Posted by MikeT23 on 5/27/2014 5:10:00 PM (view original):
My "argument" was obvioulsy extreme(turn 100 strikeouts into 100 balls in play and get 20 more hits by virtue of BABIP). I'm sorry if you can't understand the use of extreme arguments to prove a point.
Nonetheless, if you're Austin Jackson, you'd be better off putting 80 more balls in play, even if it means "taking something off" your swing when the count isn't in your favor because you're not a guy who hits for power. Players have skill sets and they damn sure should cater to them. Adam Dunn "taking something off" his swing probably does produce that disaster BL thinks happens all the time. He's slow and his value comes from hitting the ball a long way. That's not AJackson's game.
As for bunting against the shift, do you want David Ortiz spending time working on his bunting skills? Or just swinging? Time is finite.
I do understand your argument. I'm arguing your other stats would obviously suffer by doing that.
Austin Jackson is one of the few guys who strikeout a shitton and don't hit 20 homers a year. He might be better off working a little harder to make contact, but again, he may not be driving the ball as far by doing that. Guy hits a lot of triples, etc. He may slug the ball less.
If David Ortiz needs a lot of practice to bunt effectively, then he shouldn't do it. But bunting shouldn't be hard. And how much time are we talking? If it's 20 extra minutes a day bunting, it's not much, and he isn't exactly exerting himself physically to do it.