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Angels' Matt Joyce must fight through shifts to end slump

/ STAFF WRITER

The proliferation of defensive shifts can make life miserable for left-handed pull hitters such as the Angels' Matt Joyce. KEVIN SULLIVAN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

ANAHEIM – Matt Joyce is Exhibit A of how modern baseball can take an otherwise good hitter and grind him to bits.

The Angels’ struggling outfielder is one of those left-handed pull hitters who often has teams shift on him, which means he’s essentially playing with a smaller field under the best of circumstances.

And when he’s been hitting like he has for most of the season, it must look like there’s not a spot of vacant grass anywhere.