Why won't HAL bunt?

[JEFFFESPERMAN]

I currently have a team that plays in Petco and I am getting killed by an excessive number of runners left on base. In an attempt to increase run production, I have my bunt setting at "very aggressive" and I have every player with a C rating or better set to "bunt more," but HAL still refuses to bunt runners over. [b:12f2bfd265]Is there a solution that I am not aware of?[/b:12f2bfd265]

[MARCPELLETIER]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

You're joking, right?

[JEFFFESPERMAN]

I wish that I was joking, both in terms of my meager run production and the lack of bunting. I know that HAL is generally insane, but even he/she/it should have an A bunter with "bunt more" instructions sacrificing under normal conditions.

[LARRYLANG]

Had the same type thing happen with one of my speed/obp teams a while back..Frustrating as heck...I put everything back to normal and Hal started doing what I wanted...Try it and see if that gets the results you want..

[the splinter]

I believe that Marus is questioning the soundness of the bunt strategy in general. In strat bunting is consider the easiest way to give away free outs.

[LANCEBOUSLEY]

Not only in strat splinter. In the book "baseball between the lines" there is a chapter that talks about bunting.

Basically it only improves your chances of scoring runs in very limited situations.

One that i remember was that only bunt a man on second to third. bunting a man from first to second reduced your chances.

of course it is somewhat context driven as is all.

[cummings2]

UNC, I personally think it's not a good idea to bunt, given the what you've mentioned so far: Petco, stranded-runners, bunting agressive c=bunt more.

I believe your efforts to increase run production will be met with even lower ammount of runs scrored. Just My opinion though.

If you are having tons of runners stranded then that means that your OBP is fine I guess, your runners are getting on. Your running settings are fine (?), since the runners are not trying to stretch for the extra base or thrown out stealing, right? - However if you have base running in extra conservative (or conservative even) it will cost you some advancement of bases.

Now, it seems to me that if you are getting on base alright and when on the bases you don't run into outs, then perhaps the area to improve towards run production would be: [i:0f1a5fe4b4]Hitting[/i:0f1a5fe4b4]

By bunting you essentially take the bat away from your hitters

As much as I like small ball (and I do) I certainly wouldn't recommend trying for bunt-crazy team.

Just my two pennies

[the splinter]

Yes, I've read the books on bunting..pro and con. Yes, bunting is not a good strategy here im SOM world. However, in the real world bunting has more possabilities. Bunting for the simple means of advancing runners is less than productive. Bunting for hits , if properly skilled, is a tool to be used wisely. A speedy hitter with good bunting skills is a weapon. He not only gets on base by bunt but forces openenings in the D for "normal" hits. And of course once that speed is on first it further complicates the D and pitching strategy and allows the next hitter a better chance to drive in a run. I'm sure you know this...its basic. So basic that it has become passe. I think that if the times allowed for more focus on speed we would see more Carews, Nixons, Castillos etc. To underscore my point I offer an example. I say Rafeal Furcal would be a .300 hitter with .375 OBP or better if he would abandon the desire to hit homers and utilize his speed with bunts and off field hitting. Yes, he would drop from 15 homers(WOW!!) to maybe 5 or so but his runs scored would go up by 20-30 easy. He is one of about 5 guys playing now that would become a force if they adopted this plan.

[LANCEBOUSLEY]

hmmm not really splinter...

let's look at our good best buddy rafale.

.284 ba .348 obp

if he goes to .375 obp thats around 18 more times on base, if they are all bunt singles that moves his ba to .300.

so if he goes stealing every time he is on first at his 82% success rate then he is on second 14-15 times more a year. however, if he is not swinging for hr's his doubles will probably go down so lets say on top of losing the 10 hrs he loses 10 dbs.

total bases old style 60.
total bases new style 32-33. which would you rather have?

i don't see him adding 30 runs doing that.

[the splinter]

Perhaps but it seems to me that you are just extrapolating through best guess math. You have failed to account for the adjustment in pitching style...many more fastballs for the next few guys...and the adjustment the D has to make creating more holes for the next hitters. There is the mental aspect as well. Tell me Jackie Robinson wasn't a distraction when he danced up and down the paths. Do you recall how the Braves of the early 90's used Nixon and Deion. I say Pendelton doesn't win the batting title or MVP with out Nixon leading off,bunting his way on and swiping 70 plus bases.