More on that Crazy Play

by Charlie on Apr 8, 2008 2:30 PM EDT Comment 25 comments

The simplest explanation came from manager John Russell, who acknowledged "this was the kid's second game in the majors" but did not excuse the play: "If he takes off right away, it's over. Bixler just froze."

To hear the Pirates tell it, this is all Brian Bixler's fault. In the quote above, John Russell pretty much just comes out and says the Pirates lost the game because of Brian Bixler.

A couple of things:

1. Why would Russell come out and say something like this?

2. As an interested outsider who didn't play a lot of organized baseball, I'd like to ask a couple of questions before we close the book on this.

-Why not give a sign? If Jose Bautista wants to bunt, why can't the Pirates just devise a signal for him to give Bixler instead of just expecting Bixler to roll with it? It seems that, even in the best of situations, Bixler isn't going to get to the plate as quickly if he doesn't already know the bunt's on.

-What if, as commenter Mattbert asks over at Baseball Primer, Bautista had just been faking the bunt to draw the infield in? If Bixler doesn't know what's going on, it's just as reasonable for him to draw that conclusion. If he thinks that might be a possibility, it's better for him to just stay at third, because if he darts home on a faked bunt, he's dead meat. As much crap as the Pirates are giving him now, it would be worse if he'd gotten himself into a rundown between third and home before Bautista even made contact.

It may be that there are perfectly good answers to these questions. As someone who hasn't played a ton of organized baseball, I wouldn't know. But the question in my mind right now isn't, "Why didn't Bixler run?" Instead, it's, "Why would the Pirates allow that play?"

0 recs | Comment 25 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Bixler's mistake

You ask "why would the Pirates allow that play?" My reaction to that is absolute amazement. I can't believe that you would ask why the Pirates would allow a play that - when executed - would have resulted in a victory.

The safety squeeze has been around long before my 40 years of being. It was practiced in the spring when Bixler was with the club. Bixler's job on third base at that point is to read the ball off the batter's bat. When he observed Bautista square to bunt, his first reaction should have been to start down the line and when he observed the ball hit the ground, he must run like hell to home plate. If Bautista simply faked the bunt or missed the bunt, Bixler returns to 3rd base. It is a markedly different play than the suicide squeeze where Bixler would commit to running home no matter what happens with the pitch.

My high school team practiced this play as did the college team on which we played.

Take the bunt out of the equation . . . if Bautista had simply chopped the ball into the ground between the pitcher and first base, Bixler should have been running like hell. The bottom line is that Bixler made a bad baserunning choice. Bautista executed, Bixler didn't.

As for using a sign, that would indicate that the third base coach wanted to put on a safety squeeze. Bixler's job is no different at that point. Make sure that the ball is on the ground and run like hell. The only sign that Bixler would need is seeing Bautista square around to bunt. That is more than enough of a sign to clue him in to what is going on.

A runner on third base in any situation (let alone the winning run in the last inning) has to be ready to break for home on a chopper, a wild pitch, a passed ball, etc. If the ball is not handled cleanly by the catcher, the runner must be ready to go.

There is simply no excuse for watching Bautista square to bunt, put the ball on the ground and to stand there and watch Bautista run into a tagout. Ridiculous. Little League mistake.

The third base coach should have been screaming at Bixler once that ball hit the ground.

by Maz1960 on Apr 8, 2008 3:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I can understand the bunt. What I can't understand - and I'm sorry if this wasn't clear, but I said it elsewhere in the post - is why Bixler wouldn't benefit from a heads up.

by Charlie on Apr 8, 2008 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

I agree with most of your analysis, but Bixler should know in advance that the safety squeeze is on.

The only sign that Bixler would need is seeing Bautista square around to bunt. That is more than enough of a sign to clue him in to what is going on.

That's where I disgree to a point. I am not saying Bixler didn't make a mistake, but you should not run a saftey squeeze expecting the player on third to recognize it when he sees the batter sqaure. You said you have been around organized baseball so you should know on any squeeze play the batter is squaring as late as possible. Suggesting Bixler has more than enough time to figure out what's going on isn't completely accurate.

Again, though, Bixler is probably supposed to have his eye on the third base coach while Bautista is taking the signs, and he should have caught a sign from that exchange if one was given.

So the runner on third needs to know the play before the batter gets in the box...was it Bixler's fault he didn't know the play or the coaches'?

by DITO on Apr 9, 2008 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The "heads up" to any ballplayer who is paying attention to what is going on is when Bautista's hand slides up the bat and it is obvious that he is looking to bunt the ball.

The third base coach didn't call the play. Bautista made the call and, BTW, executed it to perfection.

by Maz1960 on Apr 8, 2008 4:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Again, though, why wouldn't it be better if all involved knew the purpose of the bunt? You wouldn't want Bixler to get caught hanging too far off third if Bautista doesn't make contact.

As it happened, it seems like far too risky of a play. Isn't the safety squeeze usually done with a sign?

Again, I didn't play a lot of organized baseball, so I don't know But, from reading responses around the internet, it appears your perspective isn't a completely obvious one, even among former players.

by Charlie on Apr 8, 2008 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Would Bixler benefit from a sign?

Sure? Should one be necessary? No. Sorry to answer my own questions like Jim Tracy.

From DK's chat: "Dejan Kovacevic: The most successful fundamental teams -- think Cardinals -- are the ones who have players who can do things like this semi-spontaneously, and have their teammates react with the script. Plain and simple, the young man froze."

Remember, Dejan doesn't give his opinion. I would guess that DK writes this after speaking to many people, not just the parties involved, and probably not just the Pirates.

Your question doesn't make sense* -- the purpose of the bunt is self-evident. Isn't it?

*What's funny about the whole thing is how galvanizing it is. I've posted more on it at WHYGAVS, and it seems like it's obvious to me, Maz1960, and many others that Bixler froze and Bautista made a heads up play that should have won the game. Total no-brainer. But there is no middle ground. There are at least as many people who think Bautista did the stupidest thing in the history of baseball, and should be cut, then drawn and quartered and forced to publicly apologize to Bixler and every Pirates fan individually.

by azibuck on Apr 8, 2008 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A sign can be employed, but isn't always. Doing it the way the Pirates did yesterday gives the person best-situated to make the call (the hitter) the ability to weigh all the relevant information (e.g., defensive positioning, pitch type and location) before committing to the bunt. As the other commenter noted, the job of the guy on third in that situation remains the same no matter how the ball's put in play: if it's on the ground and not directly back at the pitcher, you must break for home. A signal might be nice, but in this circumstance it's completely unnecessary, as the correct play is dictated by the situation. Bixler blew it by not reacting to the ball in the only way he should have in that situation. If he'd been thrown out at home, they'd still have a runner in scoring position. Playing it the way he did left them foregoing a scoring opportunity in exchange for no discernible gain.

by Buckyburgh on Apr 8, 2008 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A suicide squeeze is a risky play. A safety squeeze is - hence the name - not very risky at all. If Bautista pops the bunt up in the air, Bixler simply returns to third base. If Bautista bunts it foul, no harm. If Bautista misses on the attempt, the runner returns to the bag. Once the ball is in play and on the ground, the runner takes off. Not a whole lot of brain power involved at all. Bixler would not take anything beyond the normal expected couple of steps that any ballplayer would take after the pitcher commits to coming home. Bixler would lead off in foul territory, take his two steps, make sure that his weight is on his toes and going towards home plate and, if the ball gets to the catcher, Bixler steps onto the foul line and goes back to the bag. He should do this on any pitch. But, once he sees Bautista get ready to bunt, his SOLE focus should be on Bautista making contact and taking off when he knows that the ball will get to the ground. The risks are minimal.

by Maz1960 on Apr 8, 2008 4:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely right. Bixler has to read the play

Your earlier point was correct about being ready for a wild pitch or passed ball. Not all of them go to the backstop. Bixler has to be ready to break for the plate for any of several reasons. His alertness on a wild pitch that doesn't go far from the catcher, or on a high chopper, is the difference between scoring and not scoring. He has to be ready.

And I'm not writing this to bury him, but, well, it was his fault and his alone. Give an assist to Beasley if you want to spread blame, but the burying of Bautista that's going on elsewhere is nuts.

by azibuck on Apr 8, 2008 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Burying Bautista is definitely nuts

And as long as I'm around, that aggression will not stand, man. I just don't think burying Bixler is significantly less nuts. I'd rather bury bunting!

by matskralc on Apr 8, 2008 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bixler's base running

The fault for this entire mess should be layed at the feet of Russell because he's the manager. I cannot understand why any manager would give his hitters cart-blance to execute a suicide-squeeze whenever they want. This makes no sense unless the play has been signaled to the runner on third so he knows what is happening. This is exactly what a manager is paid to due and to blame Bixler for this is inexcusable in my opinion. LaRussa never lets his hitters squeeze without his approval and he's the most successful at using it I've ever seen. I'm not impressed with Russell at all and have found him to be brain-dead on several occasion, not the least of which was being caught with only Meeks to pitch in the 12th inning. He should try letting his bullpen throw multiple innings and maybe he'd have some fresh arms available. I'm ready to dump Russell already if he throws Bixler under the bus on this one.

Gus J. Skeadas

by Illinois Pirate Fan on Apr 8, 2008 4:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It wasn't a suicide squeeze

You might as well say you can't understand how a manager gives his players cart-blanche to win the game. It was a game-winning play, except for the part where Bixler froze.

by azibuck on Apr 8, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bixler belongs under the bus on this one. It's only one game, so I think that everyone needs to get over it, but as a professional baseball player Bixler should know in that situation he needs to run like hell when the ball hits the ground, no matter what kind of hit it is.

Bautista saw an opporutunity and he took it. I'll take a player that uses his own brain and takes chances over a dummy who stands on third base apparently needing a coach to tell him it's o.k. to run.

by Blyleven Curve Ball on Apr 8, 2008 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There is a marked difference between a suicide squeeze and a safety squeeze. This was not a suicide squeeze. For that matter, take the bunt out of the equation . . . Bixler should have been racing down the line when he saw the ball in fair territory. Why anyone wouldn't have run at that time is beyond excusable - whether they are play single A ball or in the show.
Given that his starter (Gorzo) couldn't exit the 3rd inning, I find your criticisms of Russell 'having" to use the last member of the bullpen 9 innings later to be ill-founded. Yesterday's game is close to being the "poster child" situation where you would be at the end of your bullpen.
Frankly, if Bixler had not frozen on 3rd base, you could argue that Russell's management of the pitching was genius.

by Maz1960 on Apr 8, 2008 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bixler's Run

Why have a put a rookie with limited experience in that situation in the first place? And WHAT was the Pirates 3rd base coach doing during the entire sequence.....?

by rissaldar on Apr 8, 2008 4:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I love My Boy

But instead of asking a rookie in his second game in front of the only home sell-out he's ever going to see with the game on the line to make a decision, hit a fly ball to the OF and be done with it. But, as Dejan says, "We love the bunts!"

by matskralc on Apr 8, 2008 6:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It was a nice idea

If Bixler had taken off, we'd all be thrilled. It wasn't executed properly, though, and we have an issue. Personally, I think Tony Beasley doesn't have this down yet. He veers from the overly aggressive to the overly cautious, and with a rookie there he needed to be overly attentive. He wasn't, Bixler wasn't, and here we are. They'll probably have to shelve the play for a little while, but it would have its place with McLouth on third and, say, Morgan at bat. As an aside, why wasn't Bautista confident enough to hammer the hell out of the ball somewhere? To me, that is the more interesting question.

by RichieHebner on Apr 8, 2008 6:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry - The Coaching Staff Needs to Take a Hit As Well

1. They're responsible for what their team does and fails to do. They have a relatively young player who has just been recalled. The manager and 3rd base coach get paid to figure out what he'll miss and to remind him so that he doesn't miss it. They also get paid to remind Jose to make contact and put the ball in play, going with his strength, which is line shots. This isn't intended as a complete exoneration of BB, but I cannot let the coaches off the hook.

2. I was at work and only heard a mangled part of the broadcast. The Pirates announcers were caught off guard, if not shocked, that Bautista - a solid doubles hitter w/extra space w/a drawn-in infield - would bunt. It's like asking Henry Aaron to bunt. A great idea that is only in Jose B's mind may not be such a great idea.

3. Come on folks, who are we kidding. Just imagine if Jose bunts, Bixler comes charging down the line and is tagged out on an easy flip to the catcher. We're having the exact same conversation, pounding Bixler f/a dumb base-running error.

by Trogluddite on Apr 8, 2008 9:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"It's like asking Henry Aaron to bunt"

one out, guy on first. Bautista who is very, very slow, at bat. he's a double play waiting to happen. the infiield was not drawn in. Bixler messed up, deal with it. i'm not sure why "blame" needs to be assigned here.

you can be a "typical" bucs fan and be pissed off at their incompentence claiming guys like Bautista prove that they will always lose, or you can be happy that they came back from a 7 run deficit, chosen to start Doumit(this era's Craig Wilson) over Paulino, and are willing to sit guys like LaRoche and Bay because they are struggling. dear god, if you want to be miserable, be a Cubs fan.

i know the pirates aren't going to win the world series any time soon, but can't we find some joy in their existence and effort? Bixler should have run. he didn't. hopefully they trade Wilson, Bay, and Nady for a bunch of prospects and they'll have a shot in 2011.

by Blyleven Curve Ball on Apr 8, 2008 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The bus

I do believe that Brian Bixler got thrown under it. Hopefully, this will not become a habit for JR. If it does, he's gonna lose some players. I don't see any indications of ANYONE taking ANY blame other than throwing it on BB.

If BB gets thrown out at the plate, who gets blamed then?

by Thunder on Apr 8, 2008 9:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Any of you guys

complaining about Bixler being singled out the same guys who spent the winter demanding "accountability"?

by bucdaddy on Apr 9, 2008 12:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

exactly

accountability means everyone - rookie, veteran or star - gets called out when they make a mistake like bixler did.

by johnnycuff on Apr 9, 2008 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Accountability

Most times, I think "accountability" should be an in-house issue. In other words, on a day-to-day basis, only the people that are in the clubhouse should be "in the know" about the accountability movement.

If this turns into public thrashings of players, coaches, etc. it's a terrible thing. We as fans don't have any right (nor should we have any expectation) of explanations about every single mistake the team makes. Some things are just better handled in private, within the clubhouse/organization.

by mak_DC on Apr 9, 2008 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

The Bunt Heard Round The World

There must be a subtle sign that the hitter gives the man on 3B to let him know that he is going to bunt.

It's just that simple.

It could be argued that Bixler should have scored on the play had he been taking a "walking lead" and had his momentum "leaning" toward home. He probably should have.

But there still should have been some "sign" from Bautista with some subtle acknowledgement from Bixler.
Otherwise, it came as a total surprise to Bixler --- and he should have been surprised!

by thegunner on Apr 9, 2008 12:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The bunt

If Bautista had done this in the 4th inning, or something like that, then I would understand all of the comments about him "being a doubles hitter" and "he should just get a hit"....that would make perfect sense. The reality, though, is that this was the ninth inning with the game winning run on third base. The hitter should be thinking about getting the run home any way possible. I don't understand how anyone can consider this a bad idea.

As for Bixler, in that situation he should be reading the angle of the ball off the bat, whether it was a bunt or a swing. You look for a downward angle and if the ball is moving down, you should be moving home, end of story. I learned that in Little League...it's not a complicated decision.

by mak_DC on Apr 9, 2008 8:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs