WHY DON'T LEFT HANDED HITTERS bunt or slap the ball near the 3rd base side when a shift is placed on them?

Question

i see shifts being put on bonds, big papi and hafner

i know that a lot of times they have success hitting the ball up the middle or pull the middle and try to middle the ball on the bat...but during critical junctures of the games, why won't these guys bunt near the 3rd base line or slap the shot near the 3rd base?

this could disrupt the defense and runners on base could move up, the hitter could get on base and maybe an error might be commited

are they not skilled enough and can't handle the bat to hit the ball the other way in the infield or what?

pitchers are pitching them away so why won't these guys do it?

i mean look at hafner...his team could be running away with first place in the AL central if theywon more close games if he could come thru and play smart like that when a shift is placed on him in critical close games...he's having a bad year not hitting for power or average, why can't he do this and contribute to his team?

why can't lefties like him and others do that?

Answer 1

Lefties are taught/trained to be pull hitters. In most situations with runners on base, the conventional wisdom is to put the ball in play to the right side of the field, thus we have this emphasis for lefties. Unfortunately for most lefties, it means that half of the field is not utilized offensively.
If properly executed on a semi-regular basis, this tactic would keep defenses honest, and open up the right side again for a powerful lefty.

Answer 2

I saw Big Papi drag a bunt down the third base line like Coco Crisp at an Angels--Red Sox game in 2005. Scioscia probably said to himself that it was a risk that he could live with to keep Ortiz from swinging away. The Red Sox fans loved it, but 2 or 3 innings later when Papi got up next, the Angels had the shift on again. Unfortunately the shift has paid dividends against Papi. How many hard hit shots that should have been singles have been turned into outs or double plays?

Answer 3

Being a lefty hitter myself, I can tell you it's not as easy as you think. First of all Big Papi and Bonds aren't going to bunt because they can't run. And Bonds for sure isn't going to bunt because he's about to be the new home run king (whether you guys like it or not). Another reason they don't bunt is because Big Papi, Fielder, and Bonds are POWER HITTERS, they're not suppost to bunt. They hit the homers, not the infield singles.

Answer 4

The reason for the infield-outfield shifts is because the hitter pulls the ball to that side of the field. If they could go the other way with the ball than the shifts wouldn't be necessary...

Answer 5

A#1 -- these are power hitters, not Ichiro or Reyes types. They can't do it, sorry.
B#2 -- it's more of an ego trip to rip one through a shift than hit a 75-foot single.
C#3 -- they want to prove a shift won't work so people quit doing it to them.
D#4 -- steroids prevent Barry from moving the body in such an unnatural direction (no comment on Papi and Hafner).

Answer 6

It's not as easy to control where the ball goes when you're left handed. I'm a switch batter, so I should know. Sending the ball where you want is much easier for right handed players then left handed players. For me, if I drag bunt, I can sometimes send it down the third base line, and once did so and won the game for my team, but it really isn't as easy as right handed players make it seem. It might be easy for them, but even proper and proffesional training doesn't help a left handed hitter much.

Answer 7

These professional ball players are paid to produce runs, not to make like Ichiro and bunt the ball. They are paid to hit homeruns, or doubles, but not to bunt.

To make you happy there is an instance where David Ortiz did lay down a bunt without anybody on. He did it last year @Toronto

Answer 8

The third baseman and shortstop are trained too look for that tactic and if they are good enough for the Natiional League they will throw out the guy going to first most of the time. The most you can hope for is an "error". Otherwise ...they will be nailed,. Bonds isn't worth discussing.

Answer 9

those adult men are lifeless pull hitters interior the infield. they are able to lift a ball to the different field, yet no longer on the infield. in the event that they might do it, the protection does no longer do the overshift.

Answer 10

you see, the reason that you have these guys on your team, and in your line-up is so that they can hit OVER the shift, e.g. either a home run or a long base hit or sacrifice fly