Gardner was def. lucky to be safe at third, but I don’t think it was foolish to make the attempt and overly aggressive. He needed to get a better read of that ball coming off of Damon’s bat and that’s where he became overly aggressive IMO.

In regards to Damon bunting, he is a notoriously bad bunter and even though it might seem like the “right” move, I think there’s more of a chance of bringing in that run by allowing him to swing.

Jeter’s face during the Gardner sequence was hilarious. Not quite as funny as when they were trying to fool the Mets with the Mariano Rivera at bat earlier this year, but still hilarious- he went from freaked out and thinking Gardner was going to be thrown out to ecstatic that he was safe.

ken wrote:

Bottom 10th, 1st and 3rd, one out. Speedy Gardner on third. Damon at the plate. Anyone else thinking bunt?
Seems to me like any kind of bunt that is not foul or a popup wins the game. Gardner would be 10 feet from the plate by the time the ball hits the bat.

Actually for a second, it crossed my mind about Gardner stealing home…..lefty pitcher with his back to the plate…..even if he took a big enough lead Mijares may have been spooked enough into a balk. But with a lefty hitter up it wasn’t worth the chance, and who would have thought Damon would end up hitting into a DP?

Also, I was looking around the ‘net aimlessly, and I saw that Tyler Clippard had a decent year for the Nats coming out of the pen:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clippty01.shtml

67 K’s in 60 1/3 IP is not bad huh?

Anyone see that the Rockies game might be snowed out today? What do you think about that, MJ?

ken wrote:

And on the subject of that inning, was Gardner foolish to take third on the overthrow especially after stumbling? He was sorta lucky to be safe. A decent throw gets him easily.

When it happened I thought he was going to be out by a mile. He’s a fast man.

A decent throw might have picked him off at 2nd as well. Gardner was over eager from the moment he enterred the game. And it finally cost him.

And on the subject of that inning, was Gardner foolish to take third on the overthrow especially after stumbling? He was sorta lucky to be safe. A decent throw gets him easily.

Nope, I’m thinking Damon puts the ball in play or Mijares walks him.

Bottom 10th, 1st and 3rd, one out. Speedy Gardner on third. Damon at the plate. Anyone else thinking bunt?

Seems to me like any kind of bunt that is not foul or a popup wins the game. Gardner would be 10 feet from the plate by the time the ball hits the bat.