I want you to think for a second and decide what you do in this situation. You're a baseball manager, the only kind of coach that wears the same uniform as his players, as if he may step in relief in the 8th. Let's say the game is close late in the game - you are tied or down by one run. Your first at bat in the inning is a leadoff double. Ignoring the batting ability of the guy at the plate or the running ability of the baserunners, do you use him to sac bunt to get the runner over to third or rely on your next few bats to bring him home?
I ask this because I have seen Jim Leyland in this situation 3 times this year where he sac bunted. Two times there was a guy on second and one time was with a guy on first and second (it happened twice against the Red Sox tonight). And only one of the three times lead to a run. Because I feel outs are precious, I don't give them up to advance someone to third. A well hit ball can bring someone home from 3rd or 2nd, so what does it matter where they are standing? Keeping that first out will allow you more opportunities to get that hit. That being said, what are your thoughts?
2 comments:
You have an American League manager's mentality! As Earl Weaver used to preach, "We play for the three-run homer".
I agree with you that outs are precious, but I think you have to understand your team, your players and your situation.
For the Tigers, they haven't been able to hit- period. So asking them to come through with a big hit doesn't seem like the wisest move.
And it does matter who's on base and who's batting. Sunday against the Twins Laird led off with a double. That brought up Santiago. Do you let him hit and try to have him score the slow running Laird? The chances of that are slim. So you use Santiago to advance him over (which he did) and set up Granderson and Polanco to knock him home (Polanco did after an intentional walk to Granderson). Now if Granderson was on second, and Cabrera was up...well then I'd completely agree with you- let that guy hit! But everyone else...I'd probably be bunting, too.
And it depends on the game situation, too. Early in the game? Eh, let em hit. When you need a run late, manufacture it. If you have first and second and no one out in the 8th, and you're down by one, stay out of that double play. In the first inning you can hit into a double play and survive, but a rally killer double play in the 8th is brutal...
I love the bunt. If you're a good team, you'll get those runners over and get them in. If you're a bad team, well, it doesn't matter much either way- you're not going to get them over and in, and you aren't going to hit them in, either.
I agree with Mike, it definitely depends on who's on the bases and who's batting.
But in general, if there is a man on second with no outs, I am bunting twice. Once to get him to third, and then a suicide squeeze to get him home.
(obviously I'm not doing this in the ninth inning when we are down by more than 1 run...)
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