I'm not a basball expert................

[Liverpooldawg]

or even really a fan, but it seems to me the hitting will probably come around. If I WERE a baseball fan I, instead of melting down about the offense, would be melting down about a bullpen that can't seem to hold a lead. Just my admittedly baseball ignorant 2 cents.

[engie]

You're right...

With Holder, Lindgren, and Ross throwing how he did last year -- we're at least 17-2 right now... If not 18-1 or 19-0...

The bullpen will come around. The bats will come around. But ultimately, we're probably going to be a 2-seed somewhere this year. I got caught up in the hot start a little bit -- but ultimately, this team is what I thought it was going to be before the season started -- a transition team...

Next year is the year IMO...

[Jacksondevildog]

Who is going to step up in the bullpen? Fitts? He looks scared shitless out there and Lovelady cannot catch a breaking ball three feet high when he throws him one. Paul Young? Hopefully he starts throwing when it warms up. Like now as it's 72 degrees in Starkville. We aren't throwing Mitchell as many innings, but we are going to start having to if someone doesn't' step up. Daniel Brown looks ok, but he hasn't had many pressure pitches in big situations, so I cannot really say about him.

[War Machine Dawg]

You're right...

With Holder, Lindgren, and Ross throwing how he did last year -- we're at least 17-2 right now... If not 18-1 or 19-0...

The bullpen will come around. The bats will come around. But ultimately, we're probably going to be a 2-seed somewhere this year. I got caught up in the hot start a little bit -- but ultimately, this team is what I thought it was going to be before the season started -- a transition team...

Next year is the year IMO...

http://i.imgur.com/guvlfq1.gif

[engie]

Excuse me for having confidence in one of the best 5 pitching coaches in the country... And probably the absolute best in the country to be at MSU(MS ties)...

We're WAY more talented at the plate than we've shown thusfar. IDGAF what stats say at this point -- wait and watch.

Pitching was always going to be a work in progress. We're just going to let the starters go deeper. Butch got used to the quick hook the last couple of years -- that's going to have to go away this year...

[Jacksondevildog]

Butch needs to pretend that Fitts cannot handle a tough spot and roll with Mitchell longer or look at another option of that role. I don't care if Fitts is the team captain and is a senior. So far, he has shit the bed and cost us ballgames. He's not the only one that has struggled, but he's one that Butch has pulled a guy to go quickly to only to see him fall apart and throw wild pitches (some of that blame is on Lovelady).

[engie]

Butch needs to pretend that Fitts cannot handle a tough spot and roll with Mitchell longer or look at another option of that role. I don't care if Fitts is the team captain and is a senior. So far, he has shit the bed and cost us ballgames. He's not the only one that has struggled, but he's one that Butch has pulled a guy to go quickly to only to see him fall apart and throw wild pitches (some of that blame is on Lovelady).

Fitts needs to start and go one time thru the order exactly like he has for the rest of his career...

That allows you to let Preston Brown, Sexton, etc potentially finish games without overextending their arms... JMO... Fitts at closer was always a disaster waiting to happen in my opinion...

[Jacksondevildog]

Completely agree.
Fitts needs to start and go one time thru the order exactly like he has for the rest of his career...

That allows you to let Preston Brown, Sexton, etc potentially finish games without overextending their arms... JMO... Fitts at closer was always a disaster waiting to happen in my opinion...

[War Machine Dawg]

Excuse me for having confidence in one of the best 5 pitching coaches in the country... And probably the absolute best in the country to be at MSU(MS ties)...

We're WAY more talented at the plate than we've shown thusfar. IDGAF what stats say at this point -- wait and watch.

Pitching was always going to be a work in progress. We're just going to let the starters go deeper. Butch got used to the quick hook the last couple of years -- that's going to have to go away this year...

Six years of evidence be damned. Crxxm will fix the offense, too. He just needs 10 years.***

[engie]

Six years of evidence be damned. Crxxm will fix the offense, too. He just needs 10 years.***

"Six years of evidence"? Be honest -- you skipped watching the 3 of those years we were borderline elite at the plate huh? Hell, you don't realize what you are actually watching right now -- so why would that surprise me?

We're #2 out of 300+ teams in the country in OBP right now. #9 in runs. Top 50 in batting average. Need I keep going? Fire everybody!11!1 Croomtastic!!1!1**

[chef dixon]

"Six years of evidence"? Be honest -- you skipped watching the 3 of those years we were borderline elite at the plate huh? Hell, you don't realize what you are actually watching right now -- so why would that surprise me?

We're #2 out of 300+ teams in the country in OBP right now. #9 in runs. Top 50 in batting average. Need I keep going? Fire everybody!11!1 Croomtastic!!1!1**

Engie do you have the stats for RISP? I'd imagine we aren't the greatest. But yea we have swung the bat decently today overall and of course gotten a ton of walks. Frustration in the inability to drive in the runners.

[Jacksondevildog]

The stats are probably a little misleading due to who we played non conference.

[Treemydawg]

"Six years of evidence"? Be honest -- you skipped watching the 3 of those years we were borderline elite at the plate huh? Hell, you don't realize what you are actually watching right now -- so why would that surprise me?

We're #2 out of 300+ teams in the country in OBP right now. #9 in runs. Top 50 in batting average. Need I keep going? Fire everybody!11!1 Croomtastic!!1!1**
I completely agree with all this, but where do we rank in the 300+ teams with base runners stranded?

[messageboardsuperhero]

Fitts needs to start and go one time thru the order exactly like he has for the rest of his career...

That allows you to let Preston Brown, Sexton, etc potentially finish games without overextending their arms... JMO... Fitts at closer was always a disaster waiting to happen in my opinion...

This is my concern at the moment as well... Brown and Sexton both threw 110-120 pitches today. I don't think they can do that all year. Our pen has to be better to take stress off the starters so we can get that pitch count to around 90-100.

[Smitty]

The stats are probably a little misleading due to who we played non conference.

Ding ding ding

47% of our runs came in 4 games coming into the weekend.

[Todd4State]

The stats are probably a little misleading due to who we played non conference.

Probably not since we scored 4 and 6 on Arizona, 6 in a loss to San Diego, 4 in a win over San Diego, and then 5 and 4 today and only 2 against both Alabama A&M and Arkansas Pine Bluff.

I think we were averaging around 7 runs per game coming into today.

[engie]

Engie do you have the stats for RISP? I'd imagine we aren't the greatest. But yea we have swung the bat decently today overall and of course gotten a ton of walks. Frustration in the inability to drive in the runners.

I don't. They are pretty damn bad though.

The upside though -- is struggling with RISP(but not struggling to get there in the first place) is generally nerve-related. That tends to improve over time for most guys....

[Jacksondevildog]

19 and 16 scored vs Cincinnati
10 vs Alcorn
18 vs Alabama a&m

We are averaging 6.9 runs per game.

[Todd4State]

or even really a fan, but it seems to me the hitting will probably come around. If I WERE a baseball fan I, instead of melting down about the offense, would be melting down about a bullpen that can't seem to hold a lead. Just my admittedly baseball ignorant 2 cents.

We need to get Gavin Collins back and going again. It looks like Humphreys is coming around and Rea has been solid all year.

I would be worried if we weren't scoring runs right now- but I think the odds are in our favor of this improving. The biggest thing I would change is moving Robson up and drop Cody Brown down to like 5th or 6th in the order. Robson is our best bunter- and if we're going to bunt right after Heck gets on, we might as well do it with our best guy. Dropping Brown down would give him an opportunity to hit more and bunt less.

The bullpen is the larger concern right now. It's not like they're blowing 1 run leads- it's giving up 4, 6, 8 runs an inning.

I think Fitts should start midweek. I would keep Ross in the pen, move Laster to the pen and see if he can be our Mr. Fix it and Dan Plesac likes to call it. Levi Mintz has been performing, we should roll him out there more. We need to get Paul Young back ASAP- and I would try him out at closer, which is a gamble but I don't feel confident in Daniel Brown anymore. It might be time to give Zac Houston a shot at closing. They need to try Dakota Hudson despite their lack of faith in him because he wouldn't be any worse.

[Todd4State]

One thing that is encouraging to me is the amount of walks vs. K's. I think it was 12BB's to 7 K's in game one vs. 8 BB's to 7 K's in game two. That tells me that when we are hitting it, it's just not falling in right now for us. Last year we struck out a ton.

[Todd4State]

19 and 16 scored vs Cincinnati
10 vs Alcorn
18 vs Alabama a&m

We are averaging 6.9 runs per game.

Even if you take those games out, we're still averaging 4.9 runs a game unless my calculator sucks.

[shoeless joe]

We're not a great team, but we don't suck either.

We are what a lot of folks thought we were...but our early schedule let us off the hook.

We do have some talent of offense...just gotta get the big hits to take the fight out of opponents. Still need a young pitcher or two to step up, like sexton did tonite, for us to do really well. The sky is not falling but we are not a top 10 team at this point. But just like every other Cohen team, we will scratch and claw and compete as well as anyone.

[JohnnyQuid]

Engie do you have the stats for RISP? I'd imagine we aren't the greatest. But yea we have swung the bat decently today overall and of course gotten a ton of walks. Frustration in the inability to drive in the runners.

Im interested in man at 3rd less than 2 outs. Our % of getting them home has to be <30%

[Treemydawg]

Im interested in man at 3rd less than 2 outs. Our % of getting them home has to be <30%

I'm willing to bet its closer to 20%

[3dawgnight15]

WMD, I must have missed where Crooms took us to play for a National Championship

[Smitty]

WMD, I must have missed where Crooms took us to play for a National Championship

2013 total ERA - 2.79
2015 ERA after bullshit schedule - 3.08

[3dawgnight15]

Don't get me wrong, I too am frustrated but it is a little hard to call for a coach's head after he took us further than we have ever been only 2 years ago.

[Smitty]

Don't get me wrong, I too am frustrated but it is a little hard to call for a coach's head after he took us further than we have ever been only 2 years ago.

Common core reading got you down.

WMD and many others want to add a coach, not subtract one.

[engie]

Common core reading got you down.

WMD and many others want to add a coach, not subtract one.

You can't add without subtracting...

I've been on the record prettymuch since his lackluster promotion that I'd be fine with Mingione moving on. He's been better than I considered at the time though, especially on the recruiting trail.

That doesn't change the fact that there have literally been several people calling for Butch Thompson's head for the past week, which is so far beyond asinine that I don't know where to begin, even if the bullpen actually is our biggest issue right now.

[I seen it dawg]

Convince me Butch shouldn't go somewhere else. I'm having a real hard time with him the last couple of years. Talk me off the ledge....

[Todd4State]

Convince me Butch shouldn't go somewhere else. I'm having a real hard time with him the last couple of years. Talk me off the ledge....

Well, he has turned Stratton and Lindgren into first and second round picks, helped turn Kendall Graveman into a guy that moved through the minors quickly, turned Chad Girodo into a draft pick after it looked like he was a D-II talent. Our ace is a former walk-on, Holder was a former hitter, Tatum and Sexton are both better than they were last year, Ross was an All-American after he changed his arm slot, and he's also a good recruiter.

[JohnnyQuid]

I'm willing to bet its closer to 20%

yea, kinda my point. didnt wanna be overly negative. but its ****ing terrible

[engie]

Convince me Butch shouldn't go somewhere else. I'm having a real hard time with him the last couple of years. Talk me off the ledge....

Since the pitching rebuild, which occurred a year after the overall rebuild(there was still a ton of people, if not the majority of our fanbase wanting to fire him after 2011)...

School 4yr ERA(current before this weekend)
Arkansas 2.48
Cal St. Fullerton 2.66
TCU 2.7
LSU 2.72
Texas 2.72
Rice 2.74
Oregon St. 2.76
Mississippi St. 2.79
South Carolina 2.82
Virginia 2.82
Oregon 2.93
Bryant 2.94
North Carolina 2.94
UCLA 2.95
Louisville 2.97

I'll do WHIP later -- I imagine it's even better. That's fuggin elite regardless of how badly he's a victim of his own success with our growing pains and failed experiments at this moment. He took us to a championship series without our 2 or 3 most talented overall arms and only one starter. We're going to get this together and be fine. Lot of growing pains right now...

[War Machine Dawg]

Ding ding ding

47% of our runs came in 4 games coming into the weekend.

Ouch. But Engine & Co say we're a good offensive team!!!!**** That screams team that hits bad pitching but struggles with good pitching.

[Smitty]

Convince me Butch shouldn't go somewhere else.

Chad Girodo… That's reason enough.

[War Machine Dawg]

WMD, I must have missed where Crooms took us to play for a National Championship

http://i.imgur.com/2YJ5inX.gif

Yes, cause getting hot and making a postseason run is all that defines good coaching. Look at all the regionals we've hosted since Cohen has come on board. I'm not saying Cohen is Crxxm. I've said he's more like Les Miles. Good coach who can't get out of his own way at times. But anyone who can't admit all coaches need help with something are either idiots or liars. Let's look at Mullen: Good coach, but he needs help with STs. In Cohen's case, many of us believe he needs help with hitting. And it wouldn't be that damn hard to get a hitting coach. Just fire Mingione and use his spot to get a real, elite hitting coach. But no, the meme is now going to be that I and others who criticize the offense don't know baseball and are malcontents who want Cohen fired. In my case, far from it. Much like Mullen, I want him to stay but stop being so ****ing stubborn about an area of the game holding us back and get himself some help. I think that's a reasonable position, but Engine, ISID, Todd & Co disagree.

[Smitty]

Ouch. But Engine & Co say we're a good offensive team!!!!**** That screams team that hits bad pitching but struggles with good pitching.

We're on pace for 75 Sac bunts in SEC play after 2 games.

5 today, in 2 games.

[JohnnyQuid]

We're on pace for 75 Sac bunts in SEC play after 2 games.

5 today, in 2 games.

To be fair in postgame cohen said that was part of their gameplan cos the field was so ****ed up in front of home. and if u saw it , that was some damn slop. no wonder they did it. bama slipped like 3 times trying to throw.

[Todd4State]

Ouch. But Engine & Co say we're a good offensive team!!!!**** That screams team that hits bad pitching but struggles with good pitching.

Actually, that screams that you moved the goal posts to try to fit your point. Guess what- if you took out everyone else's top four run scoring games, their runs per game average is also going to drop.

Like I said, even without those games, we're still averaging 4.9 runs per game.

[engie]

http://i.imgur.com/2YJ5inX.gif

Yes, cause getting hot and making a postseason run is all that defines good coaching. Look at all the regionals we've hosted since Cohen has come on board. I'm not saying Cohen is Crxxm. I've said he's more like Les Miles. Good coach who can't get out of his own way at times. But anyone who can't admit all coaches need help with something are either idiots or liars. Let's look at Mullen: Good coach, but he needs help with STs. In Cohen's case, many of us believe he needs help with hitting. And it wouldn't be that damn hard to get a hitting coach. Just fire Mingione and use his spot to get a real, elite hitting coach. But no, the meme is now going to be that I and others who criticize the offense don't know baseball and are malcontents who want Cohen fired. In my case, far from it. Much like Mullen, I want him to stay but stop being so ****ing stubborn about an area of the game holding us back and get himself some help. I think that's a reasonable position, but Engine, ISID, Todd & Co disagree.

= You only show up to bitch about Cohen literally every time something goes wrong -- and this is probably the first time you've bothered explaining any more than that position. You are anti-Cohen -- and if you aren't, show up and comment on the positives as well.

= In one breath, you are mad and accusing people of strawmanning your position. In the very next, you are strawmanning theirs. Fun irony.

= Les Miles backed his way into a title with a bunch of Saban recruits. By all means -- that's the same thing as John Cohen taking us to the brink with practically nothing but kids that were recruited during the darkest hour of even semi-modern MSU baseball, with all the odds that were stacked against him at the time.

= Your starvation for attention with the multiple call-outs across practically all baseball threads today was humorous. Why don't you let your "opinion" attempt standin on it's own merit instead of getting drunk and trying to call everyone else out that have bothered actually prognosticating throughout.

[engie]

Actually, that screams that you moved the goal posts to try to fit your point. Guess what- if you took out everyone else's top four run scoring games, their runs per game average is also going to drop.

Like I said, even without those games, we're still averaging 4.9 runs per game.

Yep. He herp derped pretty bigtime on that.

[War Machine Dawg]

= You only show up to bitch about Cohen literally every time something goes wrong -- and this is probably the first time you've bothered explaining any more than that position. You are anti-Cohen -- and if you aren't, show up and comment on the positives as well.

= In one breath, you are mad and accusing people of strawmanning your position. In the very next, you are strawmanning theirs. Fun irony.

= Les Miles backed his way into a title with a bunch of Saban recruits. By all means -- that's the same thing as John Cohen taking us to the brink with practically nothing but kids that were recruited during the darkest hour of even semi-modern MSU baseball, with all the odds that were stacked against him at the time.

= Your starvation for attention with the multiple call-outs across practically all baseball threads today was humorous. Why don't you let your "opinion" attempt standin on it's own merit instead of getting drunk and trying to call everyone else out that have bothered actually prognosticating throughout.

1. No. I've been here for years. And just as I predicted, you accuse me of wanting Cohen fired. I've never once EVER said "Fire Cohen." You're the search master, I dare you to find where I've said otherwise. Here or SPS. I've given us credit for developing our pitching over the years. Butch did miracles with Girodo & Lindgren. And if you'll go back just earlier this year, I was right in the middle of crediting this team for the hot start. There are several post where I said I was wooly about the way we'd played to that point, especially after we get healthy.

2. I'm bitching about one phase of the game: Offense. And I've been pretty consistent on it. There's a difference in aggressive small ball and what we do. Squeezing with the bases loaded TWICE is stupid. Yeah, we walk a bunch and have great OBP. Guess what? It doesn't matter even a little if we can't drive them in, which we suck at doing. And frankly, we've been pretty bad at that very thing for several years. If it were a one year thing, I'd ignore it and write it off as an aberration. But it seems like every year lately we're talking about our inability to hit with RISP.

3. That team two years ago would kick this team's ass and it wouldn't be competitive. Frazier and Renfroe are better than any player we currently have with the possible exception of Gavin Collins. Graveman, Girodo, Stratton, and Holder are all better than most of the current pitchers based on current results. The current crop has more arm talent, but those guys had the mental makeup and got the most of what they had. This group is the opposite, more talent but less results.

4. As for the Les Miles analogy, I stand behind it. Both are damn good coaches that do stupid things and get in their own way. Neither should be fired based on the results they get and the schools would be crazy to get rid of them. I know you and other don't like it, but that's how I see it. We've talked for years now about Cohen over-managing the game. All I ask is that he stops being stubborn and gets some help. It's the same thing I ask of Mullen and STs.

[Schultzy]

We sweep the double header yesterday if our catcher could catch a waist high fastball on the corner (trying to frame it) with two outs and two strikes in the 8th instead of letting two runners advance from 1st and 2nd to 2nd and 3rd before a bloop single ties it.

[messageboardsuperhero]

We sweep the double header yesterday if our catcher could catch a waist high fastball on the corner (trying to frame it) with two outs and two strikes in the 8th instead of letting two runners advance from 1st and 2nd to 2nd and 3rd before a bloop single ties it.

I woke up still pissed about yesterday's game one meltdown. We should be going for the sweep today. To think we were up by three runs with two outs and a runner on third, then gave up EIGHT runs is just a total, all-around mental breakdown. There were several plays to be made by many different people that would have stopped that inning, but nobody stepped up. Totally inexcusable. It brought back flashbacks to the Valentine choke job from 2006. Also, all 11 runs Bama scored yesterday came with two outs, just so you know... Our staff needs to bear down and get tougher in crunch time.

Hopefully the players have done a better job of shaking it off that I have.

[Jacksondevildog]

We have Tatum, Laster, and Mitchell available today. No reason to lose this ballgame as long as we don't walk and hit everyone for Alabama and have some sort of an offensive approach.

[whosyourdawgy]

Butch Thompson is a great pitching coach. There is no doubt. But in some of these late inning collapses, he has lost his freaking mind changing pitchers. You say Fitz has shit the bed. Hell in 2 of these games he got to face one batter and was yanked. If anthing, Ross Mitchell is the one struggling the most. He has never walked this many or been hit this much.

Last night I was waiting for Butch to do the same shit with Sexton after he gave up the hit in the 8th. I'm thinking here it comes. He's gonna pull him and throw 3 or 4 guys out there and we will blow this one too. But to my surprise he stuck w Sexton and what do Ya know, he came thru.

I have more faith in the pitching coming around than I do our hitting. I can not stand our non aggressive waiting for the pitcher to screw up approach we have. Over 20 walks yesterday does no good if you can't ger a clutch hit every now and again to capitalize on them. Wes Rea right now is a 300 lb walk, strike out, or ground ball waiting to happen. He has to be a power guy doesn't he? How many damn balls did we actually hit out of the infield yesterday? Not many. Dink and dunk may get wins but it's boring as Hell.

[Smitty]

How many damn balls did we actually hit out of the infield yesterday? Not many..

Game 1
Hump had 2 hits through the left side
Rea's double
Spruill singled up the middle

So Game 1 had 4 hits that reached the outfield... 1 hit directly into the OF.

Game 2
Cody Brown doubles twice
Vick singles to LF
Hump singles to CF

So game 2 had 4 hits that reached the OF, all line drives into the OF.
.
.
.
This answers your question why we have so many left on base Messageboard Superhero. We can't clear the bases, get runners advancing more than one base, etc., with only 8 hits that REACH the OF in 2 games, only five of which were line drive hits directly into the OF. Bunting with the bases loaded and no outs also doesn't help.

[Smitty]

Sac bunts
---------
1. Mississippi State... 25
2. Tennessee........... 24
3. Auburn.............. 14
4. Georgia............. 13
5. Ole Miss............ 12
Vanderbilt.......... 12
7. Kentucky............ 10
8. South Carolina...... 9
LSU................. 9
Alabama............. 9
11.Florida............. 7
Texas A&M........... 7
13.Missouri............ 6
14.Arkansas............ 3

[Jacksondevildog]

If you look at the top 4 in sac bunts, 3 of the 4 have experienced zero success in baseball over the last 5 or so years.
Sac bunts
---------
1. Mississippi State... 25
2. Tennessee........... 24
3. Auburn.............. 14
4. Georgia............. 13
5. Ole Miss............ 12
Vanderbilt.......... 12
7. Kentucky............ 10
8. South Carolina...... 9
LSU................. 9
Alabama............. 9
11.Florida............. 7
Texas A&M........... 7
13.Missouri............ 6
14.Arkansas............ 3

[messageboardsuperhero]

Game 1
Hump had 2 hits through the left side
Rea's double
Spruill singled up the middle

So Game 1 had 4 hits that reached the outfield... 1 hit directly into the OF.

Game 2
Cody Brown doubles twice
Vick singles to LF
Hump singles to CF

So game 2 had 4 hits that reached the OF, all line drives into the OF.
.
.
.
This answers your question why we have so many left on base Messageboard Superhero. We can't clear the bases, get runners advancing more than one base, etc., with only 8 hits that REACH the OF in 2 games, only five of which were line drive hits directly into the OF. Bunting with the bases loaded and no outs also doesn't help.

This is why we need to get Collins back. This is why Holland needs to start hitting with the pop he's capable of. Hump had a couple of other good line drives with men on base that were just hit right at people. This lineup is still a work in progress and inexperienced in places. We won't lead the league in slugging by any means, but I believe it will get better than what we're seeing right now.

And yes, the Cohen-ball consecutive squeeze attempts in the 7th inning with the bases loaded and no outs has got to stop. It pisses me off too. If Cohen wants to move runners, we should steal more when given the opportunity instead of bunting.

[Jacksondevildog]

I am astonished that we don't hit and run more than we do to put pressure on the defense. As much as we like to say we "compete". Hell, we hit thousands of ground balls during games. Why not put a runner in motion? We have to hit four singles in an inning to score. Or three singles and a safety squeeze.

[HancockCountyDog]

I wish we could all just agree to a middle ground. Bunting in the first inning is ridiculous. Bunting in the 9th in a tie game, is fine and I would prefer it.

I also think that Cohen knows we don't have a great hitting team and he is trying to get guys on base and manufacture runs, I trust him, he has earned that trust.

[Jacksondevildog]

He said post game that they used the bunt more yesterday due to the wet field conditions. Alabama looked like a bear on skates trying to field and throw the ball so I don't disagree with the approach. I don't like bunting twice with bases loaded. I also don't like that one of our players can hit the ball over the scoreboard in the second inning and is asked to sac bunt a guy to second base with one out. Who the **** wants to come and hit at a school that asks their players to do that?

[messageboardsuperhero]

I am astonished that we don't hit and run more than we do to put pressure on the defense. As much as we like to say we "compete". Hell, we hit thousands of ground balls during games. Why not put a runner in motion? We have to hit four singles in an inning to score. Or three singles and a safety squeeze.

Totally agree. It annoys me when Cohen says we are an aggressive team that likes to challenge defenses, all while leading the league in sac bunting. I liked us bunting yesterday because of the conditions, but we've been going way overboard on bunting and not enough straight steals or hit and runs. THOSE things are aggressive- not sac bunts.