Baseball Etiquette - Bunting when Infield Shifts

Fondybadger

Fondybadger

CTG Partner
http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story...lewis-texas-rangers-problem-colby-rasmus-bunt

In the eyes of Colby Lewis, Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus sure could use a lesson in baseball etiquette.

Lewis took exception to a fifth-inning bunt by Colby Rasmus during the Rangers-Blue Jays game on Saturday. Lewis felt the bunt single went against baseball etiquette.

The Rangers starting pitcher exchanged words with Rasmus during the fifth inning of Texas' 4-1 loss Saturday. Lewis was irked when Rasmus laid down a two-out bunt single with the Blue Jays up 2-0 and the Rangers playing the shift.

"I told [Rasmus] I didn't appreciate it," Lewis said, according to MLB.com. "You're up by two runs with two outs and you lay down a bunt. I don't think that's the way the game should be played."

Lewis, who fell to 6-7 with the loss, felt Rasmus' bunt was a selfish act.

"I felt like you have a situation where there is two outs, you're up two runs, you have gotten a hit earlier in the game off me, we are playing the shift, and he laid down a bunt basically simply for average," Lewis said.

On top of the bunt, Lewis said the fact that Rasmus didn't try to steal second base further proved he was just concerned about upping his average.

"[Rasmus] didn't steal within the first two pitches to put himself in scoring position," Lewis said. "That tells me he is solely looking out for himself, and looking out for batting average. And I didn't appreciate it."

After the game, Rasmus said he was trying to help his team and did not understand why Lewis took offense.

"I'm just trying to help my team and he didn't like it -- so sorry about it," Rasmus said, according to MLB.com. "I'm not here
to try to please the other side, I'm here to help my team, and I had an opportunity where I could, and I took advantage of it."

Rasmus went 2-for-4 on the day. He is hitting .223 this season.
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I'm really not sure what Colby Lewis is upset about. I think more guys should take advantage of bunting into a shift when the opportunity presents itself. It's not like Rasmus did it to break up a no hitter.
 
it was 2-0 and it was only the 5th inning, jays trying to manufacture runs as they've been struggling no lead is safe...if it was 10-0 and he was bunting that's a different story but it was 2-0 and trying to get base runners on to help his team...
 
Fondybadger said:
I'm really not sure what Colby Lewis is upset about. I think more guys should take advantage of bunting into a shift when the opportunity presents itself. It's not like Rasmus did it to break up a no hitter.
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yep
 
Reminded me of the movie, Gung Ho, when the Japanese softball team kept bunting and George Wendt got all pissed off.
 
Fondybadger said:
I'm really not sure what Colby Lewis is upset about. I think more guys should take advantage of bunting into a shift when the opportunity presents itself. It's not like Rasmus did it to break up a no hitter.
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Exactly. I have always been of the mindset that guys should bunt when the opposition employs the shift. It's a free hit every single time, and it would certainly make the team think twice about employing the shift the next time he comes to the plate.

The shift itself could be argued to be just as 'bush league' as the guy bunting on that shift. If pitchers and the defense could get guys out regularly, they wouldn't have to employ the shift in the first place. It just makes no sense to whine about a bunt when you're shifting your defense to make it easier to get a guy out.
 
There really is no defense of Lewis here. He is a moron. I don't give a fuck what the scenario is either I don't care if there's a no-hitter going on a batters job is to get on base and if he thinks that is his best way to do so and he has every right to and should do it
 
"I felt like you have a situation where there is two outs, you're up two runs, you have gotten a hit earlier in the game off me, we are playing the shift, and he laid down a bunt basically simply for average," Lewis said.
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This is the quote that gets me....they were up TWO runs ffs. What is he even talking about? 2 runs, in the 5th inning...as if that's some insurmountable lead? And there were 2 outs as well? You don't say....what the fuck does that have to do with anything?

He was bunting simply for average? Um, no...he was bunting to get a hit because you guys shifted the defense on him and left the left side of the infield wide open. Hey Colby, didn't your defense employ the shift simply to keep your WHIP and possibly your ERA down?

This has to be one of the worst arguments anyone has ever made in the history of MLB. Seriously, there can't even be one guy on his team who agrees with him.
 
Yes Lewis is a moron.
If I was batting versus a shift especially as a lefty hitter, I would bunt to get on in certain situations. Maybe they would stop the shift if you do it enough.
 
Lareux said:
This is the quote that gets me....they were up TWO runs ffs. What is he even talking about? 2 runs, in the 5th inning...as if that's some insurmountable lead? And there were 2 outs as well? You don't say....what the fuck does that have to do with anything?
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As a teammate I'd be pissed that he didn't think his offense could score two runs ;)
 
people in philly have been begging howard to bunt for the last 4 years when the defense leaves that whole side wide open
 
colby lewis is frustrated that his team sucks ass and can't stay healthy for shit. rasmus bunting there gets some old school guys pissed off, and colby is an old school guy. garza is the same way, some of these dudes think it's the pussy way out, but if someone is paying me millions of dollars to get on base--im gonna fuckin get on base any way i know how to.
 
Elbutre88 said:
colby lewis is frustrated that his team sucks ass and can't stay healthy for shit. rasmus bunting there gets some old school guys pissed off, and colby is an old school guy. garza is the same way, some of these dudes think it's the pussy way out, but if someone is paying me millions of dollars to get on base--im gonna fuckin get on base any way i know how to.
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Agreed. The problem with those "old school" guys is you don't hear them bitching about their defense employing the shift, because it's helping them out. The shift should infuriate the old school guys just as much as a guy bunting when the defense has shifted.
 
Exactly. When Texas employed the shift, Rasmus should've said wait a minute, this is bullshit and told them to play a traditional defense. Lewis is a fucking moron.
 
I'm as old school as they come and when I played (minor league) there was no shift like that. Why? Because we would have done nothing but bunt until they got out of it. Carl Yazstremski never hit a ball to left but they never shifted on him. Many others as well. Why? because they would have bunted and laughed themselves sick trotting to first every time at bat. People (todays players and media) shouldn't talk about baseball etiquette they know nothing about.

But then the softies (fans, media et al) don't understand the real etiquette. If they hit one of yours on purpose you hit one of theirs. People today always whining and saying "You can't put a players career in jeopardy because of some idea of justice." Yes, you can, and do. Don't hit mine and I won't hit yours. Did anyone see Kershaw nail Halliday in the butt last night? I laughed my ass off and then gave him a standing ovation in my living room. My wife just shook her head because I have told her about calling for that when I was behind the plate.

By the way, the sign for that is giving the inverted middle finger and pointing up at the batter. My pitchers always smiled before they hit the guy. GL
 
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