breaking up a no-hitter

[west coast orange and black]

at what point is it still ok to bunt to get aboard when the pitcher's got a no-no going?
i've read and heard all kinds of answers.

i'm thinkin' that it's ok to bunt thru the 5th inning.
after that, it's gotta be a full swing, or someone's gettin' drilled.

[RuthMayBond]

at what point is it still ok to bunt to get aboard when the pitcher's got a no-no going?
i've read and heard all kinds of answers.

i'm thinkin' that it's ok to bunt thru the 5th inning.
after that, it's gotta be a full swing, or someone's gettin' drilled.You're competing to have every legal possible chance to win. I'm thinking you're ok to bunt until the game's over. What's with the babying a winning opponent? But I think you hit one of their guys first BEFORE you bunt, so both benches have already been warned.

[Wade8813]

Basically, as long as it makes sense to bunt for the game situation, I say go for it. If you're down by 6 runs, bunting probably isn't the right move to make.

[RuthMayBond]

Basically, as long as it makes sense to bunt for the game situation, I say go for it. If you're down by 6 runs, bunting probably isn't the right move to make.Getting a baserunner isn't a right move?

[YankeeDJW]

Why would you want to give the opposing pitcher a chance at a no-hitter? First off, you become the laughing stock of the baseball world if you get no-hit. Second, as a hitter, your bread and butter is your offensive production. You don't just dilly-dally into the batters box t watch your BA drop two points so the opposing pitcher won't feel bad. Thirdly, you're trying to win. There have been some amazing comebacks through the years. Giving up should never be an option. If the pitcher whines about a bunt in the eight inning, too bad. Nobody said it was easy. My $0.02 anyway.

[rdonahue]

If there's 2 outs in the 9th and you're down 15-0 and you're David Ortiz....by all means bunt! In any other situation it's okay, too but that one's the best - if the ball is fair down the line it's a hit no matter what.

[Pete Rose Rounding Third]

Yeah, I don't like all that "unwritten rule" garbage. Drop one down with two out in the ninth if you think you can get on with it.

[NYMets523]

Why would you want to give the opposing pitcher a chance at a no-hitter? First off, you become the laughing stock of the baseball world if you get no-hit.
Not really. After a no-hitter, people don't mock the losing team. They may look bad but people are more focused on the pitcher for accomplishing it.

[mwb]

I think the goal is to win the game, not stop the opposing pitcher from getting a no-hitter. If it's a 1-0 game, then try to bunt because that would put the tying run on base. If it's 10-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, bunting just for the sake of breaking up a no-hitter seems inappropriate. The goal still should be to win the game & at 10-0, chances are the game's over.

It's the same logic as stealing bases with a huge lead. Stealing a base when a team is up 10-0 is overkill because there's really not a big need for the winning team to have to scratch out that 11th run.

[Ytown Tribe fan]

Unwritten rules are fun. But there is only one rule, win the ball game.

Case in point: on a discussion forum ... I don't remember whether it was this one or NetShrine ... we were discussing basestealing during blowouts -- whether it was okay or whether it broke an unwritten rule of baseball. Some of you here may well remember that thread, and for good reason.

The discussion was pretty much divided. Half the threads were about how it was only gonna cause trouble and that the leading team could expect retaliation if their baserunner attempted a steal during a blowout. Half the responders believed that you should always try to score runs whether you're up or down, and no matter how many runs the teams were apart.

I bring this up because I can place the DATE of that thread with certainty: August 4th, 2001.

Every baseball fan remembers what happened the very next day: Seattle took a 14-2 lead over Cleveland to the bottom of the 7th inning at Jacobs Field. Cleveland went on to tie the game and won in extra innings.

Regarding this thread, if a pitcher is throwing a perfect game on the last day of the season and his team is in first place by 15 games and the losing team is in dead last place and the score is 15-0 in the bottom of the 9th with two outs, then the batter has one job: to try to get on base any way he can. Period.

You Can Never Score Enough Runs.
The Game Isn't EVER Over Until The Last Out.

Period.

[mwb]

I agree with your premise but blowing a 14-2 lead is extremely rare.

[TonyStarks]

at what point is it still ok to bunt to get aboard when the pitcher's got a no-no going?
i've read and heard all kinds of answers.

i'm thinkin' that it's ok to bunt thru the 5th inning.
after that, it's gotta be a full swing, or someone's gettin' drilled.

I remember an incident like this a few years ago.

I think it might have been Michael Barrett who did it to Curt Shilling and Shilling was very upset about it. He was yelling all the way down the line and after runner got to first.

I think that if the game is out of hand and the man has his No No going ...no batter should attempt a bunt after the 7th inning.

[Utility07]

It wasn't Michael Barrett, it was Ben Davis of the Mariners(at the time).

[TonyStarks]

It wasn't Michael Barrett, it was Ben Davis of the Mariners(at the time).

Yes...that was him.

I couldn't think of his name for the life of me.

[Sweet Lou]

at what point is it still ok to bunt to get aboard when the pitcher's got a no-no going?
i've read and heard all kinds of answers.

i'm thinkin' that it's ok to bunt thru the 5th inning.
after that, it's gotta be a full swing, or someone's gettin' drilled.If it's much harder to complete a no-hitter when people are bunting on you, then it makes it THAT MUCH MORE SPECIAL IF YOU COMPLETE IT!
Which is more worthy of praise, a pitcher that completed a no-hitter with people trying to bunt on him, or a pitcher that completed a no-hitter against batters that "didn't break unwritten rules"?

Shoot, if I'm a batter against the no-hitter, I'm thinking "Well, nothing else has worked, so we better try everything in our arsenal: I'm gonna try to bunt".:shrug:

Lou

[Ytown Tribe fan]

I'm with Sweet Lou on this.

Remember the scene from "For Love of the Game", where the Yanks manager tells the young slugger to "wreck it"? That's one of the things that made Billy Chapel's perfect game so great in the movie. That kid wasn't impressed one bit; he was trying to impress his manager. Chappy earned every out.

A no-hitter isn't 25 outs or 26 outs. It's 27 hard-earned outs.

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great."

-Jimmy Dugan

[RuthMayBond]

I think the goal is to win the game, not stop the opposing pitcher from getting a no-hitter. If it's a 1-0 game, then try to bunt because that would put the tying run on base. If it's 10-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, bunting just for the sake of breaking up a no-hitter seems inappropriate. The goal still should be to win the game & at 10-0, chances are the game's over.

It's the same logic as stealing bases with a huge lead. Stealing a base when a team is up 10-0 is overkill because there's really not a big need for the winning team to have to scratch out that 11th run."Same logic", except when you're DOWN 10-0 you're not piling on

[mwb]

But bunting to break up a no-hitter when down 10-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth is in poor taste. The goal is to win the game. If the team wins the game, they'll have to get hits so they will break up the no-hitter.

[RuthMayBond]

But bunting to break up a no-hitter when down 10-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth is in poor taste.Lay down and die then

<The goal is to win the game.>

Or to do as well as you can?

[mwb]

Bunting to break up a no-hitter, especially if it's a guy who doesn't bunt is in the same category as A-Rod's "I got it" play from earlier this season. Playing to win is one thing but being a jerk is another.

[Paulypal]

at what point is it still ok to bunt to get aboard when the pitcher's got a no-no going?
i've read and heard all kinds of answers.

i'm thinkin' that it's ok to bunt thru the 5th inning.
after that, it's gotta be a full swing, or someone's gettin' drilled.

I think it all depends on the score of the game. If a team is up 1-0 and the team still has a chance to tie/win by bunting then no big deal. If its 10-0 and your bunting for the sole purpose of busting the no-no then I think its ridiculous.

Curt Schilling was pissed off about somone bunting on him while pitching a no no I believe while he was with the Diamondbacks. The score was 1-0 at the time. He and Brenly said it was classless. He and Brenly should have been drilled for their stupidity. The pitcher is pitching a no hitter in a 1-0 game....is the team suppose to lay down and be no hit or lose the game?

[RuthMayBond]

Bunting to break up a no-hitter, especially if it's a guy who doesn't bunt is in the same category as A-Rod's "I got it" play from earlier this season. Playing to win is one thing but being a jerk is another.Actually, I think A-Rod should have been called out for interference if the allegations are true. Not applicable to bunting

[mwb]

A player should do what he would normally do in the course of winning a game. Winning the game is the goal. If a player is known for bunting, he should bunt. But bunting, when a player doesn't normally bunt, just for the sake of breaking up a no-hitter is weak.

[Paulypal]

Bunting to break up a no-hitter, especially if it's a guy who doesn't bunt is in the same category as A-Rod's "I got it" play from earlier this season. Playing to win is one thing but being a jerk is another.

First of all ARod never said "I got it". He screamed "HA". If you watch the replay you can clearly see what he said. As anything else with Arod it gets blown out of proportion, and is usually inaccurate.

[PVNICK]

I agree with the above point. Play as if the score is the same, but there is no no-hitter. Why should your strategy change because there is one hit, twelve hits or no hits. If you advocate bunting because its a no-hitter then you should advocate bunting in the ninth inning of every game where you're down.

[Paulypal]

I'm with Sweet Lou on this.

Remember the scene from "For Love of the Game", where the Yanks manager tells the young slugger to "wreck it"? That's one of the things that made Billy Chapel's perfect game so great in the movie. That kid wasn't impressed one bit; he was trying to impress his manager. Chappy earned every out.

A no-hitter isn't 25 outs or 26 outs. It's 27 hard-earned outs.

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great."

-Jimmy Dugan

I am missing the relevance...The kid didnt bunt he hit a chopper on the last out, and Chappy is a fictional charecter....you know that right. LOL

[RuthMayBond]

A player should do what he would normally do in the course of winning a game. Winning the game is the goal. If a player is known for bunting, he should bunt. But bunting, when a player doesn't normally bunt, just for the sake of breaking up a no-hitter is weak.In the case of Ortiz, I'd have to agree with you. Unless the 1B or 3B is playing in the outfield :laugh

[RuthMayBond]

I agree with the above point. Play as if the score is the same, but there is no no-hitter. Why should your strategy change because there is one hit, twelve hits or no hits. If full swings ain't working, what's wrong with trying something else?

[west coast orange and black]

mwb: A player should do what he would normally do in the course of winning a game .... If a player is known for bunting, he should bunt.

good point, mwb.

[PJ-34]

at what point is it still ok to bunt to get aboard when the pitcher's got a no-no going?
i've read and heard all kinds of answers.

i'm thinkin' that it's ok to bunt thru the 5th inning.
after that, it's gotta be a full swing, or someone's gettin' drilled.

I say you gotta do what you gotta do. There's no point in haivng a no-hitter if the other team doesn't even try. You don't want to be a team that gives up a no-no so just do what you can to get a hit. It's a team sport.

[RuthMayBond]

If a guy doesn't normally bunt, the assumption is he'll mess up, which will help the pitcher, so what's the big deal? :think:

[hiddengem]

In my opinion this all depends on how the game is going. If the game is close, anything goes, do whatever you want to try and with the ballgame. If you are being no-hit after the 6th inning and you are down by a good margin and you bunt to try and break up the no-hitter, some would probably consider that a bush move. I'll ask some other teamates and see what they think.

[RuthMayBond]

In my opinion this all depends on how the game is going. If the game is close, anything goes, do whatever you want to try and with the ballgame. If you are being no-hit after the 6th inning and you are down by a good margin and you bunt to try and break up the no-hitter, some would probably consider that a bush move. I'll ask some other teamates and see what they think.Well, I can't argue with a guy who's been to the top.

[Paulypal]

In my opinion this all depends on how the game is going. If the game is close, anything goes, do whatever you want to try and with the ballgame. If you are being no-hit after the 6th inning and you are down by a good margin and you bunt to try and break up the no-hitter, some would probably consider that a bush move. I'll ask some other teamates and see what they think.

Thats exactly what I said...I couldnt agree more. All depends on the score.

[Padday]

A good bunt is not as easy as some people are making it out to be and certainly does not guarantee a base hit or else more people would do it more often. If you were to say attempting to get on base with a bunt while a no-hitter is going is bush, then you'd also have to say that swinging the bat with intent to get a base hit is bush.

Just because a no-hitter's going shouldn't mean that your approach to the game should change. If you're thinking about that pitcther's no-hitter then you're not doing your job as a hitter.

All that being said, I know I'd be quite peeved if someone was to break up a no-hitter I had going with a bunt, but that's life. As they say all's fair in love and baseball.

[digglahhh]

I agree with the above point. Play as if the score is the same, but there is no no-hitter. Why should your strategy change because there is one hit, twelve hits or no hits. If you advocate bunting because its a no-hitter then you should advocate bunting in the ninth inning of every game where you're down.

I agree.

If bunting is part of a guy's arsenal, he shouldn't be confined because of the other pitcher's performance. If bunting isn't part of a guy's arsenal, it is in bad taste to do it if it doesn't have a reasonable likelihood of changing the course of the game.

[hiddengem]

Spoke with some teamates, some of them with many years in the big leagues. All of them felt the same way I did. If you still in the game after 6 innings and only down by a few runs, than anything goes. If you are down by 5 runs or more after 6 and you try and bunt you will probably have 11 other pitchers that would love to leave a nice mark in your ribs.;)

[RuthMayBond]

Spoke with some teamates, some of them with many years in the big leagues. All of them felt the same way I did. If you still in the game after 6 innings and only down by a few runs, than anything goes. If you are down by 5 runs or more after 6 and you try and bunt you will probably have 11 other pitchers that would love to leave a nice mark in your ribs.;)Not that I'll ever be in a position to worry about this. HG, could you confirm that the current rules have the umpire warn both benches after the first hit batter?

[west coast orange and black]

i appreciate the discussion and am changin' my "after the 5th" thinking to "it depends on the situation".

[sturg1dj]

A good bunt is not as easy as some people are making it out to be and certainly does not guarantee a base hit or else more people would do it more often. If you were to say attempting to get on base with a bunt while a no-hitter is going is bush, then you'd also have to say that swinging the bat with intent to get a base hit is bush.

Just because a no-hitter's going shouldn't mean that your approach to the game should change. If you're thinking about that pitcther's no-hitter then you're not doing your job as a hitter.

All that being said, I know I'd be quite peeved if someone was to break up a no-hitter I had going with a bunt, but that's life. As they say all's fair in love and baseball.

some people just should not bunt in that situation though....we've all probably seen the clip of Mantle bunting for a single....if it were in the later parts of a no-hitter and Mantle bunted I would be pissed. If I were a fan I would be pissed too, I didn't pay to see Mantle bunt. You gotta believe I would drill Mantle the next time I saw him!