Denver Post · Jul 10, 2018
Analytics killed the bunt. Now a new data-driven strategy could bring it back to life.
Zack Greinke of the Arizona Diamondbacks drops down a bunt during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field on July 8, 2018 in Phoenix. Few tactics in baseball fuel more debate than the bunt. The sabermetric community has argued against the bunt for decades with its most famous face, Bill James, telling NPR in 2011 bunting is “usually a waste of time.”
“I mean, if you think about it, (a) bunt is the only play in baseball that both sides applaud,” James said. He explained further: “The home team applauds because they get an out, and the other team applauds because they get a base. So what does that tell you? Nobody’s really winning here.”