ST. PETERSBURG -- "Hitting them where they ain't" has never been more puzzling for Major League hitters.
Teams like the Rays do their homework on each hitter's tendencies and devise plans for where to play the different hitters. Over the past decade, Rays fans have grown accustomed to seeing shifts that seem to dare opposing hitters to hit the ball to a vacant space on the field. Frustration has followed for many hitters trying to beat the shift or hit into it.
But while the tendencies are analyzed, and reports reveal different things to direct their shift, the Rays are not afraid to revisit how they play their defense against any given hitter.