CHICAGO -- When they don't work, infield shifts infuriate a pitcher.
When they do work, you get games like Monday's 3-2 Brewers win over the Cubs, in which Milwaukee's ever-moving shifts may have been the difference between a win and a loss. It should surprise no one that the data-driven Brewers, who lead the National League in balls in play against infield shifts, keep stats on this sort of thing. They remain as convinced as ever that their aggressive positioning has been a net positive this season.
"We are dramatically ahead of the break-even point," general manager David Stearns said.