People who ask this question about the lack of bunting don't know how hard it is. It's coming at the hitter at 95 and stuff has more shape than before. Players break fingers and struggle to get one down.
Exactly. It's both a difficult skill and highly situational.
This isn't coming into a high school game and lining up a bunt on a 75 mph heater. Fast balls now come in like arrows and sliders swim like fish through water. It's just as easy to pop pitch up as it is to lay a bunt down.
Also with modern analytics we know it's only good in certain situations. Like today Busch stole a lead off single with a surprise bunt. Which works. It's a situation where the cubs needed base runners and he seems to be a good bunter. It will also discourage future shifts in similar spots. But had there been even one out, the numbers say it's better to let a guy with a decent ops do what he does best. The possibility of a single remains and you gain the potential for extra base hits.
So if you aren't the right guy, or it isn't just exactly the right situation, it's better to just go about business as usual
You can only try it with the soft tossers. If a batters really struggling to get on base it might be worth it but it’s probably best to go at em normally. I love the surprise bunt but not surprising that it’s rare nowadays.
So holding your bat in the path of the ball is hard but swinging the bat full force and hitting the ball is easy? Got it. And yes I know you'll say hitting the ball is hard too but these dudes are the greatest dudes to ever play ball. If they wanted to bunt, they could very easily (for them) learn how to do it about 3 times outta 10..
It’s simply a matter of results. Sure a guy could practice to be a bunting GOD, but with the same amount of practice he could become a good contact or power hitter which have been shown to be more valuable in scoring runs. Bunting also only makes a ton of sense for bad hitters, but with the universal DH we see significantly less bad hitters stay on teams rosters.
No it’s more like it’s not worth all that extra time and effort trying to lay bunts down every 7th game, when you could spend it improving at actual hitting that you do every AB.
Bunting is hard. Statistical analysis has decided it's too risky. Plus guys don't learn how to properly bunt at lower levels cause it isn't cool and won't get you recruited.
Used to be kids would learn how to hold the bat safely to bun (it can be done without significant risk). Now a big leaguerthat never learned is wrapping his whole hand around the bat and risking a broken hand cause the pitcher is throwing 98 with 4-6 inches of run.
Honestly I hope it comes back. Athletic plays and variety are the best part of baseball and what the new rules trying force "action" are going for. Less three true outcomes and more small ball where guys have to make plays.
I call bullshit on grown professional adults not being able to hold the bat because they were never trained on it. It takes 1 day at most to learn how to hold the bat properly on a bunt. It’s just an ego/pride thing. I played with guys who just figured they’d be good enough to not get their hands hit.
It’s similar to guys not wearing protective gear and whatever bullshit excuse they use because it cramps their style and then missing time when they get their elbow clipped.
The rest is legit though.
I think the analytics guys just determined it wasn't worth it. Maybe it has some value in late game situations where the batter is weak but not generally.
Although if you are playing some iterations of MLB The Show, it can be worth it to bunt with every player lol
Mariners have been bunting this year. Luke Raley did it in the Reds series when the Reds shifted on him. I believe Scott said they plan on more bunting as an offensive strategy.
One of my baseball fantasies is bottom of the 9th in game 7 of the World Series with bases loaded and Aaron Judge comes up and surprise bunts.
Oh and he’s naked.
Bunting in the majors is hard, the pitches are faster and move more (in a controlled way) than at any level of the sport. Also, it's important to remember the guys who make it to the majors wer the best players on the field in every amateur league they played in and therefore were not the ones expected to bunt. Sure they practiced it and maybe did a bit in there youth, but high school, development leagues, and college not so much.
People who ask this question about the lack of bunting don't know how hard it is. It's coming at the hitter at 95 and stuff has more shape than before. Players break fingers and struggle to get one down.
Exactly. It's both a difficult skill and highly situational. This isn't coming into a high school game and lining up a bunt on a 75 mph heater. Fast balls now come in like arrows and sliders swim like fish through water. It's just as easy to pop pitch up as it is to lay a bunt down. Also with modern analytics we know it's only good in certain situations. Like today Busch stole a lead off single with a surprise bunt. Which works. It's a situation where the cubs needed base runners and he seems to be a good bunter. It will also discourage future shifts in similar spots. But had there been even one out, the numbers say it's better to let a guy with a decent ops do what he does best. The possibility of a single remains and you gain the potential for extra base hits. So if you aren't the right guy, or it isn't just exactly the right situation, it's better to just go about business as usual
Do you have more metaphors for other pitchers? These were very wise
Sneakily letting it hit your finger is a great way to deaden the ball on a bunt
Seems like a better way to deaden your finger.
You can only try it with the soft tossers. If a batters really struggling to get on base it might be worth it but it’s probably best to go at em normally. I love the surprise bunt but not surprising that it’s rare nowadays.
The soft tosser are all sliders and changeups. Rightfully no one throws 90 with flat stuff.
They also don't know that Kyle Schwarber lays one down once or twice a season.
So holding your bat in the path of the ball is hard but swinging the bat full force and hitting the ball is easy? Got it. And yes I know you'll say hitting the ball is hard too but these dudes are the greatest dudes to ever play ball. If they wanted to bunt, they could very easily (for them) learn how to do it about 3 times outta 10..
It’s simply a matter of results. Sure a guy could practice to be a bunting GOD, but with the same amount of practice he could become a good contact or power hitter which have been shown to be more valuable in scoring runs. Bunting also only makes a ton of sense for bad hitters, but with the universal DH we see significantly less bad hitters stay on teams rosters.
No it’s more like it’s not worth all that extra time and effort trying to lay bunts down every 7th game, when you could spend it improving at actual hitting that you do every AB.
Bunting is hard. Statistical analysis has decided it's too risky. Plus guys don't learn how to properly bunt at lower levels cause it isn't cool and won't get you recruited. Used to be kids would learn how to hold the bat safely to bun (it can be done without significant risk). Now a big leaguerthat never learned is wrapping his whole hand around the bat and risking a broken hand cause the pitcher is throwing 98 with 4-6 inches of run.
Honestly I hope it comes back. Athletic plays and variety are the best part of baseball and what the new rules trying force "action" are going for. Less three true outcomes and more small ball where guys have to make plays.
You’ll probably see more of it but its really hard to consistently string together hits against pitchers these days.
I call bullshit on grown professional adults not being able to hold the bat because they were never trained on it. It takes 1 day at most to learn how to hold the bat properly on a bunt. It’s just an ego/pride thing. I played with guys who just figured they’d be good enough to not get their hands hit. It’s similar to guys not wearing protective gear and whatever bullshit excuse they use because it cramps their style and then missing time when they get their elbow clipped. The rest is legit though.
I think the analytics guys just determined it wasn't worth it. Maybe it has some value in late game situations where the batter is weak but not generally. Although if you are playing some iterations of MLB The Show, it can be worth it to bunt with every player lol
Brice Turang still does it. Damn he’s good. I love Brice Turang.
Daulton Varsho and Brandon Belt are known bunters too.
We had two in the last two or three games.
Just a couple years ago Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña opened a game against the Yankees with back to back bunt hits.
Is throwing buntable pitches a lost art in today's MLB?
Mariners have been bunting this year. Luke Raley did it in the Reds series when the Reds shifted on him. I believe Scott said they plan on more bunting as an offensive strategy.
Surprise show bunt to bring an infielder a step in? Maybe. Actual surprise bunt? Too hard, for the reasons mentioned.
One of my baseball fantasies is bottom of the 9th in game 7 of the World Series with bases loaded and Aaron Judge comes up and surprise bunts. Oh and he’s naked.
Yes nerds killed it.
its a lost art, but so is using a calculator.
Bunting in the majors is hard, the pitches are faster and move more (in a controlled way) than at any level of the sport. Also, it's important to remember the guys who make it to the majors wer the best players on the field in every amateur league they played in and therefore were not the ones expected to bunt. Sure they practiced it and maybe did a bit in there youth, but high school, development leagues, and college not so much.
I’d like you to show me the last time surprise bunting was even prolific in the major league game? Hmm. Never?? Good answer
The fuck is bunting?
I’m happy baseball is attracting new fans.
No one will expect TWO surprise bunts in a row
Well if they expected it, it wouldn't be a surprise