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last inning down 1 with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs...Should you bunt?
Squeeze bunt, 1957 World Series
Anonymous asked: Last inning down 1 with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs...Should you bunt? It is not "taking a chance" if you have worked on the play in practice, as a part of your offense, willing to use it when needed. It is an offensive weapon, just like any hit. With runners on second and third, no outs, the defense will be in on the grass. This generally will add about .150 points to the hitter's average, thus a .200 hitter may be as effective as a .350 hitter. When the Diamondbacks won the World Series over the Yankees in 2001, Luis Gonzalez was jammed on a pitch by Mariano Rivera and got just enough on a Texas League Pop Up to have it land softly on the outfield grass, as Jay Bell scored from 3B, game and series over. The Yankees had gotten into a situation where they had to play their infield up. With them back, Jeter would have caught the ball with little effort, no run would have scored. The result may have been different, we'll never know, as it all ended on that Texas Leaguer. What a coach decides to do in these types of situations will usually be based on their individual philosophy of the "game" itself. There certainly is no right, or wrong answer. The choices you make day to day can, and likely will, not always be the same. Baseball is an ever changing liquid. Be prepared and flexible so you and your players are able to "go with the flow," and take advantage of what the defense is giving you at the time. Creating an offense that forces defenses to defend 3 foot in front of home plate to the backside of the outfield fence, and everything in between, creates multiple opportunities for defensive meltdowns. Yours in baseball, Rick |
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