There are certain trends in MLB that are undeniable. Teams shift in today's game more than ever. Some speedy lead-off men are being replaced by patient power hitters in the top spot. There's less fear regarding striking out, leading to a large uptick in strikeouts and, subsequently, home runs.
As the sport progresses, conventional wisdom is challenged more and more, and sometimes, what was conventional turns out to not have been very wise. With regard to some fundamental baseball tactics, the bunt, the intentional walk, and the steal, the trend in recent times has been clear: the more teams come to grasp how precious every out is, the more hesitant they are to be cavalier with them.