Several of the examples Verducci used are aging or injured players. Most have had exceptional years hitting against the shift. Yet he takes one down year to make a point. So I see a lot of his argument as anecdotal. Then again, I've never cared for Verducci.
The players Verducci noted are power hitters. Obviously the research has been done on how much damage these hitters can do slapping the ball to left versus driving the ball or teams wouldn't shift on them.
Has Verducci done any research on balls hit to the right side that would have been outs rather than hits had the infielders been positioned in a normal position? Of course not. Verducci doesn't do research. He just assumes he's always right.
Just a note on the replay rule: The way it exists now slows down the game too much. It's not just the replay itself. It's the possibility of a replay. Catchers and managers delay the game to give their team a chance to review the play to decide if they should appeal. I expect playoff games this year to run an extra thirty minutes with delay tactics to see if a play should be reviewed.