If you stayed up all night last night, you probably noticed that I got a little peeved at the way the Orioles waited around for something to happen last night when they might have manufactured enough runs to keep David Hernandez from taking a loss he really didn't deserve.
Matt Wieters doubled to open the second inning and was still standing there three outs later. Ty Wigginton doubled to open the sixth and was still standing there whent he inning ended. In both cases, the Orioles were down by one run and stayed that way.
Should Nick Markakis bunt in that sixth-inning situation? Absolutely. He has been struggling with men on base and you'd be surprised how a productive at-bat and a few high fives going back to the dugout can lift your spirits.
It's not just a matter of playing for one run at this point. It's a matter of doing positive things to move the team in the right direction instead of wallowing in the frustration of one of the worst starts in the history of the franchise. When you bunt, you force the other team to make a play. When you bunt successfully, you force the opposing pitcher to pitch under the added pressure of having a runner at third base.
I doubt Markakis or Garrett Atkins wants to bunt in that situation, but I think we're way beyond the point of sparing anybody's feelings. Right now, this team needs to try to make it happen instead of let it happen. Doesn't seem like a tough concept to me.
Great line: I have to give Roch Kubatko a shout this morning for his comment on Julio Lugo, who jogged out a broken bat grounder last night. Roch was in the midst of making the point that the Orioles can't act like Earl Weaver is the manager and wait for the three-run home run, but he spun it to Lugo. "If he was, Lugo might still be carrying part of his bat, just not in his hand." Priceless.