Will the Blithering idiot manager Jimmy Williams ever bunt over the runners with no one out in the 9th inning so that a single ties the score? I say no, and good thing we got an American League manager to come in and do nothing on a daily basis. DaDakota
Will the Blithering idiot manager Jimmy Williams ever bunt over the runners with no one out in the 9th inning so that a single ties the score? As pointed out by the announcers, you needed Blum hitting right there. Their closer kills right-handers but is vulnerable to lefties. With Ausmus and Biggio coming up, I'd prefer Blum batting and try to get the runners around with 2 outs to play with instead of 1. It would have been different if it was a 1-run game and the bunt could get him to 3rd. That would allow you to tie without a hit. However, in this case, you needed a hit anyway, and it was more likey Blum would get it over Ausmus or Biggio. If Blum gets the hit, 1 run scores and the other is on 3rd with no outs -- then, Ausmus' double play still ties the game.
Major, The announcers were covering his butt. It was a terrible call, and was proven to be that by the result...Blum hit into a DP. You bunt the runners over, and then a flair, an error, a ground ball with eyes....a soft liner...anything can tie the game. The Stros are losing because they are not clutch hitting, it is time for them to start trying to scratch out a few runs to get the motor going. Williams did not do it with the high profile Red Sox, who is to say he can do it here? So far, he has been less then Dierker, and that stinks. DaDakota
The announcers were covering his butt. It was a terrible call, and was proven to be that by the result...Blum hit into a DP. First off, the announcers agreed with the call before it was ever made. They suggested it before they knew if Blum was batting or bunting. And the result proves nothing. Baseball is a sport where the hitter fails 70% of the time. You cannot ever judge a move by the result. Bad moves will work at times and good moves won't work the majority of the time. You bunt the runners over, and then a flair, an error, a ground ball with eyes....a soft liner...anything can tie the game. No, none of those things tie the game, except if there are 2 outs already. Runner doesn't necessarily score from 2nd on a short single. A solid single ties the game. That's it. Blum has the best chance for that solid single because of the Lefty/Righty situation. If Blum gets the single, then you have the tying runner on 3rd with no outs. That's the best-case scenario, and certainly better than hoping Ausmus or Biggio can get a single off a pitcher who kills righthanded hitters. Its almost always a bad idea to waste an out when you need 2 runs to score unless you have stud hitters coming to the plate -- and neither Ausmus nor Biggio qualify. The Stros are losing because they are not clutch hitting, it is time for them to start trying to scratch out a few runs to get the motor going. The Astros won their previous 3 games with very solid hitting, including a Blum HR the night before. Williams did not do it with the high profile Red Sox, who is to say he can do it here? Williams isn't the one who's not hitting the ball. There's nothing he can do in terms of managerial moves if the entire team doesn't hit the ball.
For what its worth, on this club the odds of scoring man on 1st no outs vs. man on 2nd one out over the last couple years has been just about even. To be precise, it's actually slightly *higher* from first base.
Here is a better idea: How about an Astros hitter ACTUALLY get a hit with RUNNERS IN SCORING POSITION! Now there is a novel concept..... Im frustrated damnit!
