Between The Numbers

Actually, it looks like league-wide hitters having been pulling the ball less. Pulled_BIP/BIP was 43% (44% with HR) in 2003 down to 39% (40% with HR) last year and it's a pretty linear trend in between.

One thing is for sure: this proves Derek Jeter is a great fielder. I'm just not quite sure how.

The first question is whether this season's numbers are meaningful. If we say they aren't, that the sample size is too small, then the data becomes a bit more consistent.
Let's look at the pre-2012 data and let me postulate two things: 1) the increased use of shifts, both IF and OF has a significant effect on who makes plays and 2) that effect is reinforced by pitchers pitching to the shift, which includes a greater willingness to come inside to hitters in general because of the decline in HR.
If we look at the 2011 numbers for RH, we see an increase in plays for the SS at the expense of the corner IF. This makes perfect sense, as the 3B is pushed further toward the line and if the pitcher is pitching inside more, there is less likelihood of the ball going to wherever the 1B is. As for the OF, the strange number is 2010 in LF, which is way out of line with recent history. LF seems to be returning to earlier levels.
Against LH we see 2B getting more plays at the expense of the left side of the IF, which makes sense. The 1B has less ground to cover since balls hit to hi right are easily handled by the 2B, who is out in RF. In the OF, leaving 2012 out, the RF is taking balls from the CF, which makes sense if the LF is in left center and the pitcher is pitching inside more. Those crappy flies to left center now belong to the LF, while the CF has less area of responsibility. Again, we may not be talking about a huge number of plays here.
Now research could be used to verify or disprove this theory. Pitch f/x could be used to see if more inside pitches have been thrown the last few years. More importantly, these numbers should be run for the teams that are more aggressive with shifts (TB and Milwakee, say) vs. those who rarely do, to see if there is a difference, both in how pitchers attack hitters and whether they have a different out distribution than the less-frequent shifters.

Is MLB unusually short of LH power hitters these days? I blame Adam Dunn, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Adam Lind for last year's data.