Red Sox Greatest Bunt

Red(s)HawksFan

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Are there even any memorable bunts in MLB history, let alone Red Sox history? Other than a squeeze play, isn't a bunt by design intended to be forgotten and overlooked?

The only bunt play that comes to my mind isn't even real, and boy was it a bad idea that got improbably lucky (because of course it was scripted that way).

View: https://youtu.be/nPH9cWTJgdU

Edit to add: the only real bunts I tend to remember aren't because they're successful, they're because they were illegal but it never gets called...bunts where the hitter stepped out of the box, usually with a foot behind the plate, to lay it down. I remember the Sox getting burned by such a bunt a few years back. I want to say it was Cleveland, maybe Asdrubal Cabrera?
 

CoffeeNerdness

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Big Papi beat the shift with a sweet bunt or two, and since Big Papi is the greatest human to ever walk earth I vote for him.
 

jose melendez

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Are there even any memorable bunts in MLB history, let alone Red Sox history? Other than a squeeze play, isn't a bunt by design intended to be forgotten and overlooked?

The only bunt play that comes to my mind isn't even real, and boy was it a bad idea that got improbably lucky (because of course it was scripted that way).

View: https://youtu.be/nPH9cWTJgdU

Edit to add: the only real bunts I tend to remember aren't because they're successful, they're because they were illegal but it never gets called...bunts where the hitter stepped out of the box, usually with a foot behind the plate, to lay it down. I remember the Sox getting burned by such a bunt a few years back. I want to say it was Cleveland, maybe Asdrubal Cabrera?
I went looking around for great squeezes, and I couldn't even find much from Sox history.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Marty Barrett I guess.

David Ross was a great bunter.

Edit -- sorry I read the question as the best bunter. Oops.
 
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bankshot1

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Jim Lonborg bunted for a single to start the rally in the 6th inning in game 162 of the 1967 season. Sox were down 2-0 to the Twins, when Gentleman Jim dropped a beauty which started a 5-run pennant winning rally.
 

Harry Hooper

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Don't we have a member with a moniker like Mugsy's Bunt? Gary Allenson laid down a game-winning bunt for the Sox. I think it was vs.the Angels, but not 100% certain.

Edit: Late, I see.
 

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Allenson’s was worth 34% in wWPA but isn’t the highest I can find in Red Sox history.

That goes to Dave Stapleton, also against the Angels, 36 years ago, April 4th which added 41% of win probability. Granted, some of that owes to Ron Romanick making an error on the ball but it was still scored a sac bunt by BRef play by play, so it absolutely counts.
 

The Gray Eagle

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There's no mention of it in the writeup but didn't Muggsy bunt that ball with 2 strikes on him?

That's they way I've always remembered it, and it would've been even more gutsy and crazy. But I thought that's why DeCinces was playing so deep, was that he moved way back after the second strike.

I might be remembering this wrong, it was a long, long time ago.
 

Ferm Sheller

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There's no mention of it in the writeup but didn't Muggsy bunt that ball with 2 strikes on him?

That's they way I've always remembered it, and it would've been even more gutsy and crazy. But I thought that's why DeCinces was playing so deep, was that he moved way back after the second strike.

I might be remembering this wrong, it was a long, long time ago.
Yes, I think you're absolutely right about the two strikes, which of course only added to its surprise. I'd wager a tidy sum of money that there were two strikes.
 
Jul 5, 2018
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Unless it's one the more inept pitchers batting, I hate bunting attempts. If I'm at a game, I will invariably shout, "Swing the bat!" Jose Reyes bunting to win a batting title was a crime against the game.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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EDIT: @edoug beat me to it. The play that launched @Mugsy’s Walk-Off Bunt 's handle (and had no small influence in inspiring my own) is your clear winner.

Tried to find video to no avail, but will give it another shot. Just seeing Mugsy "run", with those short legs, squat physique, and some combination of dirt and tobacco spittle inevitably smeared all over his uniform, is worth the journey.
 
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Humphrey

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The best bunt was when Mueller did NOT bunt
Can't go with anything but Lonnie's bunt in 1967.
For "non-bunts", I nominate the 1973 missed Stick Michael squeeze bunt that resulted in Thurman Munson trying to run over Carlton Fisk; not succeeding, and a brawl erupting. Can't find a video of it.
 

edoug

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I was at that game, but we left during the 7th inning stretch to beat traffic. Listened to the comeback & win on the way home to VT.
That's either a really long or really short drive. :)
 

Wallball Tingle

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The best bunt in recent Sox history was executed by the Orioles: Melvin Mora walk off beating the Yanks to clinch the division in game 160 (?) of 2007.
 

snowmanny

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According to Baseball Reference on 9/9/1918 in Game 4 of the World Series (Red Sox up in games, 2-1), Harry Hooper came up with Wally Schang on first, no outs in the bottom of the 8th, score tied at 2-2. A passed ball moved Schang to second, and an error on Hooper’s sacrifice bunt allowed Schang to score the go-ahead run. Ruth closed out the Game by blanking the Cubs in the 9th.
 

sheamonu

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Lonnie’s bunt for sure. One thing I could never understand is why the final game of the ‘67 season isn’t available in full. The next to last game is (and is featured in the “Fenway 100” set) but just portions of Game 162.
 

dirtynine

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Joe Morgan sent Spike Owen up as a pinch hitter to get a bunt down during the Morgan Magic run (Benzinger game I believe). Jim Rice, pinch hit for, started a fight with Morgan in the dugout, and Morgan - only a few games in to taking over the reigns, maybe even still “interim” at that point, I forget - stood up for himself and by many accounts earned a lot of respect with the team. Kind of set the tone for the rest of the year. I think Spike got it down too.
 

pk1627

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Mientkewitz put down a nice bunt for an insurance run in 2004 ALDS. I remember appreciating it. Made the score 9-3, so not a huge moment in sports history.
 

ngruz25

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I remember being very excited about this one: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS200506020.shtml

Bottom of the 9th, Red Sox were down 4-3 to the Orioles and facing stud closer BJ Ryan. With two outs and a man on first, Edgar Renteria bunted for a single down the third base line. This brought David Ortiz to the plate so he could do David Ortiz things: he belted a 3-2 pitch for a walk-off three-run homer.