Bunt Willie!

[Bruno7481]

Last night in the 9th, you have to bunt in that situation. Leave FLoyd on the bench and bring in someone else to bunt. Having men on 2nd and 3rd with one out and Reyes coming up would be a better situation.

 

Did Randolph think Floyd was going to go all Kirk Gibson on the Cardinals and hit one out?

 

I know there are some bunt detractors on here, but I think last night the right call was to bunt.

[CubColtPacer]

Last night in the 9th, you have to bunt in that situation. Leave FLoyd on the bench and bring in someone else to bunt. Having men on 2nd and 3rd with one out and Reyes coming up would be a better situation.

 

Did Randolph think Floyd was going to go all Kirk Gibson on the Cardinals and hit one out?

 

I know there are some bunt detractors on here, but I think last night the right call was to bunt.

 

That was one situation I definitely would have bunted. You need both of the runs. Floyd's only had 2 AB's in a week and is hurting. With the combination of those two factors, he is probably close to as likely to hit into a DP as he is to get a hit. If you bunt, you've got two more spray than HR hitters (I know, Reyes has power also) only needing a single to tie the game. Most of the times I'm not in favor of bunting-but that was a perfect bunting situation IMO.

[CuseCubFan69]

It was a tough call by Randolph and turned out to be wrong. Floyd could have just as easily hit into a DP too. If he bunts, then who knows what happens. Did he have a good enough bunter to lay one down? If he puts Glavin in to PH and bunt what if he fails? With your 1 and 2 guys coming up with one out, maybe Willie didn't feel either was swinging well and decided to gamble on Floyd. You're right, the bunt was the percentage move in this case but I really can't fault him for doing what he did either.

[Bruno7481]

It was a tough call by Randolph and turned out to be wrong. Floyd could have just as easily hit into a DP too. If he bunts, then who knows what happens. Did he have a good enough bunter to lay one down? If he puts Glavin in to PH and bunt what if he fails? With your 1 and 2 guys coming up with one out, maybe Willie didn't feel either was swinging well and decided to gamble on Floyd. You're right, the bunt was the percentage move in this case but I really can't fault him for doing what he did either.

 

I think he could brought in a guy like Woodward to bunt.

[Guest]

I hate bunting with a force at third because it often fails. I don't think that was the decisive factor in the game.

[abuck1220]

if you're down by one, then maybe you bunt...but not down by two. you'd need a basehit either way.

[BigbadB]

I thought it was the right call to swing away. It just didn't work.

[Bruno7481]

if you're down by one, then maybe you bunt...but not down by two. you'd need a basehit either way.

 

True, but a basehit after the bunt most likely ties the game, espcially with Chavez running.

[Bruno7481]

I thought it was the right call to swing away. It just didn't work.

 

With Floyd, who has only had one other at bat the whole series? Floyd is hurt and can't run. Even if he did get a hit you have to take him out anyway. I thnk the smarter move was to bunt, then PH Floyd for Lo Duca possibly if needed.

[Mizzou]

The Mets had three outs left in their season. If I were a Mets fan, I would've been pissed if they just gave one of those outs away. And I'm not one of the big anti-bunting people like a lot of others that post here.

[BigbadB]

if you're down by one, then maybe you bunt...but not down by two. you'd need a basehit either way.

 

True, but a basehit after the bunt most likely ties the game, espcially with Chavez running.

 

An extra base hit (okay, a long single since Floyd can't run) ties the game and there are still no outs. Pinch run for Floyd and then consider bunting the pinch runner over.

 

No way do I waste a precious out down by 2 in the bottom of the 9th.

[BigbadB]

I thought it was the right call to swing away. It just didn't work.

 

With Floyd, who has only had one other at bat the whole series? Floyd is hurt and can't run. Even if he did get a hit you have to take him out anyway. I thnk the smarter move was to bunt, then PH Floyd for Lo Duca possibly if needed.

 

Floyd had just as much capability to drive the ball into an alley, over the fence, etc. as he would to make an out. Unfortunately for every Mets hitter in the 9th, Wainright had a very nasty breaking ball that the best hitters in the league couldn't have hit.

[goonys evil twin]

It goes both ways. Sac bunts, like field goals in football, are not automatically successful. If you get to 2nd and 3rd with 1 out, maybe your odds go up, but there's no guarantee you get there. When the other team is 100% certain you are sac bunting, which would happen if he used Glavine, it's easy to crash and get the out at 3rd. This also leaves open the chance for a dp.

 

If everything works out, then you have LoDuca up with 1 out and bases loaded (assuming they walk Reyes). LoDuca isn't a strike out guy, but you aren't playing for contact there. 1 run is meaningless. You need a big hit. And LoDuca was swinging like crap, and is a prime DP candidate himself.

 

It's not nearly as clear as the 2nd guessers are making it seem.

[Bruno7481]

if you're down by one, then maybe you bunt...but not down by two. you'd need a basehit either way.

 

True, but a basehit after the bunt most likely ties the game, espcially with Chavez running.

 

An extra base hit (okay, a long single since Floyd can't run) ties the game and there are still no outs. Pinch run for Floyd and then consider bunting the pinch runner over.

 

No way do I waste a precious out down by 2 in the bottom of the 9th.

 

If they bunt, Valentin is on 3rd, and Chavez at 2nd. A single would pretty much tie the game. It wouldn't take an extra base hit. I still think, having runners at 2nd and 3rd with Reyes up has a better chance than Floyd who has hardly had any postseason AB's.

Edited October 20, 2006 by Bruno7481

[CubColtPacer]

I thought it was the right call to swing away. It just didn't work.

 

With Floyd, who has only had one other at bat the whole series? Floyd is hurt and can't run. Even if he did get a hit you have to take him out anyway. I thnk the smarter move was to bunt, then PH Floyd for Lo Duca possibly if needed.

 

Floyd had just as much capability to drive the ball into an alley, over the fence, etc. as he would to make an out. Unfortunately for every Mets hitter in the 9th, Wainright had a very nasty breaking ball that the best hitters in the league couldn't have hit.

 

Floyd's normally going to make an out almost 70 percent of the time. With him being hurt, his swing seemed to be off. Floyd was just as likely to hit into a DP as get a base hit with him hurt and not swinging as well as he usually does-and then a base hit does not get it to a tie.

[NewUserName]

I think this is a situation that if he gets a hit Randolph is a genius. I dont know what the statistical probabilities are either way but I am quessing it is close. If he would have bunted and both Reyes and La Duca KO would he be criticized for that. I think this is just old time baseballers using a isolated incident to show that statistical analyst stuff doesnt work.

[BigbadB]

It's an easy argument for the people looking at the results in hindsight.

 

Wainright was filthy nasty last night. If the Mets did bunt the runners over, it wouldn't have mattered one iota because he basically struck out the side anyway.

 

That last pitch to Beltran was unhittable.

[CubColtPacer]

It's an easy argument for the people looking at the results in hindsight.

 

Wainright was filthy nasty last night. If the Mets did bunt the runners over, it wouldn't have mattered one iota because he basically struck out the side anyway.

 

That last pitch to Beltran was unhittable.

 

I would agree with that. I don't think the Mets score either way in hindsight. BTW, the last pitch was great-but that second pitch that Beltran barely got a piece of was even better I thought. Beltran could have taken 10 swings at that curveball and might have gotten it out to the infield 2 or 3 times, and it might have been called a strike if he had taken it. It was simply nasty.

[Bruno7481]

I think this is just old time baseballers using a isolated incident to show that statistical analyst stuff doesnt work.

 

That argument is as ignorant as when "old time baseballers" flat out deny the statistical side of the game. You have to look at both.

 

I just happen to think putting runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out would have been the better move. It may tighten Wainwright up a bit more, having never pitched in a situation as big as last night.

 

He was throwing very well though.

[goonys evil twin]

 

I just happen to think putting runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out would have been the better move. It may tighten Wainwright up a bit more, having never pitched in a situation as big as last night.

 

You can't just put the guys there, you actually have to successfully sac bunt. And a lot of sac bunts aren't successful, often turning into wasted at bats, or even double plays. Plus, Reyes is getting walked and a big time dp candidate is now at the plate.

[Pinktermite]

Does Floyd even bunt enough to be good enough at it to assure a sacrifice? He's not a huge strikeout guy, what 100 times a year or so? I tend to agree that Floyd was a poor choice for bunting or for hitting in such a critical situation, given his lack of action. And sending Glavine up to bunt HUGELY increases the chance for an out at 3b...

 

I think Randolph made the right choice given he was down 2 runs.

[Pinktermite]

what is the overall sacrifice success rate in regular season? or that vs. the playofffs? I wonder if there are such stats.

[Mizzou]

Does Floyd even bunt enough to be good enough at it to assure a sacrifice? He's not a huge strikeout guy, what 100 times a year or so? I tend to agree that Floyd was a poor choice for bunting or for hitting in such a critical situation, given his lack of action. And sending Glavine up to bunt HUGELY increases the chance for an out at 3b...

 

I think Randolph made the right choice given he was down 2 runs.

How does having Glavine bunt "hugely" increase the chance for an out at third?

[CubColtPacer]

Does Floyd even bunt enough to be good enough at it to assure a sacrifice? He's not a huge strikeout guy, what 100 times a year or so? I tend to agree that Floyd was a poor choice for bunting or for hitting in such a critical situation, given his lack of action. And sending Glavine up to bunt HUGELY increases the chance for an out at 3b...

 

I think Randolph made the right choice given he was down 2 runs.

How does having Glavine bunt "hugely" increase the chance for an out at third?

 

I think he's saying because they would be playing up for the bunt for Glavine. There were other people on the Mets bench who could bunt who the Cardinals would have to at least partially respect their hitting, though.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Does Floyd even bunt enough to be good enough at it to assure a sacrifice? He's not a huge strikeout guy, what 100 times a year or so? I tend to agree that Floyd was a poor choice for bunting or for hitting in such a critical situation, given his lack of action. And sending Glavine up to bunt HUGELY increases the chance for an out at 3b...

 

I think Randolph made the right choice given he was down 2 runs.

How does having Glavine bunt "hugely" increase the chance for an out at third?

 

I think he's saying because they would be playing up for the bunt for Glavine. There were other people on the Mets bench who could bunt who the Cardinals would have to at least partially respect their hitting, though.

 

I think sending up anyone other than Floyd telegraphs the bunt. If you send up a RH hitter you're bunting, and the only other LH bat was Hernandez, who had 1 AB in 10 games, he'd be bunting too.