Explaining the squeeze play to Evermore

[damadmonk]

An analysis of another squeeze play...

We won't spend too much time obsessing over the suicide squeeze play the Nationals ran to get their fifth run on Saturday afternoon, since it merely provided an insurance run the team wound up not needing anyway. But there were some interesting inside-baseball nuggets to come out of the play:

http://www.masnsports.com/the_goessling_game/2011/04/the-anatomy-of-the-nationals-squeeze-play.html

[Fairview4Life]

When executed perfectly, a home run is also almost impossible to stop.

[evilRyu]

When executed perfectly, a home run is also almost impossible to stop.

Pesky's Pole begs to differ

[Evermore]

This video is dedicated to Evermore, who crawled through a river of sh*t and came out clean on the other side...

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/video/p ... 4&c_id=tor

[damadmonk]

This video is dedicated to Evermore, who crawled through a river of sh*t and came out clean on the other side...

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/video/p ... 4&c_id=tor

So your saying Juan Rivera could of done that? I would bet Rivera swinging for a hit is more likely than him getting a bunt like that.

[flatjacket1]

I like the squeeze when done in the right situation. When there is a double play possibility and a runner on 3rd, doing a squeeze isn't a bad idea.

[tsherkin]

Pesky's Pole begs to differ

"Perfectly executed," he said.

[Evermore]

Are the Jays 1 for 1 in squeeze play attempts this year?

[lilneige]

"If you play for one run, that's all you'll get." -- Earl Weaver

That should be posted in every clubhouse in baseball

Sometimes, even one run matters, and this is when strategy like squeeze and double stealing come in.
It is all depends on the situation and the player who are doing the execution. However, with the influence of sabermetrics baseball, and the steroid era when most hitter can just hit the ball out of the ball park easily, those strategy became less appreciated. However, Mike Scioscia may not be popular among fans, but he is considered as a good manager. Most recently, he ranked 1st as Best Manager in the AL by Baseball America.

The situation was this...
Top of the 7th...Bautista on 3rd with 1 out...game tied at 5
Rivera and his .150 AVG at the plate

Believing strongly that the squeeze play is an effective way to score a run...I was in favour of it in that situation

For reasons unknown to me...there are those on this forum who feel that play isn't an option

There are many ways to advance the runner on 3rd to home plate.

A hit
A double
A triple
A home run
A Sac fly
Squeeze
Wild pitch
Runner stealing home
pitcher balked

When the hitter is Rivera, I think a sac fly might had a higher chance to score the run than making him execute a squeeze. If manager really want to get a squeeze, it is better to pinch hit, get a good bunter at the plate. Also get a pinch run, get a better runner than Bautista and prevent Bautista from injury during the action.

Even though I am pro small ball in some situation, but this is not the right situation.

[Evermore]

Pinch run for Bautista?

Gotta disagree there...

No way you're taking Bautista out of a tied game in the top of the 7th...

[Schad]

Are the Jays 1 for 1 in squeeze play attempts this year?

I can remember three attempts, two successful and one unsuccessful. I didn't have much of a problem with either of the successful attempts, because they were done with the right hitters up...Corey Patterson (who is a very capable bunter) and John McDonald (who is a very incompetent everything-but-bunter). The other time saw the Jays attempt a squeeze with Escobar at the plate and Davis at third...Escobar couldn't even offer at the ball and Davis got picked off, with Escobar picking up a hit immediately after.

[lilneige]

Pinch run for Bautista?

Gotta disagree there...

No way you're taking Bautista out of a tied game in the top of the 7th...

Yes, this become another reason not to call for squeeze in this situation..

I would not risking Bautista charging hard toward the home plate which may lead to the possibility of a collision between Bautista and the catcher or an awkward sliding at home plate, just for the sake of to score a run during the season.

[Evermore]

Pinch run for Bautista?

Gotta disagree there...

No way you're taking Bautista out of a tied game in the top of the 7th...

Yes, this become another reason not to call for squeeze in this situation..

I would not risking Bautista charging hard toward the home plate which may lead to the possibility of a collision between Bautista and the catcher or an awkward sliding at home plate, just for the sake of to score a run during the season.

So let's make Bautista our full-time DH then...and eliminate the possibility he'll get injured making a defensive play

[Sifu]

I think the greater question is why are baseball players so bad at bunting? I mean can't each player spend 5 minutes a day bunting? I mean if you can hit a 95 mph fastball, I'm sure you can lay a bunt down.

You don't even need a pitcher or a coach to toss it. You can use a batting machine since it's not that much about timing your swing but rather making contact and deadening contact.

in 5 minutes per day, you can bunt 20 balls easily. Keep that up daily and you'll be pretty good at it.

Being able to bunt is a good tool. Man on 1st and 2nd, no outs and Teahan at the plate trying to bunt. Epic fail and strikes out. Why?

So, in some respects the argument that it's stupid to run a squeeze because Player X cannot bunt is ridiculous.

[Fairview4Life]

If you hit a 95mph fastball in one out of every 3 tries, you're probably going to the hall of fame. You also aren't really controlling where you're hitting the ball all that much. On a squeeze bunt attempt you better lay one down every single 95 mph fastball or any other pitch you see, and you need to control where it's going.

[Skin Blues]

Only hitting one out of three fastballs means you aren't even getting drafted.

And the point was that bunting should not be a difficult skill to learn and maintain, which is true. Just like free throws in basketball. Last night my team was down by 1 run, last inning, leadoff guy gets a single. Next guy makes the two worst bunt attempts I've ever seen and on an 0-2 count rips a double down the third base line and was the eventual winning run. Then again, we have to pay to play, and these guys get millions.

[Fairview4Life]

Only hitting one out of three fastballs means you aren't even getting drafted.

Not every team has a man in white.

[Evermore]

Only hitting one out of three fastballs means you aren't even getting drafted.

And the point was that bunting should not be a difficult skill to learn and maintain, which is true. Just like free throws in basketball. Last night my team was down by 1 run, last inning, leadoff guy gets a single. Next guy makes the two worst bunt attempts I've ever seen and on an 0-2 count rips a double down the third base line and was the eventual winning run. Then again, we have to pay to play, and these guys get millions.

That statement isn't true.

Player X could be hitting 1 in 3 fastballs for a homerun...

[Sifu]

You're missing the point. Bunting is a learnable skill. Sure, some are better than others. But to not even practice it removes a tool that can be used in some situations.