184 Million to.....

[Gopher_Man]

BUNT???? Come on, I was at the game last night, and coundn't believe it. Everyone in my section was doubt founded when he tried to imatate Carlos Gomez.

We pay him to hit in the three hole and drive in runs, with one out and winning run on second and he BUNTS! If that was Gardy's call he should be on the hot seat. If Mauer called that himself, maybe we should bat him 7th or 8th so he can bunt all he wants. Move Young up there, at least he would try to drive them in. If I heard right Young is towards the top of the league in average with runners in scoring postion.

[Dylan33]

That was AMAZING! How can Gardy, or Mauer get away with that? Has anyone heard an explanation? Maybe they were going with the "surprise" effect that would have? Trade Mauer for a pitcher, Fire Gardy, lets move back to the dome, bring Coomer out of retirement, LETS DO SOMETHING other than wait for things to turn around...gotta shake things up!

[Harmonica Bear]

It was Mauers call, and yes, terrible game situation decision. I thought Span the night before bunting with runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs was assinine, Joe's bunt....... [PoorWordUsage]! Even Garday had to say to himself [PoorWordUsage]. When asked about it post game all he could say was "You'll have to ask him (Joe)."

Don't get me wrong I think Mauer is one of the best players in the game, that was just a poot desicion at that point when you are a multi-time batting champ and reigning MVP. Swing the bat.

[JacobMHD]

Could've been another double play, so I guess it wasn't that bad of an idea.

[Harmonica Bear]

Kubel could have hit into a double play too. Anybody can. With that mentality, might as well have pinch hit for him if you afraid to hit into a dp.

[JacobMHD]

I was being facetious.

[Harmonica Bear]

10-4, my bad. Usually single plays don't bother me too much, because one play, one error, etc. doesn't make or break a season. But that bunt however.... UGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

If it was in the post season, it would rank right up there with taking a knee.

[Quackaddict9]

Could've been another double play, so I guess it wasn't that bad of an idea.

tru dat.

[Gopher_Man]

Just read the Laudner blog on the Star Tribune and couldn't agree with him more. What really gets me going in that article is Gardy saying I don't tell players what to do, you'll have to ask Joe what he was thinking.

COME on Gardy be the manager lead this team, start telling players what to do, quit tring to be buddies with everyone and get after these players.

[toughguy]

Good point Gopher Man. Gardy would have thrown most other players under the bus if they would have pulled that. Baby Jesus can do no wrong I guess. Oh well #7 is sitting out this afternoon. Maybe Drew will swing away.

[CodyDawg]

In this situation, I think it was not the right thing to do.

But I would like to see him bunt once in awhile to make the 3B respect the bunt and thus he has to play in. I think that would be a strategic move that would play benefits all the time. Same with Morny and Thome. Have you seen where they play Thome? if he got a halfway decent bunt (anything past the pitcher) he could crawl to 1b and stop for lunch on the way. When they need to do it is when nobody is on and we are down by 2 though. Not the situation he was in.

[OnAFly]

So, if his bunt goes right up the 3rd base line and the bases are loaded, does everyone complain? What if Kubel gets a hit and two score...the Mauer's bunt looks pretty good.

Yeah, it wasn't a good bunt and probably wasn't the best time to do it, but it seems like people are ready to hang him for it. The guy's been batting poorly lately (for him) and he tries to switch things up a bit. It didn't work out, but like said before, it could have been a double play.

[Duffman]

I applauded the attempt last night, and I still feel that way. It failed, money has nothing to do with it. If you've been paying attention lately, the secondbasemans mouth starts to water when Mauer gets up with a man on first. At least the runners were moved over for a timely single by Kubel, wait, what?

[vman11]

Joe Mauer is a 3 time batting champ, MVP of the league and highest paid player in his position.

You have to swing the bat in that specific situation with a background like that.

[Duffman]

Background shmackground, you play for the moment. If a batting champ, like a Carew or a Suzuki thinks that the best way for him to reach first base at that moment is by bunting, why would a person question that same thought process from Mauer?

[Z-520]

I wish I new what all you guys make for a living and could nit pick your every move. Everybody knows he's the best pure hitter in the game and he's in a bit of a slump. He's hitting the ball on a line everywhere except where the defense isn't. If there is one player on this team who shouldn't be questioned it's him.

[vman11]

Background shmackground, you play for the moment. If a batting champ, like a Carew or a Suzuki thinks that the best way for him to reach first base at the moment is by bunting, why would you question that same thought process from Mauer?

Mauer isn't the slap hitter Suzuki is - he isn't going to beat out a bunt like that guy can. He has made his name by hitting the snot out of the ball, not bunting guys over.

Guess who usually who takes the most blame in any profession today - the guy who gets paid the most. He gets paid the most to perform well in situations like last night and to do it consitently, similarly to a CEO or President of a company. There is a reason they get paid more than others. Nature of the beast, you get paid, you get looked at under a microscope.

I don't want to hate on Mauer as I believe he's one of the best in the league, but he has to make the right decision in tight division with his team struggling against a team who is out of the running.

If he made the absolute right decision by bunting then why is everybody talking about it? Nobody would have said a word if he would have lined out.

[Harmonica Bear]

Even if he struck out, who here would have said he should have bunted?

[Gopher_Man]

I agree with you vman, I'm not saying we all need to Hate Mauer. I think he is one of the better players in the League, but even if he bunted safe I still think it's a bad play. WIth the career numbers that he has, I'd rather have him swinging and trying to drive the winning run.

Good point Harmonica.

If Mauer is in a slump move him down in the line-up until he starts hitting better.

[Getanet]

I was listening to the game on the radio when I heard him bunt, and the radio announcers were speechless.

I played on a really bad baseball team in college, and we always joked, "if you feel like you're going to hit into a double play, go ahead and strikeout." #7 could have used that advice last night

I didn't see any of the game, but didn't he hit a double his previous AB? You'd think that would give him some confidence...

[Duffman]

He wasn't bunting to move players over, he was bunting to get on first. If he would of executed it correctly this would have been a non-issue. I'm not going to question the thought process of one of the best hitters in the game, if he thought he could get on safely by bunting vs his less than 1 in three chance of getting on by swinging away, I don't have a problem with it.

What is Mauers career batting average when he trys bunting for a hit? I bet it's much higher than his regular batting average. The guy has a high baseball IQ, he's not going to bunt for a hit that often, only when he thinks it's a great time to do it.

[thatoneguy]

Even if Mauer had laid down a great bunt, it was still a bad move. He's not getting paid for bunt singles, he's getting paid to produce runs. If he feels that uncomfortable at the plate that he doesn't even want to take a swing in a key situation, then - and I hate to say this because I'm a huge Mauer fan - he needs to sit for a few days and sort things out both mechanically and mentally.

No sane baseball observer can say that a bunt was a good decision in that situation.

[thatoneguy]

Getanet -

Mauer's double was a bloop pop-fly that just fell into LF - it wasn't a good swing at all.

[genegodawa]

I don't know the situation and so I ain'ta gonna pass judgement on the surprise factor he may have employed, but anybody ever bunt a homerun before?

[Gopher_Man]

Duffman I agree Mauer has a very baseball IQ, but him safety bunting does not drive winning run in. Swing the bat! I know then Kubal is up with no outs, but he isn't a three time batting champ and current MVP.

I'm listening to today's game, sounds like Gladden was just as confused about the play as I was.