Much to the chagrin of some baseball purists, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon has become infamous for shifting his players around the infield based on advanced analytics.
If reports are accurate, what new Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler plans to do will make Maddon as old-fashioned as Billy Martin.
To put his best defensive player in the best possible position, Kapler plans to flip-flop outfielders in the middle of innings based on where spray charts indicate a batter will hit the ball.
It sounds a bit wacky, but Kapler is so committed to the idea he has a note written on the whiteboard in his office reminding him about the importance of maximizing an individual’s strengths to get the whole team extra outs.
Other managers have mocked the idea, but Kapler’s players are buying in.
“I think it’s going to give us a chance to get more outs throughout the season,” Phillies outfielder Rhys Hoskins told The Associated Press. “Kap has stressed he wants to put his players in the best position possible to succeed and I think we’re pretty blessed with some good outfielders. Logically, it only makes sense to use those guys as much as we can. And if gets us one, two, three more wins, that could push us into the playoffs.”
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