Why don’t they just bunt it down the third base line?
Admit it, Red Sox fans. You thought this, said this and probably even yelled this at some point during the Tigers’ pitching dominance in Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS. And hey, it’s a perfectly reasonable question given how hobbled Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera has looked at times this postseason. But bunting for a base hit isn’t exactly a guarantee, either, especially with Cabrera’s common defensive alignment throughout the series.
“Against the guys that are bunting threats, he has been damn near even with the mound,” Farrell told reporters. “He’s 45 feet from home plate, in some cases. In that way, we’re probably more willing to try to hit a ball by him than to bunt into what would be his own self-imposed shift.”
Makes sense. Cabrera has been running like a lame horse, but the Red Sox can’t force the issue if the opportunity isn’t there. Plus, Detroit’s starting pitchers have made life difficult for Boston’s hitters.
“We’re facing guys that are throwing mid and upper 90’s,” Farrell said. “To say, ‘Let’s just go ahead and bunt,’ I mean, it’s not that [expletive] easy.”
Bunting — and hitting, in general — could be even tougher for the Red Sox in Tuesday’s Game 3. Tigers ace Justin Verlander will be on the mound as the series shifts to Detroit.
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