The Case Against Small Ball

[MarlinMan3]

Scenario. It's the final game of the conference tournament championship. Winning gets the team into the field of 64. It's the bottom of the seventh inning. The game is tied. Runner on first, no outs. On the season, the player at the plate is hitting .365 with 18 home runs, 16 doubles and 54 rbi. The coach gives her the signal to bunt. If you're that player, how do you feel about it? Or, as a fan, how do you feel about the coach making that decision at that time?

I think the 18 homers is a bigger factor in decision than the average. And how many prior bunt attempts

[ridinsuicide]

Scenario. It's the final game of the conference tournament championship. Winning gets the team into the field of 64. It's the bottom of the seventh inning. The game is tied. Runner on first, no outs. On the season, the player at the plate is hitting .365 with 18 home runs, 16 doubles and 54 rbi. The coach gives her the signal to bunt. If you're that player, how do you feel about it? Or, as a fan, how do you feel about the coach making that decision at that time?

To be fair most, if not all of these scenarios there is no right or wrong answer. There is also a HUNDRED different scenarios that play into that decision for me as a coach.

As a player, I don’t have a thought or feeling about it. I lay the bunt down and do what is asked of me for the betterment of the team in the Coach’s eye.

As a fan, it’s damn sure not my business. Personally as a fan I think, “regardless of what is done here the Coach has to be committed to it and live with the outcome.” I’ve seen it work, next kid gets a hit and the game is won. I’ve seen it called and the next 2 kids don’t get it done and you wish the out wouldn’t have been given.


Personally, I’m going to try and advance the runner without the bunt. I likely take my chance with a SBA in a leverage count to advance the runner. If successful I have 3 chances to score her. If not successful, I still have said hitter up to win the game with one swing of the bat. WORST case in that scenario we go to extras. But as I said, there a ton of scenarios that could change it.

Now, I say that to say this….i have NEVER coached in a moment for a win into the NCAA field of 64. Ain’t no telling what the hell I would do LMAO

[RoarMan]

To be fair most, if not all of these scenarios there is no right or wrong answer. There is also a HUNDRED different scenarios that play into that decision for me as a coach.

As a player, I don’t have a thought or feeling about it. I lay the bunt down and do what is asked of me for the betterment of the team in the Coach’s eye.

As a fan, it’s damn sure not my business. Personally as a fan I think, “regardless of what is done here the Coach has to be committed to it and live with the outcome.” I’ve seen it work, next kid gets a hit and the game is won. I’ve seen it called and the next 2 kids don’t get it done and you wish the out wouldn’t have been given.


Personally, I’m going to try and advance the runner without the bunt. I likely take my chance with a SBA in a leverage count to advance the runner. If successful I have 3 chances to score her. If not successful, I still have said hitter up to win the game with one swing of the bat. WORST case in that scenario we go to extras. But as I said, there a ton of scenarios that could change it.

Now, I say that to say this….i have NEVER coached in a moment for a win into the NCAA field of 64. Ain’t no telling what the hell I would do LMAO

Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

[JMV JustMyView]

Scenario. It's the final game of the conference tournament championship. Winning gets the team into the field of 64. It's the bottom of the seventh inning. The game is tied. Runner on first, no outs. On the season, the player at the plate is hitting .365 with 18 home runs, 16 doubles and 54 rbi. The coach gives her the signal to bunt. If you're that player, how do you feel about it? Or, as a fan, how do you feel about the coach making that decision at that time?

The player needs to do what the coach calls for.

The fan will complain if the call fails and cheer if the call works.

As a coach I would hit away and hope the 3,4,5 hitters could get it done. If they 8th hole hitter reached base in that same situation I would have the 9th hole hitter bunt.

[VObserver]

The player needs to do what the coach calls for.

The fan will complain if the call fails and cheer if the call works.

As a coach I would hit away and hope the 3,4,5 hitters could get it done. If they 8th hole hitter reached base in that same situation I would have the 9th hole hitter bunt.

With no outs, if I have a series of good hitters up I swing away. If my baserunner is fast I might try the steam in preference to bunting.