For the offensive team, the Sacrifice Bunt ideal is, with fewer than two outs in the half inning, to move either one runner from first to second base, or two from first and second to second and third. Success counts on the hitter’s ability to deaden the ball maybe 20 to 30 feet away from home along either of the foul lines, in an imaginary zone that keeps it out of easy reach of the charging catcher and infielders, though most modern third basemen have the unique ability to grab bunts bare handed and in one fell swoop, without straightening up, whip the ball submarine style to first base. With any luck the first base ump blows the call, and we’re treated to the spectacle of grown men making asses of themselves in front of 30,000 blood-thirsty fans, thus demonstrating for all the children in attendance the correct way to settle disputes (my vote for the most vociferous and expressive manager, and the most likely to fall over dead from a heart attack in the dugout, is Jim Leyland of the Tigers—he assumes the crown formerly proudly worn by supreme hot head and potential stroke victim Lou Piniella).
As you might know, several things can go sour with an attempted SB: the pitch can be bunted at and missed or fouled off, resulting in a strike and putting the hitter at a disadvantage, as they say, in a "hole." This necessitates more wheel spinning on the part of the manager. Should I allow the idiot to try again, even though he had the perfect pitch to bunt on that last one, and even though we went over this play a gazillion times in spring training? Or just let him hit away?
Usually it’s the latter, but sometimes the manager will stick with the bunt come hell or high water. Then bunting with two strikes becomes a no-win situation. Foul off a bunt attempt with two strikes, and it’s time to grab some pine, Meat (as Mike Krakow likes to say), it counts as a strike-out for the pitcher and an empty at bat (AB) for the failed bunter. But the worst case scenario is when the ball is bunted right into the waiting hands of one of the converging fielders, who then has world enough and time to make the force at second, where, if the second baseman gets the ball promptly and is slick enough and strong-armed enough (Robinson Cano comes to mind), can turn a pretty double play.
TO BE CONTINUED
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