Greenberg sacrifices

[johnnypapa]

Hey Tiger fans....I was watching the 1945 WS highlights on MLB network and wonder how many of you realize that in the first inning of game seven Hank Greenberg bunt sacrificed runners to 2nd and 3rd. Both runners eventually scored and the Tigers put up five in the first inning and of course went on to win the game and the series. Not being a Tiger fan, I knew they won that series but I was not too aware of the play by play of the games. As I watched it I wondered if we would ever see something like that today. Do you think we would see Miguel Cabrera or Maglio Ordonez bunt in the same situation today. Game 7 of a WS? Do they even know how to bunt:) Not just those guys but any power hitter on any team? What would you think if you did see something like that? I guess if the runners eventually scored the manager would be a genius but if they didn't Leyland or any manager would be killed by the media.:)


http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1945/B10100CHN1945.htm

[AutographCollector]

Not just those guys but any power hitter on any team? What would you think if you did see something like that?

I can't speak for the Tigers fans here, but either last season or in 07' Carlos Delgado bunted in a game. It looked terrible (like he didn't know what he was doing) but he did advance the runners. What were my thoughts on a power hitter bunting? PLEASE do not do it again! :ughh

:)

[tigers527]

Blame Earl Weaver more than a given player. I am sure if the game did not change the way it did, even power hitters would be able to sacrifice. But these days the game has become more about the 3 run homer, than moving runners over, in fact teams that move runners over (even with the bottom of the order) get called mildly offensive term "small ball" teams.

[johnnypapa]

Blame Earl Weaver more than a given player. I am sure if the game did not change the way it did, even power hitters would be able to sacrifice. But these days the game has become more about the 3 run homer, than moving runners over, in fact teams that move runners over (even with the bottom of the order) get called mildly offensive term "small ball" teams.


Yep...Earl Weaver immediately came to mind as I was watching it along with the time when Reggie Jackson refused to bunt in a game.

[johnnypapa]

I can't speak for the Tigers fans here, but either last season or in 07' Carlos Delgado bunted in a game. It looked terrible (like he didn't know what he was doing) but he did advance the runners. What were my thoughts on a power hitter bunting? PLEASE do not do it again! :ughh

:)


That seems to be the prevailing thought....but it seems somehow to be tied to money these days (along with the fact that these guys are just not used to bunting). I know a few times I was watching a game when one of the announcers would ask should so and so bunt in this situation and his partner in the booth (usually a former player) would say something like 'no way...your paying the guy 16 mil to drive in runs...you don't take the bat out of his hands, etc.' That may be true but sometimes the situation does call for a bunt and I wonder how many managers would like to but don't because of that kind of thinking.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Carl Yastrzemski called the one time he successfuly bunted one of the highlights of his career.

Getting back to the thread itself, the 1945 World Series wasn't called the 4F series for nothing. Any other time besides the star-depleted WWII years and I would be shocked a manager would try this. Even a hitter of Greenberg's caliber would play toward the other teams's limitations when one could.