Today, anecdotally:
Nate McLouth of the Pittsburgh Bucs, sporting an OPS in the upper .800's and 17 dongs on the season, stepped to the plate with a runner on in the late innings of a tie game against the New York Moustaches. Whether on his own or because he was following orders, he attempted to bunt on the first pitch he saw, and fouled it off so awkwardly you could sense his embarrassment. (Who can blame him? He probably hasn't been asked to bunt in a real game in years, given that he is an awesome hitter, and bunting is stupid for awesome hitters.) Then the next pitch arrived at home plate and he lined it into the RF seats for a 4-2 Bucs win.
Some of you out there will claim that Moustaches' pitcher Jose Veras grooved a FB on pitch #2 b/c he believed McLouth to be bunting. To you I say: get your own damn blog.
Also, reader carterman files this report:
Does it make sense to sacrifice bunt with a guy who had a .662 SLG (and 1.120 OPS) at Double-A, who despite currently hitting ~.210, had a 2-run homer earlier in the game, not to mention that he's a catcher, and has probably never had to sac bunt in his life? And then when he manages to pop it up over K-Rod's head and manages to get on base only when K-Rod throws the ball into center field, to sac bunt with your next hitter, who's hitting .335/.392/.549 coming into the game?I blame it not on Ron Washington, but on society. Society is to blame. And Ron Washington.
The Texas Rangers think this is an appropriate course of action down by 1 in the 11th inning with Max Ramirez and Ian Kinsler up at the plate. Even more baffling is that Ron Washington had been kicked out earlier, so you can't really pin this on him (unless you want to pin it on his philosophy or lack thereof).
Labels: bunting, nate mclouth
