Eric Byrnes was not a good player and I am happy that he is gone now.
That said but I want to defend him for the play he did in the bottom of the 11th of game against the Rangers.
Looking at the video many times I think it was not a bonehead miss. Byrnes did know that there was a suicide play on. But he pulled back the bat on a suicide squeeze. That was a reflex of his body.
His batting eye (BB/K) is not great but he got up in the A's system. His nerves and reflexes has been build to pull the bat back if it is a ball he cannot make contact.
I think bunts at major league level is not so easy as it look. You must reprogram your reflexes by exercise suicide squeeze.
There is another story some years ago.
The Cardinals won the WS in 2006.
Below is the play by play of game 4.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2006_WS.shtml
The play by play says pinch hit but it was a pinch bunt!
IIRC Taguchi lost regular position in September to Duncan. But Tony LaRussa came to him and said to practice bunts because he will use it in the postseason.
After that it was history. So Taguchi was the unsung hero for the Cardinals offseason 2006.
My conclusion.
You can win with bunts (you can lose too). But bunts must be practiced. I do not see any articles that the M's make many bunt drills. If Wak want to win with small ball bunt practice is a must.
I really hope that Wak demands to bunt practice to Josh Wilson and Langerhans and others who are under 100 OPS+.
| Bottom of the 7th, Cardinals Batting, Behind 2-3, Tigers' Fernando Rodney facing 1-2-3 | |||||||||||
| b7 | 0 | --- | 3,(1-1) | 13% | 50% | 2-3 | STL | D. Eckstein | F. Rodney | Double to CF (Fly Ball) | |
| So Taguchi pinch hits for Chris Duncan (RF) batting 2nd; |
|||||||||||
| b7 | 0 | -2- | R | 1,(0-0) | 20% | 70% | 2-3 | STL | S. Taguchi | F. Rodney | Reached on E1 (throw to 1B)/Sacrifice Bunt; Eckstein Scores/No RBI/unER; Taguchi to 2B |
| b7 | 0 | -2- | 4,(3-0) | 3% | 73% | 3-3 | STL | A. Pujols | F. Rodney | Intentional Walk | |
| b7 | 0 | 12- | O | 6,(2-2) | -8% | 65% | 3-3 | STL | J. Edmonds | F. Rodney | Strikeout Looking |
| b7 | 1 | 12- | O | 5,(2-2) | -7% | 58% | 3-3 | STL | S. Rolen | F. Rodney | Strikeout Swinging |
| b7 | 2 | 12- | RO | 2,(1-0) | 16% | 74% | 3-3 | STL | P. Wilson | F. Rodney |
Single to LF (Line Drive); Taguchi Scores/unER; Pujols out at 3B/LF-3B |
If Ichiro gets to 2B with no outs in the 1st inning.
It is believed to bunt him to 3rd (out one) and score a run on scuide squeeze is a bad move by sabermetrics because you will sacrifice run opportunities.
But that is if you have 100 OPS+ offense and 100 ERA+ pitching.
How would it be if you have 130 ERA+ and a 80 OPS+ team?
You must think about it.