Atlanta Braves pitchers: to bunt or not to bat at all?
3rd Reason
I declared earlier there were 3 reasons, so Reason #3 involves pitcher skill, and this is one of my own top reasons for recognizing that the NL DH is inevitable.
Once upon a time, pitchers and shortstops were typically the best athletes on their teams. This happens routinely through the high school ranks. After that? They get to pick one skill – hitting or pitching – and allow the other skill to atrophy.
Pitchers simply don’t hit in college, in travel ball, or in most minor league situations – virtually nowhere in the pro ranks. So we effectively ask them to skip 4-6 years of hitting and then suddenly pick up a bat again… in the majors… against top competition. Good luck.
Yes – bunting is a skill that can be learned. But why would (NL) teams emphasize this in training when they are doing everything possible to avoid putting a bat in the hands of their pitchers in the first place?
There’s a reason for this, too.
The Braves’ Angle
According to fangraphs, here are the Braves’ leaders in pitchers-who-bunt:
- Julio Teheran (3; no surprise here)
- Brandon McCarthy (3; you can teach an old dog new tricks)
- Sean Newcomb (2)
- Anibal Sanchez (2)
- Mike Foltynewicz (2)
Chad Kuhl of the Pirates is the only pitcher with 4, thus Teheran and McCarthy are tied for second in the majors with 3.
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- Atlanta Braves Swing Trade with the New York Yankees for Lucas Luetge
In 2017, Gerrit Cole led the majors with 15. Teheran had 14. Folty was tied for 10th with 9, Newcomb and R.A. Dickey were tied for 18th with 8.
As a team, the Atlanta Braves led all of baseball in 2017 with 55 pitcher bunts. Only one other team (Colorado) even broke 50.
In 2018? 15 already for the Braves (Cubs are 2nd with 11)… well ahead of last season’s pace.
Thus the Braves do attempt to use this strategy. It gives the pitcher a chance to make a “productive out“… and Joel Sherman pointed out that pitcher strikeouts (along with everybody else) are trending toward record levels.
But Sherman would have us ditch the pitchers at the plate in favor of another hitter… perhaps reducing the strikeouts even more and putting more balls in play.
That’s one idea. Here’s another: whether the DH for the National League is inevitable or not, teach the pitchers how to help themselves for at least as long as they are allowed to hit.
It will help your team, for while bunting isn’t for everyone… it certainly is for pitchers.