Bunting for a hit.


During last night’s Rangers telecast against the Brewers, they showed an illuminating stat.

Milwaukee has the most bunt hits of any National League team with 30. The team with the most bunt hits in the American League is Tampa Bay, who have 45. By comparison, the Rangers have six.

By the way, the team with the most wins in the National League is Milwaukee. The team with the most wins in the America League is Tampa Bay. 

Maybe there’s something to be said about small ball. About the beauty of the bunt. Of moving runners over. Of sacrificing one’s self for the greater benefit of the team. Of showing guile and cunning. Of not just swinging as hard as you can for a home run and thus being satisfied with a strikeout.

Maybe this is why the Rangers, the offensively opposite of the Brewers and Rays, struggle to score, struggle to move runners over, struggle to convert baserunners into runs. Maybe the Rangers play a bad brand of baseball, a selfish brand, a brand they are not particularly good at. Maybe their roster is just not built to win.

Maybe they should embrace the bunt. 

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