I saw the argument in the game thread....

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=52721:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Whether he should have made contact (which he should have) is irrelevant though, he should have never been bunting in the first place.

Also, you guys are really over-simplifying the aspect of bunting. If it wasn't a difficult task to perform, major league players would be doing it with far more frequency than they do. After playing baseball for 15 years, I can tell you that there were many other skills which are far easier to perform than bunting (whether it's for a hit or as a sacrifice). Also, bunting in BP is not tantamount to bunting in a game situation, in fact, it's about the same as comparing playing long toss to trying to make a perfect relay throw to the plate to cut down a runner.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
From now on, just assume I agree with everything ruby says in this thread.

[bz]

<!--quoteo(post=52722:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:26 PM:name=Croz)-->QUOTE (Croz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52720:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If it's such an automatic play, then why doesn't every manager call on their batter to lay down a bunt with a runner on third with less than two outs? It should be a free run every time, right?

Can you think of the last time you saw Fontenot try to bunt in a game situation? That's the first time I've ever seen it. The vast majority of ML players never bunt a baseball in a game situation. What do you think Fontenot's ratio of fly balls to bunts is in his career? 200:1? 300:1? Higher?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Fontenot has one sacrifice bunt this year, he had 3 last year. So yes, he can bunt.

I agree you put your players in situations to be successful but this was not out of Fontenot's skill set. If the ball was down and in or way outside then I think you have an argument, but the ball was right down the middle. Like I said earlier, it was a lack of fundamentals because he didn't square up right away and therefor was not prepared to make contact.

You can't send Blanco up because then the squeeze is painfully obvious.

It was a good call, poor execution.

<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Boom!

[MW4]

<!--quoteo(post=52668:date=Jul 28 2009, 08:00 AM:name=Coldneck)-->QUOTE (Coldneck @ Jul 28 2009, 08:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52664:date=Jul 28 2009, 10:56 AM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Jul 28 2009, 10:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Yeah, I can agree with all of that. And I don't really care anymore, aside from the fact that <b>the game dragged on for hours and I feel tired as shit this morning.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
At least you live in the Central time zone. The game didn't end for me until midnight and I was at my desk this morning at 7:00 AM EDT. West coast games suck even worse.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

West coast games are GREAT! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]

[The Dude]

<!--quoteo(post=52720:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->If it's such an automatic play, then why doesn't every manager call on their batter to lay down a bunt with a runner on third with less than two outs? It should be a free run every time, right?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

unless there is a slugger at bat, a catcher on 3rd base, or more than one base runner (and thus the possibility for a big inning) I always root for the squeeze.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=52724:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:32 PM:name=bz)-->QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52722:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:26 PM:name=Croz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Croz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52720:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If it's such an automatic play, then why doesn't every manager call on their batter to lay down a bunt with a runner on third with less than two outs? It should be a free run every time, right?

Can you think of the last time you saw Fontenot try to bunt in a game situation? That's the first time I've ever seen it. The vast majority of ML players never bunt a baseball in a game situation. What do you think Fontenot's ratio of fly balls to bunts is in his career? 200:1? 300:1? Higher?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Fontenot has one sacrifice bunt this year, he had 3 last year. So yes, he can bunt.

I agree you put your players in situations to be successful but this was not out of Fontenot's skill set. If the ball was down and in or way outside then I think you have an argument, but the ball was right down the middle. Like I said earlier, it was a lack of fundamentals because he didn't square up right away and therefor was not prepared to make contact.

You can't send Blanco up because then the squeeze is painfully obvious.

It was a good call, poor execution.

<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Boom!
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Fontenot has been hit by a pitch more than he has bunted. He also has more sacrifice flies than sac bunts. I'm pretty certain he has never executed a squeeze play (which is different from a standard sac bunt).

So, no. Not boom.

[bz]

<!--quoteo(post=52721:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Whether he should have made contact (which he should have) is irrelevant though, he should have never been bunting in the first place.

Also, you guys are really over-simplifying the aspect of bunting. If it wasn't a difficult task to perform, major league players would be doing it with far more frequency than they do. After playing baseball for 15 years, I can tell you that there were many other skills which are far easier to perform than bunting (whether it's for a hit or as a sacrifice). Also, bunting in BP is not tantamount to bunting in a game situation, in fact, it's about the same as comparing playing long toss to trying to make a perfect relay throw to the plate to cut down a runner.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Please don't tell me you actually think people aren't up there bunting all the time because it is a more difficult task to perform. That's grade A retarded. Maybe because it's an out most of the time. Or maybe because you can only do it when there is zero or one strike on you. Or maybe because Lee or Ramirez bunting would be a ridiculous waste of resources. Or maybe because bunting has always been purely situational, aside from the Juan Pierre's of the world. Or maybe because...there's a million more reasons why people don't bunt regularly and it's difficulty is not one of them.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=52728:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM:name=bz)-->QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52721:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Whether he should have made contact (which he should have) is irrelevant though, he should have never been bunting in the first place.

Also, you guys are really over-simplifying the aspect of bunting. If it wasn't a difficult task to perform, major league players would be doing it with far more frequency than they do. After playing baseball for 15 years, I can tell you that there were many other skills which are far easier to perform than bunting (whether it's for a hit or as a sacrifice). Also, bunting in BP is not tantamount to bunting in a game situation, in fact, it's about the same as comparing playing long toss to trying to make a perfect relay throw to the plate to cut down a runner.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Please don't tell me you actually think people aren't up there bunting all the time because it is a more difficult task to perform. That's grade A retarded. Maybe because it's an out most of the time. Or maybe because you can only do it when there is zero or one strike on you. Or maybe because Lee or Ramirez bunting would be a ridiculous waste of resources. Or maybe because bunting has always been purely situational, aside from the Juan Pierre's of the world. Or maybe because...there's a million more reasons why people don't bunt regularly and it's difficulty is not one of them.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
By that logic, and if the squeeze was the best play in that situation, shouldn't the Astros have been ready for it? Everyone was surprised by the call. Because it was retarded.

[ruby23]

I don't know how to look this up, but I'd love to know how many bases loaded, suicide squeezes have been successfully executed in MLB history.

[bz]

<!--quoteo(post=52727:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52724:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:32 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52722:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:26 PM:name=Croz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Croz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52720:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If it's such an automatic play, then why doesn't every manager call on their batter to lay down a bunt with a runner on third with less than two outs? It should be a free run every time, right?

Can you think of the last time you saw Fontenot try to bunt in a game situation? That's the first time I've ever seen it. The vast majority of ML players never bunt a baseball in a game situation. What do you think Fontenot's ratio of fly balls to bunts is in his career? 200:1? 300:1? Higher?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Fontenot has one sacrifice bunt this year, he had 3 last year. So yes, he can bunt.

I agree you put your players in situations to be successful but this was not out of Fontenot's skill set. If the ball was down and in or way outside then I think you have an argument, but the ball was right down the middle. Like I said earlier, it was a lack of fundamentals because he didn't square up right away and therefor was not prepared to make contact.

You can't send Blanco up because then the squeeze is painfully obvious.

It was a good call, poor execution.

<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Boom!
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Fontenot has been hit by a pitch more than he has bunted. He also has more sacrifice flies than sac bunts. I'm pretty certain he has never executed a squeeze play (which is different from a standard sac bunt).

So, no. Not boom.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Lack frequency doesn't mean he is incapable. And a squeeze bunt is the same as any other bunt. Ball meets head of bat and goes anywhere but up...it's the same thing. He should have got the bat on the ball.

[bz]

<!--quoteo(post=52729:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:40 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52728:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52721:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Whether he should have made contact (which he should have) is irrelevant though, he should have never been bunting in the first place.

Also, you guys are really over-simplifying the aspect of bunting. If it wasn't a difficult task to perform, major league players would be doing it with far more frequency than they do. After playing baseball for 15 years, I can tell you that there were many other skills which are far easier to perform than bunting (whether it's for a hit or as a sacrifice). Also, bunting in BP is not tantamount to bunting in a game situation, in fact, it's about the same as comparing playing long toss to trying to make a perfect relay throw to the plate to cut down a runner.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Please don't tell me you actually think people aren't up there bunting all the time because it is a more difficult task to perform. That's grade A retarded. Maybe because it's an out most of the time. Or maybe because you can only do it when there is zero or one strike on you. Or maybe because Lee or Ramirez bunting would be a ridiculous waste of resources. Or maybe because bunting has always been purely situational, aside from the Juan Pierre's of the world. Or maybe because...there's a million more reasons why people don't bunt regularly and it's difficulty is not one of them.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
By that logic, and if the squeeze was the best play in that situation, shouldn't the Astros have been ready for it? Everyone was surprised by the call. Because it was retarded.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Where did I say the squeeze was the best play in that situation?

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=52731:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:40 PM:name=bz)-->QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52727:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52724:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:32 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52722:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:26 PM:name=Croz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Croz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52720:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If it's such an automatic play, then why doesn't every manager call on their batter to lay down a bunt with a runner on third with less than two outs? It should be a free run every time, right?

Can you think of the last time you saw Fontenot try to bunt in a game situation? That's the first time I've ever seen it. The vast majority of ML players never bunt a baseball in a game situation. What do you think Fontenot's ratio of fly balls to bunts is in his career? 200:1? 300:1? Higher?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Fontenot has one sacrifice bunt this year, he had 3 last year. So yes, he can bunt.

I agree you put your players in situations to be successful but this was not out of Fontenot's skill set. If the ball was down and in or way outside then I think you have an argument, but the ball was right down the middle. Like I said earlier, it was a lack of fundamentals because he didn't square up right away and therefor was not prepared to make contact.

You can't send Blanco up because then the squeeze is painfully obvious.

It was a good call, poor execution.

<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Boom!
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Fontenot has been hit by a pitch more than he has bunted. He also has more sacrifice flies than sac bunts. I'm pretty certain he has never executed a squeeze play (which is different from a standard sac bunt).

So, no. Not boom.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Lack frequency doesn't mean he is incapable. And a squeeze bunt is the same as any other bunt. Ball meets head of bat and goes anywhere but up...it's the same thing. He should have got the bat on the ball.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Fontenot averages 1 bunt every 230 plate appearances. And a squeeze bunt is different -- there's a helluva lot more pressure because you have your teammate running right at you. And if you fuck it up, he's toast. Kind of like exactly what happened.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=52732:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:42 PM:name=bz)-->QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52729:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:40 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52728:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52721:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
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Whether he should have made contact (which he should have) is irrelevant though, he should have never been bunting in the first place.

Also, you guys are really over-simplifying the aspect of bunting. If it wasn't a difficult task to perform, major league players would be doing it with far more frequency than they do. After playing baseball for 15 years, I can tell you that there were many other skills which are far easier to perform than bunting (whether it's for a hit or as a sacrifice). Also, bunting in BP is not tantamount to bunting in a game situation, in fact, it's about the same as comparing playing long toss to trying to make a perfect relay throw to the plate to cut down a runner.
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Please don't tell me you actually think people aren't up there bunting all the time because it is a more difficult task to perform. That's grade A retarded. Maybe because it's an out most of the time. Or maybe because you can only do it when there is zero or one strike on you. Or maybe because Lee or Ramirez bunting would be a ridiculous waste of resources. Or maybe because bunting has always been purely situational, aside from the Juan Pierre's of the world. Or maybe because...there's a million more reasons why people don't bunt regularly and it's difficulty is not one of them.
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By that logic, and if the squeeze was the best play in that situation, shouldn't the Astros have been ready for it? Everyone was surprised by the call. Because it was retarded.
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Where did I say the squeeze was the best play in that situation?
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So...you're saying Lou made a bad call?

[ruby23]

<!--quoteo(post=52728:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM:name=bz)-->QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52721:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Whether he should have made contact (which he should have) is irrelevant though, he should have never been bunting in the first place.

Also, you guys are really over-simplifying the aspect of bunting. If it wasn't a difficult task to perform, major league players would be doing it with far more frequency than they do. After playing baseball for 15 years, I can tell you that there were many other skills which are far easier to perform than bunting (whether it's for a hit or as a sacrifice). Also, bunting in BP is not tantamount to bunting in a game situation, in fact, it's about the same as comparing playing long toss to trying to make a perfect relay throw to the plate to cut down a runner.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Please don't tell me you actually think people aren't up there bunting all the time because it is a more difficult task to perform. That's grade A retarded. <b>Maybe because it's an out most of the time.</b> Or maybe because you can only do it when there is zero or one strike on you. Or maybe because Lee or Ramirez bunting would be a ridiculous waste of resources. Or maybe because bunting has always been purely situational, aside from the Juan Pierre's of the world. Or maybe because...there's a million more reasons why people don't bunt regularly and it's difficulty is not one of them.
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Yes. Wouldn't that be part of the difficulty aspect? I'm not talking about merely having ball meet bat (which should have happened last night), I'm talking about having ball meet bat and having a successful result occur. Being a successful bunter is a very difficult thing to do and one of the harder tasks to accomplish in baseball, if you don't think so, you've clearly not spent much time on a field.

[bz]

<!--quoteo(post=52734:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:44 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52732:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:42 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52729:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:40 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52728:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52721:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jul 28 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52719:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52718:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jul 28 2009, 12:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=52717:date=Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM:name=bz)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bz @ Jul 28 2009, 12:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Butch, did you ever play baseball? Bunting is the easiest task on the planet. He should have made contact. PERIOD.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I played little league. But I never had to bunt a 95 mph fastball.

If bunting is the "easiest task on the planet," why do major league players fuck it up on a pretty regular basis?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Don't be intentionally dense. You may not have had to bunt a 95 MPH fastball, but every professional player has. That is relative, and you know it.

He should have made contact. Everyone should have made contact. He's been bunting since he was 6. It's not like he was summoned to come in a pitch that inning.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Whether he should have made contact (which he should have) is irrelevant though, he should have never been bunting in the first place.

Also, you guys are really over-simplifying the aspect of bunting. If it wasn't a difficult task to perform, major league players would be doing it with far more frequency than they do. After playing baseball for 15 years, I can tell you that there were many other skills which are far easier to perform than bunting (whether it's for a hit or as a sacrifice). Also, bunting in BP is not tantamount to bunting in a game situation, in fact, it's about the same as comparing playing long toss to trying to make a perfect relay throw to the plate to cut down a runner.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Please don't tell me you actually think people aren't up there bunting all the time because it is a more difficult task to perform. That's grade A retarded. Maybe because it's an out most of the time. Or maybe because you can only do it when there is zero or one strike on you. Or maybe because Lee or Ramirez bunting would be a ridiculous waste of resources. Or maybe because bunting has always been purely situational, aside from the Juan Pierre's of the world. Or maybe because...there's a million more reasons why people don't bunt regularly and it's difficulty is not one of them.
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By that logic, and if the squeeze was the best play in that situation, shouldn't the Astros have been ready for it? Everyone was surprised by the call. Because it was retarded.
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Where did I say the squeeze was the best play in that situation?
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So...you're saying Lou made a bad call?
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Did I say that either? Are you surmising that with the absence of something said I must have thought it? Are you Miss Cleo now?

I've only been talking about Fontenot's inability to lay down a fucking bunt. Something that you feel is impossible for him to do, yet, Sean Marshall could go in a fucking lay one down.

[bz]

It's a fucking BUNT! Am I going absolutely crazy here! IT'S A FUCKING BUNT! I could send Veryzer out there with two chicks in bondage fucking eachother on 2nd, while he's eating a fucking hoagie and he could lay down a fucking bunt!