Bunt!!!

[ElToro75]

The key is how much should we care about honoring the game when the game has pissed all over us this season? They should have bunted. Instead they chose to roll over.

Sometimes your the pidgeon, sometimes your the statue

[JTrea81]

Sometimes your the pidgeon, sometimes your the statue

The Orioles are a statue of a pigeon. Better yet an ostrich...

[ElToro75]

What's worse, being disrespected by Curt Schilling and ESPN or being no-hit and being disrespected by all of baseball? I'll take the former.

Do you even think that Trembley considered it though? He stated very quickly after being named manager (interim at the time) his mantra "Be on time. Be professional. Respect the game." I don't think that bunting in the 9th ever crossed Trembley's mind.

[Captain E.]

I wouldn't say it cheapens the accomplishment at all. If it were a 1-0 or 2-0 lead, and we still didn't bunt with Roberts or Patterson then that would have cheapened the feat. But the guy pitched a no-no in his 2nd start ever, that's quite an accomplishment.

Can you imagine what Curt Schilling (who lost a perfect game in the 7th when the Padres catcher bunted) would have to say about the Orioles and Trembley if we bunted in the 9th down 10-0? Not to mention what the Red Sox loving ESPN guys would said about our team.

I guess when it comes down to it, I really don't care so much about this whole "code" thing. Guys break this code all the time when they're playing against us (i.e. Crisp taking 2B on a flyout to center when they're already up 10-0), but two days later no one cares or remembers. I'd rather be the team that 'broke the code' than the one that got no-hit. If the no-hitter can be saved by a great defensive play like Pedroia's, why can't it also be saved by merely a SMART defensive play, positioning the 3B and 1B in case one of our guys bunt.

This is all my personal opinion on the matter, and I certainly won't think any less of the players, coaches, or Bucholz because of it. Its not a huge deal, I just think guys should use whatever tool's they possess to be productive on offense, regardless of hurting someone's feelings. I appreciate everyone else's responses though, you all make good points.

[bgfield]

I think if everyone around MLB took this approach you guys are suggesting we'd see many fewer no hitters. Anyone with speed would be dropping bunts left and right just to make sure that they don't get no hit, as if that means something in the win-loss column. And perfect games would be GONE. Guys will be crowding the batters box, leaning into pitches, trying to get hit just so nobody throws a perfect game against them.

[Boy Howdy]

The key is how much should we care about honoring the game when the game has pissed all over us this season? They should have bunted. Instead they chose to roll over.

I don't think they rolled over. If bunting for a hit was such a sure thing, we'd see a lot more of it.

It's the Orioles (and all teams for that matter) duty to do everything they can to win the game. Bunting in the 9th inning down 10-0 doesn't realisitically fit that description. It's more just making an a*s of yourself by trying to deny an opponent a (relatively) meaningless milestone/accomplishment.

In other words, it doesn't make a bit of difference in the standings whether we get one hit or none. We still lost.

Sparky Anderson used to say that dignity is the greatest thing because no one can take it away from you. You can only give it away.

Bunting down ten runs in the 9th inning is a crybaby, loser move that would surrender the dignity of the person doing it. The O's have enough problems. Thank God that's not one of them.

[Boy Howdy]

I guess when it comes down to it, I really don't care so much about this whole "code" thing.

I don't mean this in an insulting way at all because, I sure wasn't good enough to play professional baseball, but if you played the game, you'd care about the code.

If you don't honor it, you'll be dealt with. It often takes place behind the scenes, but breaking the code doesn't go unnoticed.

[The Wedge]

What's worse, being disrespected by Curt Schilling and ESPN or being no-hit and being disrespected by all of baseball? I'll take the former.

Disrespected by all of baseball? Jeez, what is your problem? When was the last time you seriously mocked or put down a team that gets no hit? The onus of no-hitters are usually put on the pitchers. It's about their accomplishment, not the ineptitude of the other team.

[Captain E.]

I don't mean this in an insulting way at all because, I sure wasn't good enough to play professional baseball, but if you played the game, you'd care about the code.

If you don't honor it, you'll be dealt with. It often takes place behind the scenes, but breaking the code doesn't go unnoticed.

Blah.. ok, you win. Listening to all the other arguments, and imagining the case if one of OUR pitchers was in the place of Bucholz, I agree that players should respect the game, and the 'code'.

Laying down a bunt (with the exception of a close game), would indeed be sort of cheap, and I'm sure I'd be pissed about it if it happened to us.

I actually do care about the code.. and I think its part of what makes baseball great.. I just got a bit carried away in my frustration.

I also agree with Wedge. I certainly didn't think any less of the Brewers when they got no-hit by Verlander. They have some of the best young hitters in the game, and if it can happen to them, it can certainly happen to us.

[Mackus]

Obviously you don't bunt in that situation. If it were a closer game, like 2-3 runs, then try it if you think thats the best way to get on, but you clearly don't bunt in the 8th or 9th inning of a no-hitter attempt in a blowout.

Remember a few years ago when some catcher (forget who) bunted to break up a no-no in the 8th and the other team's manager (forget who, but it was NL, maybe Arizona) flipped out, and that was in a game that was close.

[FollyFollyToo]

I don't even think a no-hitter is that big of a deal. The O's got plenty of good wood on the ball, it was just bad luck (good luck for Boston) that they were hit right at people. Erik Bedard has had at least 3 better starts than that start yesterday. He just wasn't as lucky.

[ElToro75]

Obviously you don't bunt in that situation. If it were a closer game, like 2-3 runs, then try it if you think thats the best way to get on, but you clearly don't bunt in the 8th or 9th inning of a no-hitter attempt in a blowout.

Remember a few years ago when some catcher (forget who) bunted to break up a no-no in the 8th and the other team's manager (forget who, but it was NL, maybe Arizona) flipped out, and that was in a game that was close.

Exactly what I was saying here...

Can you imagine what Curt Schilling (who lost a perfect game in the 7th when the Padres catcher bunted)...

AND it was in the 7th inning (albeit a perfect game), but still. The guy definitely shouldn't have bunted then. That's way Trembley didn't call for the bunt last night.

[ElToro75]

I don't even think a no-hitter is that big of a deal. The O's got plenty of good wood on the ball, it was just bad luck (good luck for Boston) that they were hit right at people. Erik Bedard has had at least 3 better starts than that start yesterday. He just wasn't as lucky.

What? Not that big of a deal? You're kidding right? It's not like this is something that gets done all the time. A no hitter is something special, that's why the HOF has an ongoing exhibit for no hitters exclusively.

A no hitter is a big deal. If an Oriole had thrown one, this board would be ecstatic!!! (Me included).

[Captain E.]

What? Not that big of a deal? You're kidding right? It's not like this is something that gets done all the time. A no hitter is something special, that's why the HOF has an ongoing exhibit for no hitters exclusively.

A no hitter is a big deal. If an Oriole had thrown one, this board would be ecstatic!!! (Me included).

I think (not sure) that he meant its not a big deal in terms of being on the other end of it. Hence, no reason to do anything shady to break it up.

[ELC]

I'd be far more embarrassed if this team attempted to bunt in the 9th down by 10 runs just to break up a no-hitter. It's better the box score reflects how bad you were than try to cover up how awful everyone knows you are with a cheap move like that.