Since the ban on using a special defense in the infield, we can see some formations trying to be inventive in order to still overload one side of the outfield.
This was the case for the Boston Red Sox, among others, who moved one of their outfielders to the infield on the right side, which strangely resembled the defenses we were now used to seeing in recent campaigns.
If this may displease some, it is not the case of Joc Pederson. He expects to receive this kind of treatment and it doesn’t matter to him. Rather, he intends to take advantage of it.
I hope so. You don’t have a left fielder, cool. I prefer to take this shot. If I hit one left and there’s no one there, it’s a double or a triple.
Pederson is so right. This should have been the attitude of ALL hitters, even when special defenses were allowed. When the opponent gives you a gift, take it instead of stubbornly punching through a bunch of players.
This kind of positioning can also spawn other opportunities, and Pederson knows that very well.
If I hit a ball to center field, it will be a left fielder in center field, not a Kevin Kiermaier or a Cody Bellinger. This is another place where an out could become a multi-base hit.
If the other major league baseball hitters could have the same reasoning, we would have a much better show and the little special defensive geniuses would have to find another workhorse.
