Comments on: 10 years ago today: Ben Davis breaks an unwritten rule

By: sav2880

sav2880 — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:10:07 +0000

Felt this way about it when I was a 21-year old pipsqeak as I do now. Call me back if it’s a 4-0 or 5-0 game, and there’s some separation (even then it’s iffy since we are mid steroids era, just saying), but at 2-0, it’s all fair game and he’s trying to win the game. Worth doing.

By: stairwayto7

stairwayto7 — Fri, 27 May 2011 21:07:06 +0000

After Davis got on next batter got a double off the wall!

By: professorperry

professorperry — Fri, 27 May 2011 14:04:28 +0000

As a Red Sox fan, I’ve always been baffled by the lack of bunt attempts in Game 6. Baffled and delighted, mind you!

By: nyncsports

nyncsports — Fri, 27 May 2011 11:52:19 +0000

Curt is a Bum. Stay off the Juice

By: xmatt0926x

xmatt0926x — Fri, 27 May 2011 05:41:47 +0000

I remember wondering what the problem was back when it happened and I still don’t get it. He brought the tying run up to the plate. End of story. As I was thinking then and someone else here already said so perfectly, it’s not the batters job to help schilling make history. The reality is that schilling admitted in his comments that if not for the bunt he feels he pitches a no-no. That proves that Davis was right to lay the bunt down and possibly throw Schilling off after the baloon went out of the possible perfect game. Brenly was a prick for the fuss he put up.

By: nixonotis

nixonotis — Fri, 27 May 2011 03:27:47 +0000

Torre was too busy drinking his Bigalow tea and taking naps between innings.

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Fri, 27 May 2011 02:45:19 +0000

I, on the other hand, think that I actually wrote that down somewhere—like a daily check list or something.

By: micker716

micker716 — Fri, 27 May 2011 02:24:19 +0000

Thumbs up for remembering this anniversary, Matt. At the time I thought it was awesome, and still do. The Pads, and Davis, were playing to win, not to protect the sanctity of the game. I love Baseball, but I hate the self-important “purists” that place their self-imposed rules above the purpose of the game: To win. A catcher, I repeat a catcher! was able to drag bunt for a single with a no-hitter and a game on the line. How did Jay Bell, the lame-ass 2nd baseman that was out of position and allowed the lumbering Davis to bunt for the hit, escape all the criticism leveled on Davis? “Chicken”? Tell that to John McGraw or Ty Cobb. I picture them laughing their asses off and asking “who the hell is Bob Brenly?”

By: kcfanatic

kcfanatic — Fri, 27 May 2011 02:24:18 +0000

You want a perfect game…field your position. Crap, Schilling didn’t even get the shut out. He was a good pitcher, but I’m not handing him history. I’m bunting, I’m stealing…I may even throw at him when he has to hit just to shake him up.

By: kcfanatic

kcfanatic — Fri, 27 May 2011 02:21:43 +0000

Quoting the former Chief coach, “You play to win the game.”

By: yahmule

yahmule — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:38:04 +0000

My unwritten rule is to be more than a little amused anytime something bad happens to Curt Schilling.

By: Lukehart80

Lukehart80 — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:33:15 +0000

Looking at those names, my thought was: do they count no hitters against AAA line-ups???

By: adenzeno

adenzeno — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:05:56 +0000

Or the Sox not bunting against Clemens when he had the bad hamstring…

By: nps6724

nps6724 — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:54:32 +0000

The outrage over that bunt was some of the stupidest comments I’ve ever heard related to baseball. Even if it’s 10-0, if he wants to bunt his way on, go ahead. If swinging isn’t working, try something else. the object is to win the game, not actively help the opposition perform a historic feat. And personally, if I’m a player I would hate to be on the losing end on a no-hitter or perfect game and would do everything in my power to make sure I wasn’t. So if I need to drop down a bunt or lean into a pitch, that’s what I’m gonna do.

I mean, let’s say Davis doesn’t bunt but he gets a 3-0 count. Is he then required by MLB Unwritten Rule 101.2-b to swing at every subsequent pitch to make sure he doesn’t walk?

By: sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo

sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:12:05 +0000

I am still not completely over Joe Torre and the Yankees hitters trying exactly ZERO bunts against Curt in the ‘Bloody Sock Game.’ If the Sox want to send a handicapped pitcher to the mound, the Yankees should have taken full advantage and bunted all night. He probably couldn’t have fielded them, and probably would have left the game sooner for trying…

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:36:26 +0000

Bubba Trammell, Dave Magadan and Mike Darr Talk about three different outcomes. Magadan is the Red Sox batting coach. Darr was killed in a car accident. Trammell left the game battling depression.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:26:55 +0000

It was a close game and he lays down a bunt to get on base. As stated he walked the next guy so what if the 3rd guy hits a bomb. Maybe closer comes in, they win the game 3-2 and then it becomes a smart play.

By: arbornicer

arbornicer — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:21:14 +0000

i firmly believe that if you want a no-no or a perfect game you have to earn it, none of this handing it to them shit because it’s the last inning.

By: jamie54

jamie54 — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:09:20 +0000

Another famous Padre ‘star’ who busted out.

By: oikosjeremy

oikosjeremy — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:01:12 +0000

Yup, Davis was just doing his job, trying to help his team win a close game.

My question about the unwritten rule of not bunting to break up a no hitter has always been, when during the game does the rule come into effect? After all, everybody starts out the game with a no hitter. But if the first batter of the game bunts his way on, nobody thinks he broke the unwritten rule. So exactly how many no hit innings do you have to pitch before the rule comes into effect?

I guess if people knew that, they’d probably be able to write the rule down.

By: bobulated

bobulated — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:49:50 +0000

Ben Davis job is to get on base, not help Curt Schilling make history. Like so many of the “rules” it’s situational but IMHO down by two trying to get something going, it’s good baseball.