Why do we bunt?

[taiwancock]

I do not watch as much college baseball as many of you do, and I have to confess that I do not get a chance to catch many Gamecock games. An article in The State about small ball brings up something that has been nagging me, though. Why do the Gamecocks bunt (so much)? At least at the MLB level, isn't bunting going the way of the dodo? Is it still prevalent at the college level? Whenever I do catch the Gamecocks, I see them bunting and bunting, and it kills me.

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

It's all about numbers.....Some statistics guy has figured out that a runner on Second scores like 54%(made up numbers) of the time with less than 2 outs. and they only score 27% (Nuther MU #) from first.
But another guys has done an analysis and showed that it doesn't really matter but we still go almost directly by the numbers. Good coaches manage the game and use the bunt when they need to and it is not automatic. Bad coaches play the numbers.

 

[heavycock]

I don't so much have a problem with our # of bunt attempts, it's our pitiful execution that I have a problem with.

So if we can't figure out how to bunt, then I guess I do have a problem with our frequency of attempts. Can't do it? Don't do it.

 

[world famous 3rd base hecklers]

I do not watch as much college baseball as many of you do, and I have to confess that I do not get a chance to catch many Gamecock games. An article in The State about small ball brings up something that has been nagging me, though. Why do the Gamecocks bunt (so much)? At least at the MLB level, isn't bunting going the way of the dodo? Is it still prevalent at the college level? Whenever I do catch the Gamecocks, I see them bunting and bunting, and it kills me.

 

[92Pony]

I generally don't have a problem with it. If memory serves, it seems like Tanner played a lot of small ball on his way to two CWS championships. I remember watching those playoffs, and it being nearly 100% automatic that when we got a runner on, we bunted him over.

 

[coxman]

I generally don't have a problem with it. If memory serves, it seems like Tanner played a lot of small ball on his way to two CWS championships. I remember watching those playoffs, and it being nearly 100% automatic that when we got a runner on, we bunted him over.

Yes but that was during the dead bat era.

 

[wentzel25]

I do not watch as much college baseball as many of you do, and I have to confess that I do not get a chance to catch many Gamecock games. An article in The State about small ball brings up something that has been nagging me, though. Why do the Gamecocks bunt (so much)? At least at the MLB level, isn't bunting going the way of the dodo? Is it still prevalent at the college level? Whenever I do catch the Gamecocks, I see them bunting and bunting, and it kills me.

I am 100% onboard with you because A. It's boring, B. It decreases your chance of scoring, and all but eliminates a shot at a big inning.
Numbers don't lie and Theo Epstein is a huge statistics guy. The Cubs and Red Sox have been pretty decent under his watch.
The only only time I could really see bunting is if you're doing it for a base hit (speedster with a high avg catching the d off guard), or if there are runners on and the guy at the plate strikes out in about 50% of his at-bats or more.

 

[Irmo Cock]

I'm okay with bunting in the right situation, but our guys seem to have problems getting the bunt down.

 

[Out of Conference]

It's all about numbers.....Some statistics guy has figured out that a runner on Second scores like 54%(made up numbers) of the time with less than 2 outs. and they only score 27% (Nuther MU #) from first.
But another guys has done an analysis and showed that it doesn't really matter but we still go almost directly by the numbers. Good coaches manage the game and use the bunt when they need to and it is not automatic. Bad coaches play the numbers.

http://www.boydsworld.com/data/ert.html

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

http://www.boydsworld.com/data/ert.html

yeah...that's the numbers......I knew someone would point us to the book of numbers...

 

[taiwancock]

http://www.boydsworld.com/data/ert.html

If I am reading those college baseball tables correctly, it actually confirms what the Sabermetrics guys say about the negative impact of bunting. Look at the bottom right 2011-12 table. If you had a runner on first and no outs, you could have expected to score a run 49 percent of the time; a runner on second and one out, it dropped to 47 percent. If you had a runner on first and one out, you could have expected to score a run 32 percent of the time; a runner on second and two outs, it dropped to 25 percent.

Here is another article about the way stats analysis has impacted decisions at the MLB level. Sabermetrics Is Killing Bad Dugout Decisions

 

[raycock2001]

It's all about numbers.....Some statistics guy has figured out that a runner on Second scores like 54%(made up numbers) of the time with less than 2 outs. and they only score 27% (Nuther MU #) from first.
But another guys has done an analysis and showed that it doesn't really matter but we still go almost directly by the numbers. Good coaches manage the game and use the bunt when they need to and it is not automatic. Bad coaches play the numbers.

That's strange...I know several VERY GOOD coaches that play the "numbers" or percentages.

 

[bucketdad]

Smallball wins championships.

 

[GamecockJL]

We don't have enough power in our line up to do anything but bunt guys over. We've got to get back to our roots.

 

[CockTail73]

I'm okay with bunting in the right situation, but our guys seem to have problems getting the bunt down.

So...what you are saying is...they cant hit and they cant bunt...hmmmmm...sounds like a coaching problem

 

[NCGamcockFan2167]

That's strange...I know several VERY GOOD coaches that play the "numbers" or percentages.

Ok. I should have said bad coaches play them all the time. Good coaches use them but also play hunches and let's the ball go where it wants. Sorry I misspoke.

 

[usaguy40]

the better question is how do we not know how to bunt....sorry, but thats easy.....practice it damn it....sure doesn't look like they do

 

[Bigger_Stronger_Faster]

All you need to know about bunting from coach Kent Murphy.
Warning: Inappropriate language. If you're easily offended do not watch