Bunting Blunders
Why is it so hard for American League Teams to lay down a sacrifice bunt? Here's the situation the Oakland A's found themselves in on Sunday. Down 4-3 in the top of the 9th against their "Battle of the Bay" rivals the San Francisco Giants. They had the recently called up Jake Smolinksi at 2nd, Brett Lawrie at 1st, two decently fast runners, and Josh Phegley pinch hitting. If you practice bunting, then when you come up in that situation you've easily got man on 2nd on 3rd with 1 out! An easy fly ball then scores the GAME TYING RUN! Instead what happens is Phegley STRIKES OUT SWINGING. What makes matters even worse is while Marcus Semien, the next batter, is at the plate, Smolinksi gets caught trying to steal third and Lawrie did not move off of the first base bag. Semien ends the game with a strike out to complete the 3-game sweep. This game could've easily ended with an A's win if they knew how to play fundamental baseball. Knowing how to bunt, run, and do the small things could have pulled them ahead late in the game. The A's are now a MLB worst 10-24 in one run games and their inability to play small ball is the reason why.