ST. LOUIS -- The infield shift isn't dead. Kind of.
Two batters before the Cardinals eventually walked off the Pirates at Busch Stadium Sunday, 5-4, the Pirates pulled off one of the more interesting defensive strategies we'll probably see this year. With the bases loaded, one out and the speedy Tyler O'Neill at third base, it was clear that any fly ball would Jordan Walker would probably end the game.
So the play became to pull center fielder Ji Hwan Bae in to between second and shortstop. It doesn't break any of the new shift rules since every infielder is still on the dirt and there are two on each side, and it effectively took away the possibility of a base-hit up the middle.