MIN 13, TOR 7: Mauer Grand Slam Among 4 Twins Homers In Comeback Victory

Sure. But in order to be good at anything, you need to keep doing it in a high pressure, game situation. If you have a veteran player that hasn't bunted in a few years, how good will they be at it??  Bunt periodically to keep defenses honest and so you know how to do it when its really needed in a game situation.

I think the experience value of "periodic" (meaning infrequent) bunts is pretty much non-existent.  Just like you don't become a meaningfully better defender at a position if you only play it once every couple months.  That experience is just too infrequent to be meaningful.  Even if it's not "high pressure game situations", it probably comes down to practice plus innate skill and comfort.  And that's going to show up in the data -- a guy like Dozier who just isn't comfortable bunting isn't going to do it, even just once every couple months.

Also, for a good hitter, bunting is virtually never "needed" in a game situation.  Guys like Adrianza, Gimenez, rookie Granite, pitchers, sure.  But not good hitters.

To me periodic, in a baseball terms, would be weekly, since they play almost every day.

You want good hitters to be bunting, in actual games, weekly?

Sure. Not the Sano's of the world but whats the difference if Buxton bunts for a hit and steals second or hits a double??

Buxton is one of the fastest guys in the league. No one here has disputed he should be bunting for a hit sometimes. What about Dozier? Mauer? Stanton? You want them bunting weekly, regardless of results?

Stanton? I said previously not the Sano's of the world. Arguing for arguments sake.

 

This bunting discussion started because Dozier bunted for a hit when he saw the infield drawn back. That's my point, take advantage for what the defense does. Bunt a few times, the defense moves in, making it easier to hit thru that hole, keep the defense honest, in the meantime getting a bunt hit and keeping the line moving.

Sorry, I missed the Sano thing.

But notice that Dozier isn't bunting weekly. Also notice that you didn't say anything now about bunting just for the sake of bunting experience.

Again, no one here is quibbling with the idea of fast guys bunting for a hit sometimes, or a guy like Dozier catching the defense napping twice a season. But your "weekly experience" thing seemed to be arguing for more than that, which sounds like a good way for a lot of guys to give up regular PAs (and potential XBH) without much gain. Also have to factor in that regular bunt attempts will probably make defenses better at handling bunts, more than it will make any individual hunter better.