Your eyes are not deceiving you, loyal TV viewers. The Giants under Gabe Kapler have gone shift-crazy, particularly when facing left-handed hitters.
The Giants lead the majors in shifts against left-handed hitters with three defenders to the right of second base. They have done it 86.1% of the time, according to Baseball Savant, compared to a league average of 52.4%. At the other extreme, the Giants have shifted to the left only 11.4% of the time against right-handed hitters, which is well below league average (21.6%).
Are the Giants doing the right thing? Here, stats should trump the eye test because few people notice when a shift works, but flail their arms in frustration when balls get through a vacated portion of the infield.
In a very small sample size over 11 games, the Giants are doing marginally better when they shift, according to Sports Info Solutions. they rank 23rd in the majors in recording an out when they shift, compared to 27th when they don’t, numbers that do not speak highly of their infield defense in general.
Johnny Cueto did not hide his frustration with Charlie Blackmon’s leadoff single in the sixth Monday night, a grounder past the normal shortstop position. Brandon Crawford was shifted and had no chance to get it. Nolan Arenado then hit a two-run homer.
Cueto said he does not pitch to shifts. He just tries to get outs.
“I don’t look and see where the defense is,” Cueto said through translator Erwin Higueros. “I know it was rolling to short. I told Crawford it was not his fault. It’s probably the fault of the coaches that make the shifts. That’s the game.”
Kapler did not invent orange and black shifts. Under Bruce Bochy the Giants did it a league-average one-fourth of the time. They shifted 39.7% of the time when facing lefty hitters, a tick below league average.
Bochy had said he hesitated to shift behind a pitcher who was not comfortable with that defense. Kapler said Tuesday he agrees with Bochy’s philosophy and wants the pitchers’ input — to a point.
“I don’t think that we should be making any pitcher, veteran pitchers or otherwise, feel uncomfortable where we position our defense,” Kapler said. “We’re going to deliver to our pitchers in advance how we position the defenders behind him. If our pitchers have strong issues with it, we’re going to give them a voice in that process, and we’ve done that consistently so far.”
But …
“It doesn’t mean everybody is always going to be happy with the way we’re positioned, and there’s going to be a natural frustration associated with balls finding a hole. That’s going to be true no matter how you position your defense.”
Davis scuffling: The Giants sent outfielder Jaylin Davis to the alternate camp in Sacramento hoping he can find consistency at the plate. He was 2-for-12 to start the year, with a homer, but also struck out in half the at-bats.
Kapler, who gets daily reports from farm director Kyle Haines, said Davis is still searching.
“Jaylin is still right now struggling to find his rhythm and his consistency,” Kapler said. “That’s true of his at-bats and of his work. Kyle and our hitting group are right on top of it. Sometimes it takes a little longer for the confidence to build up. And Jaylin is still working through some things.”
Medical center: The Giants, who desperately could use Yolmer Sanchez’s infield defense, reported Sanchez is “progressing well” in his recovery from back spasms and is working toward playing in a simulated game at the alternate camp this weekend. Kapler acknowledged a need for Sanchez’s glove but said health will dictate the timetable.
The Giants also said they hope Sam Coonrod (lat strain) can start throwing this weekend and that Trevor Cahill (torn fingernail) will pitch in a simulated game be week’s end.
The Giants do not plan to check on Drew Smyly (left index finger sprain) until they return from the 10-game trip, which suggests his stay in the injured list will not be short.
Henry Schulman covers the Giants for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman
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Giants lead majors in right-side defensive shifts, not always popular with pitchers - San Francisco Chronicle
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