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Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Baseball Analysts: Dusty Baker Manages, Fails; Observes, Succeeds

Reds Manager Dusty Baker put a bunt on with Votto at the plate.

Votto offered and fouled off a Marte pitch. He offered and missed the next. He fouled off an 0-2 pitch and then struck out on Marte’s fourth pitch to him.

Encarnacion came to the plate and battled through an impressive at-bat, only to strike out on the eighth Marte pitch he saw.

With two outs and Bruce set to come to the plate, Baker sent the reigning #1 Baseball America prospect back to the dugout in favor of...wait for it...Javier Valentin. “It couldn’t possibly be the Javier Valentin with the .222/.275/.286 line,” you say? It was. I watched it live. Valentin grounded out to end the inning.

battlekow Posted: July 01, 2008 at 09:38 AM | 8 comment(s)
Related News: General, Cincinnati, Obituaries

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1. Greg Pope Posted: July 01, 2008 at 01:36 PM (#2838979)

How does Votto's attempt "count" in the stats? Whenever studies are done on the merits of bunting in certain situations, do they take this kind of attempt into account? Because Dusty tried to bunt, it didn't work and ended up in a strikeout.

2. Justin Zeth, dog Posted: July 01, 2008 at 02:00 PM (#2839006)

I am bookmarking this link and posting it every time anybody attempts to defend Dusty Baker.

3. Randy Jones Posted: July 01, 2008 at 02:02 PM (#2839010)

I am bookmarking this link and posting it every time anybody attempts to defend Dusty Baker.

Racist!

4. zonk Posted: July 01, 2008 at 02:09 PM (#2839023)

What was the game situation on the bunt?

It had better have been a 1 run game in the 9th (in which case, if you're going to bunt with a competent hitter who likely doesn't bunt that often, why not pinch hit for HIM with a quality bunter? I imagine any member of the starting rotation could lay down a bunt better than Votto).

If it was anything other than a 9th inning, 1 run game -- then we're entering Don Baylor stupid territory.

I never thought Dusty was an awful tactician (I never thought he was a GOOD in game tactician, either) -- at least by the numbers, his teams never did what Don Baylor's did... lead the league in position player sacs by a 2 to 1 margin over the nearest competitor.

5. retro-shiite Posted: July 01, 2008 at 02:11 PM (#2839028)

Gah. I was tempted to post the "racist" bit, but managed to control myself. Bad on me. Although I might add that Greg Pope is clearly a bitter Cub fan who can't let it go, even though he's a Reds fan.

6. retro-shiite Posted: July 01, 2008 at 02:12 PM (#2839030)

And while I thought Baker was a poor tactician, he was no Don Baylor, who was an indescribably, surreally awful tactician. Baylor's reflexive sac bunt attempt after any leadoff double was absolutely infuriating.

7. zonk Posted: July 01, 2008 at 02:17 PM (#2839041)

I guess you can tell who RTFs and who doesn't.

Down 3-2 in the bottom of the 8th, runners 1b/2b, lefty-lefty matchup, that's not a bad place to sac... I still would have done it with someone besides Votto. I mean, you can burn tomorrow's SP or the SP from the day before with no sweat.

PH'ing for Bruce was probably the wrong thing to do - but while I cannot get the #s at the moment, I think Valentin's line as a PH far exceeds his line in the lineup.

I'm not one to defend Baker - but this seems more "not smart" than "stupid".

8. The Most Interesting Man In The World Posted: July 01, 2008 at 07:20 PM (#2839335)

Why are Obituaries posted in the "Related Links" section?

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Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Baseball Analysts: Dusty Baker Manages, Fails; Observes, Succeeds

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