Turns out the Fan was prophetic after all. According to Big League Stew, Evan Longoria DID try to bunt his way on in the fifth inning during Braden's fantastic perfect game. This time, Braden isn't at the center of the debate, but "Duk" comes out and says that Longoria's attempt wasn't kosher. In the fifth inning?
Although the Athletics were up 4-0 at the time, the game was by no means out of hand. An offense like the Bay Rays can score four runs in a heart beat. And let's face it, this is going to be a long season and one win could mean a lot in the American League East. The Yankees are right on the Bay Rays' tail. Boston and even the Blue Jays are not even close to being out of the race. Both the Twins and the Tigers are playing well and a wild card in the AL East is not written in stone. Despite what Braden had going, in the fifth inning, a bunt attempt to get things started is not an etiquette thing. It's a strategic thing.
It's all a moot point of course, because as it all worked out, the bunt attempt went foul and Braden got his game of glory. But what about this etiquette thing? This Fan still wonders about the big deal of celebrating a homer or a big strikeout by a reliever or a guy running across the mound. Of all the things in the world to worry about, should those really be so important?
As Duk himself pointed out, when is it poor etiquette to bunt? If the lead off batter of the game attempts to bunt his way on, is that poor etiquette as the game is a perfect game at that point too? Is it okay in the third inning? The fifth? The seventh? It would seem to this observer that if the score was something like 8-0 in the seventh or eighth inning and the pitcher is throwing a no-no or a perfect game, then a bunt seems unseemly. But 4-0 in the fifth? No, the Fan can't buy that. The Bay Rays are trying to win a division here.
And it's funny how this thing seems to always center on Braden. Well, he brought a bit of that on himself. At least he isn't the one screaming this time. Thank goodness. But anyway, the good news is that Braden got his history and it was a great mother's day gift for him and the Oakland fans. Let it be.
2 comments:
Baseball etiquette? Are you kidding me? Nowhere in the rulebook does it say you can not bunt if a pitcher has a no-hitter going. Unless it says it in the rulebook, all's fair.
Congratulations to Braden and maybe the A-rod thing motivated him but I think he's a flakey punk to hollar like he did.
"It would seem to this observer that if the score was something like 8-0 in the seventh or eighth inning and the pitcher is throwing a no-no or a perfect game, then a bunt seems unseemly. But 4-0 in the fifth? No, the Fan can't buy that."
Sums it up for me.
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