MLB…Holy Shift!

So, the Bud Selig era is over and the Rob Manfred era has dawned. In Manfred’s first hours, he said that he supports the banning of the defensive infield shift. I almost choked on my Fruit Loops! Where did Mr. Manfred get the idea that strategy is something that can be legislated from the office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball? Policy and rules? Okay. Television contracts and financial rules? That’s fine. The approval or disapproval of trades and other personnel actions? Alright. Telling a manager how he can or cannot align his defense?? I don’t think so!
I understand what the commissioner is thinking here. It is obvious. First, he wants to find ways to improve the pace of the game. Second, he wants to find ways to keep a declining fan base engaged. How to do that? Increase offensive production. Almost everybody likes runs! A common complaint among fans, especially casual fans, is that the pace of the game is too slow and that there is nothing enthralling about a 1-0 game. The casual fan is not interested in paying for a ticket just to see David Ortiz ground out because he couldn’t hit around the shift. I understand the argument, but I do not agree with it.
It is an interesting discussion, but managing the stuff that happens on the field needs to be left to the managers on the field, and not the businessmen who work at 245 Park Ave. in New York City.
I have one final thought on this. If the shift is such a plague, hitters can nullify the whole issue by learning to hit to the opposite field. See? Problem solved.
So, what do you think? Should a decision like this be left to the MLB Boss, or does The Commish need to take care of the business and operations side of things, while managers should be left alone to manage?