Bill James of Moneyball fame has been working as a consultant with the Red Sox for a few years. He has a new book coming out that includes a series of essays about how his data shows the game differently. He was interviewed by Time Magazine about the shift teams use when Papi comes to the plate:
Time: You use some colorful language in the book, making the reams of statistical information much more reader-friendly. At one point, you basically compare teams that use the shift against Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz to “Polocks hunting landmines.” You say they’re “dumb.” Though you are quick to point out that there are only “three Polish guys” who are “offended by Polock jokes.” Why push the envelope?
Bill James: Everybody who is my age, or everybody who is over 30, knows that joke. I mean, I’m not sure I get the point of the over-shift against David Ortiz. It helps you if he hits a ground ball, but if the bomb goes off, you can put those infielders anywhere you want to, it doesn’t really do you any good. The damage that David does comes when he hits the ball 380 feet. It really does not matter much where you put your infielders when that happens.
James will also be featured on an upcoming episode of 60 Minutes. His book The Bill James Goldmine will be available on March 13.
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