This is the Twins shift in the game against the Texas Rangers Joey Gallo yesterday. A catcher (Mitch Garver) and pitcher (Devin Smeltzer) and first baseman (Miguel Sano) in their normal positions but no one else is on the dirt. Five outfielders and yet Gallo hits a double off the right field wall, he also had a bunt single. My friend Wayne Hattaway would tell you “this isn’t real baseball”. Everytime you go to a baseball game you have a chance to see something you have never seen before.
I think your friend is overreacting. The job of the defense is to minimize the ability of the offense to score runs.
I also agree with Gus. If these guys learn to bunt well it should make teams think twice about these wild over shifts.
I wonder if teams will start working on bunting in the lower minors, or if we’ll continue with the strikeout/walk/hit into the shift/homerun game we have now.