Defense as a Competitive Advantage.

Competitive Advantage.  That's what a team hopes to achieve.  Any significant change that the team can master can result in a competitive advantage.

My friend Eric Weiss has this suggestion: five infielders.  Not just as a rare late game gamble but as an alignment for a ground ball pitcher.  My implementation would position the outfielder turned infielder behind second base.  That player would handle all plays at second, allowing the shortstop and second baseman to play further from the bag.

My own favorite is to alter the outfiled to effectively have no fences, i.e., make them 450-500 feet from home plate.  Then get three centerfielders.  Also get middle infielders with strong arms to make the many long relay throws.  The  three centerfielders would need to hit enough so that the team would not be at a competetive DISadvantage on the road.