Quote Originally Posted by KB21 View Post
Sacrifice bunting is a part of the game. I don't like doing it when you have a runner at 1st with no one out, because you do not increase your chances of scoring with a runner on 2nd with 1 out. The run expectancy of a runner on first with no one out is 0.86 runs per inning. The run expectancy of a runner on second with one out is 0.68. So, you actually decrease your run expectancy by bunting a runner over from first to second and giving up that out.

Here's the rub. There is a reason bunt heavy teams are called "small ball" teams, and their goal is to manufacture runs. While bunting a man over from first to second when no one is out, giving up that out in the process, decreases your run expectancy, it does improve your chances of scoring exactly one run by 5.69%. This is from 2013 data on bunting.

The numbers don't describe the situations though, so you have to evaluate bunting based on the situation and the structure of the line up. The fact of the matter is, MSU did not have very many sluggers in the line up. The guy with the best SLG% on the team was also the guy with the best OBP% on the team.
And another person that gets it.