1. Before the Tigers play another game, those two sacrifices on Thursday by Justin Verlander deserve more attention – and more credit.
2. Verlander was able to swing away his first time up, and you know, of course, that his first major-league hit still eludes him.
But his next two at-bats called for squaring around.
3. Because he doesn’t have a hit, though (0-for-22) Verlander kidded after the game that “I was going to ignore the sign and take a hack.”
4. The second bunt was particularly helpful for the Tigers because it advanced Ryan Raburn to second in the seventh – followed by Austin Jackson’s tie-breaking single with two outs.
5. But if Verlander, as infrequent as his plate appearances are, can put down two excellent bunts when called upon, shouldn’t every hitter who plays regularly be able to do so?
I cringe whenever I hear that a hitter “can’t bunt” when a situation calls for it.
If you can’t bunt, learn how to. Sooner or later, it will come in handy.
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