Advertisement

Angels pin down Rangers with multiple defensive shifts

Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons can't handle the throw as Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields steals second base in the second inning Friday.

Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons can’t handle the throw as Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields steals second base in the second inning Friday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Share

For every batter the Texas Rangers sent up to the plate the first time through their order Thursday, the Angels used a defensive shift.

Sometimes, it was a few feet different than the norm, sometimes much more — but it was always something, and it often involved multiple iterations within one at-bat.

“I’m not even sure I want to call this the shift anymore,” said former major league first baseman Eric Karros, the color analyst on Fox Sports 1’s Thursday broadcast.

The Angels are shifting their infielders more this year than even before, tailoring their alignments based on the pitcher, the batter, the count, any runners on base, the outs in the inning, and the score of the game.

Advertisement

The players are not required to memorize every potential movement. Infield coach Alfredo Griffin motions everything desired from the dugout.

“I think our ability to shrink the field will be enhanced with all the information that we’re getting,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’re getting more information, and our information is more precise. It’s going to allow us to do some things. Even though we started to shift more the last three years, this is helping us to shrink the field even more. We’re gonna take advantage of it.”

Scioscia declined to offer the source of the data the Angels are using.

“But I know the information’s very accurate,” he said.

Asked whether the team is making more mid-at-bat shifts than last season, the manager said infielders were shifting in such situations “50 years ago.”

“This one’s a little more dramatic because it helps you to maybe shrink the field even more as counts get to a certain length,” Scioscia said.

The Angels were hurt by shifts on weakly hit grounders in the season opener against the Chicago Cubs, which their manager, Joe Maddon later laughed about. It was luck.

When he was Tampa Bay’s manager, Maddon was widely credited with popularizing the shift. He said his motto for it was: “We catch line drives.” It cannot, and is not meant to, prevent everything.

“I think by intelligently shifting — which has almost become this controversial word — you’re probably gonna save 50-60 runs on an annual basis, if you stay with it,” Maddon said.

Short hops

Advertisement

Projected rainfall puts the Angels’ scheduled 6 p.m. game Saturday at risk of postponement. In that case, the Angels and Rangers are not likely to play a doubleheader Sunday. The teams have a mutual day off after a three-game series in Anaheim on July 21. … Mike Trout was presented with his fourth consecutive Silver Slugger award before Friday’s game.

Follow Pedro Moura on Twitter: @pedromoura

Advertisement