Pirates more aggressive in OF shifts this season
The Pirates’ three starting outfielders are so fast and athletic that it seems no fly ball should ever hit the ground.
That, of course, would be impossible. As good as left fielder Starling Marte, center fielder Andrew McCutchen and right fielder Starling Marte are, they can’t track down EVERYTHING.
However, the Pirates are attempting to maximize the trio’s chances to catch balls by using more aggressive shifting this season. Just as the Pirates have been at the forefront of infield shifts in recent years, they are now tapping into new steams of data in an attempt to better position their outfielders.
“Reviewing the numbers from last year, there was so much collateral damage done in front of us,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It was glaringly apparent that we could make an adjustment on our ends, especially with the athleticism we have with our outfielders. We can change the dynamics about how run prevention goes.”
While the numbers showed that more too many balls fell in front of the outfielders, the Pirates qualified for the National League wild-card for the third consecutive season. However, Marte and Polanco are playing shallower this year because the Pirates feel it is easy for both players to go back on balls than break in.
McCutchen is an exception. Because the five-time All-Star is so diligent in studying opposing hitters, Hurdle gives him leeway in positioning.
“Andrew was pushed back to play an outfield more conducive to a free safety rather than a cornerback,” Hurdle said.
Despite playing in an era in which nearly every ball park has its own characteristics, Hurdle said the Pirates don’t make major adjustments when they play road games. He said the only factor that plays into the positioning is the width of the warning track, rather than the outfield’s dimensions.
“It’s a misnomer that you play different depths because of difference in the fields,” Hurdle said. “We actually play the same depths. There might be a hitter you push on but basically our outfield depths or infield shifts are predicated on a diamond. One of the things I did was go out to the warning track and measure it. I would know you have two or three gaits to get to the wall. Not all warning tracks are the same.”
Marte and Polanco are both on board with the shifts. Three years of postseason appearances have provided the players with more than enough evidence that many of the Pirates’ unusual methods tend to work.
“We communicate with everyone with everything we do,” Hurdle said. “We’ve built a layer of trust over the years. There’s no resistance. We’re showing them a better way to do things.”