Werth Made The Call To Bunt In Ninth
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Thu, June 12, 2008 11:03 AM | Comments: 20
Posts
Jayson Werth said he decided to bunt with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth of a 2-2 game.
“I tried to surprise them because that was the last thing that anybody was thinking about.”
Charlie Manuel said he wanted Werth to swing, but:
“If he gets the ball more towards third base, I’d be telling you it was a hell of a play.”
It’s a dumb move. As I wrote before, Werth is the team’s most patient hitter. Moreover, Kevin Gregg had intentionally walked Ryan Howard, then hit Pat Burrell with his first pitch. Gregg was asked to get rattled and Werth gave him a gift.
Also, with the Phils on the road, the mentality must be to win and win big. Werth should be swinging for an extra-base hit in that situation. Get the runs, bring in Brad Lidge, shut down the Fish and go back up by four games. Instead the play falters, Tom Gordon comes in and the Fish are within two. You don’t want to have to look back on the season and say “If only Werth didn’t bunt, this team could’ve won the division.” We’ll never say, “If only Werth bunted, this team could’ve won the division.”
In the same situation a half-inning later, Dan Uggla had the right idea, and that paid off.
Posts: 0 Phil
Not only is Werth our most patient hitter, he’s also extremely clutch, and Gregg was very very rattled. I agree it was a surprise move, but he’s not Victorino. He’s fast, but he’s not Victorino fast. I actually think if Vic had laid that bunt down that we wouldn’t even be talking about this because I think he woulda got on base from that. It was a really good bunt actually, but seriously, what was he thinking?!?!!?!?!??!?!?! When I saw Werth coming to the plate I thought to myself looping single to left field and got really excited then I saw that bunt and turned the game off knowing we lost. I heard about the Uggla slam a few hours later and was really pissed off.
Posted: 11:20 AM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Jeffrey
Of course, I probably would’ve thought Werth was a genius if it had worked.
It didn’t, obviously, and the chances of a bunt winning the game in that situation are lower than pretty much any other form of contact. Especially on the first pitch (it was the first pitch, right?) Gregg was having control problems — take a few pitches! In fact, it’s almost more likely that the go-ahead run would’ve scored on a passed ball or a walk than on a bunt. Ugh.
Werth decided to get cute and I think there should be consequences from the manager.
Posted: 11:22 AM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 scot
Werth has become one of my favorite players on the team, due mainly to his patient approach at the plate. I can’t remember being more disappointed in the decision making of any player this season than I was Werth last night. Just not a smart play.
Posted: 11:27 AM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
Werth is better than that. hes one of my favorite players because he DOES exercise patience. i dont understand why he did that. just flick one out there in to shallow left field and youve got the win because then lidge goes in instead of gordo
Posted: 11:37 AM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 NateB
Werth was trying to do something smart, but didn’t work. That happens all the time. My only complaint with the offense is that Ruiz is still starting more than Coste– whose batting .100 points higher. Ruiz grounded into two double plays. Ever noticed that Coste always helps the rallies instead of shooting them down?
Posted: 12:07 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Bruce
Well….. on hindsight it was a poor decision by Werth especially with two outs and bases loaded where a putout can be made at any base. As Jeffrey mentioned, Gregg was somewhat erratic with his control having hit Burrell with a pitch. If Werth had exercised his alledged “patience” and took a few pitches… well… we will never know.
Curiously, Werth, a righthanded hitter facing the righthanded Gregg went against the percentage move. Werth is platoon for a reason. he can’t hit righties…with or without patience.
Posted: 12:11 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
I didn’t see it… but from reading the newspaper… Werth said that the 3rd basemen was playing back, so he decided to lay a bunt down…
But then it says the the bunt went to the left-side of the pitcher (meaning the 1st base side)… so WTF Werth???
THe 3rd basemen is playing back, so i’ll bunt it to the 1st base side… his ass should be on the bench today and let So Taguchi get the start in right.. you have to punish him for a dumb decision
Posted: 12:36 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 chrism
it was on the third base side. but not a great bunt
Posted: 12:51 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 scot
I’m not really surprised by the out for blood attitude that wants to see Werth benched for this, but I do disagree with it.
Werth made the decision to try a very low percentage play. If executed properly though it works and we are up a run. Unfortunately, it didn’t work and we lose.
But the play, the decision it’s very different than say Rollins not running out the pop-up. It’s a matter of execution vs lack of hustle.
To bench him for So Taguchi because of this? I just don’t see it. At all.
Posted: 12:52 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
When a guy with some power.. the #6 hitter in the order… BUNTS with the bases loaded, on the road, on his own… and doesn’t execute… damn right you sit his ass down for a game.
Let the coach be the guy who pulls surprise moves. I like werth a lot, even have posted on here before about how he could start in LF next year if the Phillies choose not to keep Burrell… but that was a bad decision.
If it worked, we’d all be praising him, but it didn’t… that is a low-percentage play as it is.. I don’t know what his career numbers off Gregg were, but I don’t think a platoon outfielder should get creative in a situation where a hit puts you ahead. Just go up there and swing the bat
Posted: 01:02 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 scot
It’s really simple in my mind. Does So Taguchi or Jayson Werth give you a better chance to win? You don’t bench a guy who made a bad decision just to prove you have cojones. If that was the case, Howard would barely see the field for swinging at the balls he swings at afterwards.
You could tell by what Manuel said afterwards that he was disappointed, but not furious. He’s been around the game long enough to know these things happen and don’t warrant overreaction.
Posted: 01:37 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 NC Jason
Don M ~ But doesn’t a trash bucket at first base give you a better chance to win then Howard? Come on, it was stupid and the game was an abortion, but lets not bench a good player for a worse one. So you bench a player for one that could hurt you just as much if not more? Remember right now Werth is not an everyday player so you explain to him what the proper approach is and then give him a pat on the back. Why would you make a very important player feel worthless by benching him? Remember Werth is a huge part of this team’s depth. It was a stupid stupid play, but lets not make an even stupider mistake.
Posted: 02:08 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 558 Brian Michael
Like everyone including Charlie Manuel, I think it was a dumb decision because it didn’t work. I don’t know how much Jayson practices his bunting but he should never have attempted a bunt unless he was sure he was going to lay it down. I think he had to do it on the first pitch, otherwise he would’ve lost the element of surprise by showing bunt and taking a pitch. But if that first pitch wasn’t the one he was looking for to lay down a successful bunt, he shoulda pulled back and called the whole thing off.
Maybe Werth had more confidence in his bunting abiltiy than he should have. Regardless, it was going to take a lot of things to go right for that bunt to be successful, and I have a feeling he didn’t weigh them all properly before rushing up there to bunt. Let’s hope he thinks twice next time…
Posted: 02:47 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
I’m not saying never play the guy again… I just think that he shouldn’t start tonight. Like Brian just said.. he really didn’t appear to think this over before attempting it. They sure as hell don’t pay him to bunt.
I really, really, really like Werth too.. but he made a mental mistake, which are always worse than a physical mistake.. and you need to use this to teach a lesson. People had been talking about Rollins lack-of-hustle for a week or two before he got benched.. this isn’t about setting an example or anything.. this is about making sure guys know that they have to attempt to do their jobs..to do their roles..
Its not a huge deal, but I really don’t think he should start tonight.. bring him in later in the game when/ if you need him, but don’t do him the favor of getting the start.. GORDON was the one that sucked ass last night, not Werth.
Posted: 04:36 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
Um…why are all of you people saying don’t start Werth? Do you really want Taguchi to start?
Posted: 04:47 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Julie
Starting Taguchi wouldn’t punish Werth, it would punish all of us…put Jenkins in right tonight.
Sweet bunt cake, Tim.
Posted: 04:55 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Bigs
Let’s just shoot Jayson for being such a moron! How dare he try a ballsy move to win a game! I haven’t been so mad at him since he tried that incredibly stupid low percentage stunt when he stole two consecutive bases against the Mets! Who cares if it led to us completing the sweep and sent us on our way to winning the division! Cholly should have benched his incompetent ass for that one.
Seriously boys… would you still be calling for him to be benched if he popped out? What if it worked? You were all probably ready to give him a permanent spot in the outfield after his near HR cycle game. I’m all for taking players to task for things like not hustling – benching Rollins was a thing of beauty – but complaining about him getting creative makes you sound like a bunch of fickle jerks that have never tried on a jock strap… oh wait… we’re Philly fans. Never mind – carry on.
Posted: 09:23 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 BillyPenn
the picture of the cake….takes the cake
sorry couldn’t resist
Posted: 09:23 PM on June 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Jim
Werth should have swung away —pure and simple—hopefully he won’t screw up like that in the future.
Posted: 12:04 AM on June 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
How about this…. to me, that was the equivalent (somebody spell check that..)
It was the equivalent of a pitcher.. base loaded..tie game.. full-count.. throwing a curveball instead of a fastball because he thought it would surprise the hitter. If it works he’s a hero…if he walks him that makes it a terrbile decision.
Oh well.. like I said many times, I like Werth a lot.. he should have swung.. oh well.. we’re back on the winning path again.
Posted: 09:30 AM on June 13, 2008