Because baseball is a team sport and you can manipulate the defense and take control of the game/series by having a strategy that is more than "swing as hard as you can".
But, also if your team hits more homers than the other team, your team is probably gonna win. The Braves 2021 playoff run was thanks in large part to the long ball and a few relievers with big balls.
You have to botch the bunt and the runner has to be asleep to get forced at third. Double that if you have a lefty at the plate. Any runner on 2B who can't get to 3B before the SS gets over there doesn't belong on base in that spot in the first place.
Not if 3B is playing back and 1B is holding the runner. All you have to do is get it down the 3B side to pretty much assure a hit if you have any speed.
If the bunt is down the third base line, there’s no shot, but if the bunt is back to the pitcher, or the wheel play is on, or even if it doesn’t get far enough away from the catcher, it can be an easy out
Unless the other team hits 1/2 the HR's but has 3x the baserunners.
But with two outs and the bases empty, you’re probably still coming out of that inning with no runs even if successful
There’s always exceptions, we’re talking probabilities here though
if you bunt into a cover 3 wheel play and it isn't in a pure sacrifice position then you deserve to get thrown out.
what inning is it? I'm ok with that if I get the corners up a step or two the rest of the game because they saw we are willing to bunt at any time.
I'd have to say the probability of bunting for a base hit is more likely than a HR for a vast majority of MLB hitters.
I just remember Greg Maddux getting a lot of outs at third on sac bunt attempts when I was a kid. I’d rather any non pitcher swing the bat there. Bunt double plays also happen
Our catcher is pretty fucking fast.
And how many runs is that two out bunt single leading to?
Because everyone and their brother knew that 99% of pitchers were bunting. The corners would play in every time most of them got up to bat. Some pitchers could hit, most couldn't. That's not nearly the same as asking your #6 hitter to lay down a bunt in the 3rd inning because the 3B is 6 steps behind the bag.
Doesn’t matter, you’re giving up any shot of an extra base hit by bunting(yes, I’m aware of a couple of bunt doubles against the shift that is now banned).
6 more innings to find out.
I expect my 6 hole batter to have some pop and driving in runs, not bunting for a single
You need a couple of hits to get that run, but I only need one bunt to change the defense the rest of the game.
So, probably none.