Shagging (baseball) since it drains their energy and actually increases the risk of stiffness in the lower back and leg as a result of prolonged standing. In response to these claims, several teams have exempted pitchers from having to shag fly balls. In the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, teams pay groups specifically assembled to shag fly balls in place of pitchers, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim recruit local firefighters in Arizona to do the job when the team plays in the Cactus League during spring training. Although shagging baseballs is not considered to be dangerous, several freak injuries have
Baseball in the United States when St. Louis Cardinals' general manager Branch Rickey formalized the system, and teams in small towns were "growing players down on the farm like corn." As of 2018, the Minor League Baseball hierarchy is separated into the classes of AAA, AA, High-A, A, Short-Season A, Rookie-Advanced and Rookie. Most major league teams have teams in at least six of these seven levels. Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball teams may enter into a PDC for a two- or four-year term. At the expiration of a PDC term, teams may renew their affiliation, or sign new PDCs with different clubs,