. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Ground-ball pitchers need infielders most. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Low sinker, grounder, turn, two outs. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Positioning follows the contact a pitcher gets. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 10: Measuring positioning's value

- Outs made against expected outs show the value. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A good spot and a good fielder both help an out. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Preventing gap hits can save more runs than allowing singles costs. (Source: General baseball reference)
- It credits the plan, not just the athlete. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A better method is a competitive advantage. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A few balls just out of reach say little; large samples say more. (Source: General baseball reference)
- More grounders through the infield shows the rule's effect. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Collect, expect, count, compare. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Stopping extra-base hits saves the most. (Source: General baseball reference)
- More outs than expected suggests the positioning worked. (Source: General baseball reference)

Sources: General baseball references, WBSC and league material, coaching manuals; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered rules belong to the Rules category.

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