Korean Baseball Team's Shift Is So Extreme That Umpire Won't Allow It
Thanks to advanced scouting, baseball teams are implementing shifts more than ever. However, one Korean team took shifting to such an extreme Tuesday that the umpire wouldn't allow it.
During the ninth inning of their game against KT Wiz, the Kia Tigers put a fielder behind home plate. That's in addition to the catcher.
It's a bold shift to try, but it also happens to be against the rules. Deadspin's Barry Petchesky noted that rule 4.03 in MLB's rulebook requires every fielder other than the catcher to start each play in fair territory. It's likely that the Korean Baseball Organization uses the same rule.
The home plate umpire stopped play and made the Tigers player go back to his position. Thus, the craziest shift in baseball history was thwarted.
To watch the full sequence of events, head on over to YouTube.
