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Bad Boys Bunt

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Bad Boys Bunt


On this age of launch angle and exit velocity and swing path, the reigning Nationwide League residence run kings have come out…not swinging.

The primary hit for the San Francisco Giants in 2022 was a 3rd inning bunt by Brandon Belt. I used to be floored, completely knocked out of my boots, when Belt squared round on that pitch. Little doubt Miami was too—it led to an errant throw and allowed Joey Bart to attain from first.

Bunt results in error results in run—and identical to that the Giants have been on the board in 2022.

Belt’s bunt, to date, has been prophecy.

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San Francisco leads all of Main League Baseball with 7 whole bunt hits over 15 video games to begin the 2022 season. Mike Yastrzemski has laid down two. Together with Belt, Luis Gonzalez, Maurico Dubón, Thairo Estrada, and Joc Pederson all have one.

As a crew, their success fee sits at 87.5% In the event that they preserve this up, when the common season runs its course, the Giants will bag roughly 70 bunt hits.

That may most positively not occur however the reality stays that the bunt has been a little bit of a shocking offensive instrument put into the follow by the boys from the Bay.

It’s fairly telling when requested what stood out to him after the Giants 5-2 win over the Nationals on Saturday, the very first thing Gabe Kapler considered was how the bunts have been “wonderful.”

Sure, no argument, Mike Yastrzemski’s and Luis Gonzalez’s bunt singles within the first and the sixth have been wonderful—however it’s slightly odd to find these transient offensive moments (that led to a complete of 0 runs) have been on the forefront of our supervisor’s mind publish sport.

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To be clear, I’m not upset about it. It’s a refreshing change of tempo from the everyday OPS this and OPS that dominating conversations nowadays. So boring.

In a approach, the bunts haven’t simply been wonderful, they’ve been bad-ass.

Belt’s Opening Day bunt after his thumb fracture final September was the very definition of reckless or ill-advised. Mauricio Dubón’s bunt with a 9-run lead in opposition to San Diego was the equal of doing doughnuts in a Walmart car parking zone.

But it surely’s not all simply middle-finger-to-the-world with these Gigantes—there’s a way to this bunting insanity.

Let’s take a look at Mike Yastrzemski’s bunt single that Saturday. The Nationals protection (as most defenses do) have been shifted to guard in opposition to Yaz’s energy to the suitable facet of the diamond, leaving the left facet fully open. Within the first inning with no outs and no scoring alternatives out there to him on the time (apart from the house run), Yaz took what was supplied to him.

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With Brandon Belt immediately following him within the order, it’s by no means a horrible thought to get on base any approach you’ll be able to. With one swing of the Captain’s bat, the Giants may very well be up 2-nil. The percentages of that occuring are a lot greater than each Yaz and Belt going deep back-to-back.

Rule of thumb: It’s at all times higher to have base runners in baseball than to not have base runners. The 2022 Giants are hitting .197 when the bases are empty with 10 runs scored. With runners on, they’re batting .280 with 57 runs scored. A bunt in opposition to a shifted protection is a fairly good approach to get on base. The Giants have been nice at executing in these conditions. If the bunt hit turns into much less and fewer of a assure, hitters are going to make use of it much less and fewer—which is in the end the end-goal for Kapler.

Kap doesn’t actually need Belt or Pederson or Yastrzemski to bunt. The search for your pitch in your zone and drive the ball continues to be the underlying offensive technique of most groups in baseball. However this early days bunt-bonanza may pay dividends if it results in extra sincere and extra exploitable defensive preparations for these hitters to bat in opposition to later within the season.

The bunt units the desk within the current—placing runners on base; in addition to for the longer term—altering the protection for coming at-bats.

It’s a very particular instrument for a really particular state of affairs. Giants hitters have but to bunt with two outs. They haven’t bunted with a runner in scoring place. These are alternatives to do injury with a bat—one doesn’t lower down a tree with a spokeshave.

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Moreover, with the bat out of the pitcher’s hand, the bunt is now not utilized in a sacrifice. An out for a base isn’t a good commerce (except perhaps with the “Manfred runner” nonsense in additional innings).

Repeat the mantra: The bunt is a instrument. The bunt is a instrument and its utilization is immediately correlated to opponents’ defensive preparations.

If a crew offers a hitter the road, search for them to put that barrel over the plate. Any alternative that makes the pitcher extra careworn, or offers the following hitter a greater alternative to hit the ball exhausting, the Giants are going to leap on it. That’s been their M.O. this season and its not making them many pals across the league. The bunt has been an enormous a part of that these first couple weeks of 2022.



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San Francisco, CA

Reports: 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall shot in San Francisco

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Reports: 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall shot in San Francisco


Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers’ first-round draft pick this past spring, reportedly was shot in a robbery attempt Saturday afternoon in San Francisco and is in stable condition, NBC Bay Area reported.

“He’s good. Thank god!!!!” 49ers teammate Deebo Samuel posted on X/Twitter, adding emojis reflecting a prayer and crossed fingers.

Pearsall was shot near Union Square, according to KGO-7’s Dion Lim.

The San Francisco Fire Department was called to deal with a traumatic injury at 3:38 P.M. near Union Square and found two gunshot victims near Geary and Grand Streets, a spokesman told KTVU’s Sal Castaneda, who added that both victims were taken to a local hospital, one in critical condition and one in stable condition. Pearsall’s Rolex watch was targeted in the attempted robbery, Castaneda added, citing multiple sources.

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The suspected shooter is in police custody, Supervisor Aaron Peskin’s office told NBC Bay Area’s Gia Vang.

Earlier Saturday, Pearsall signed autographs at a card show at San Francisco’s Cow Palace.

Neither the San Francisco Police Department nor the 49ers immediately returned messages left by this news organization.

Pearsall, 23, is a Phoenix, Arizona native who is entering his first NFL season after playing collegiately at Florida the past two seasons and Arizona State the prior three years.

A shoulder injury has kept Pearsall from practicing the past 3 1/2 weeks, after an offseason hamstring injury delayed his entry into training camp by a week. His left shoulder has a history of partial dislocations dating back to his junior year in college, and he aggravated it in spring practices as well as on Aug. 6.

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He’s done conditioning drills on the side as the 49ers prepare for their regular-season opener Sept. 9 against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium.

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San Francisco shooting leaves young girl injured, per witness

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San Francisco shooting leaves young girl injured, per witness


A shooting in San Francisco left an 8-year-old girl injured on Friday, according to her father.

The San Francisco Police Department said officers were called to the unit block of Chicago Way at approximately 5:24 p.m. for reports of a shooting. Upon the officers’ arrival, they found a young girl suffering from injuries, although police did not confirm she was shot. Police only said she was transported to a nearby hospital with “life-threatening injuries.”

Police did not provide other information.

However, according to the girl’s father, the family was setting things up for dinner when a bullet came into the house and hit his daughter.

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Officers are still at the scene conducting their investigation.



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Racist graffiti, noose at San Francisco park tied to dog dispute

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Racist graffiti, noose at San Francisco park tied to dog dispute


Racist graffiti and a noose found at a San Francisco park happened days after a woman was told she could not have her dog in the playground by the head of a youth organization.

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The woman vowed to do everything possible to shut down this group, officials said on Friday during a news conference at the park hours after the vile messages had been painted over.

“That disgusting racial slur that was written all over this building does not define who we are as a city,” said Maria Su, director of the city’s Department of Children, Youth and their Families.

SEE ALSO: Alameda County firefighter accused of racist rant on paid leave

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The vandalism at Merced Heights Playground on Shields Street is being investigated as a hate crime and a direct attack on the nonprofit called Youth First.

“This is not tolerated. And it will not be tolerated. We will continue to celebrate Youth First,” Su said.

Renard Monroe, Youth First’s founder and executive director, said that someone had spray-painted “N- First” on the building.

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“It was destroyed by hate,” Monroe said. “The N-word. It said, ‘N-word First’ because we’re called Youth First, so they were kind of aiming that word toward our program.”

Officials believe the vandalism is a direct response to an incident at the park last week when a woman with her toddler daughter and their dog were near the playground, in the upper terrace area, where dogs are not allowed.

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When Monroe told the woman to take her dog to the lower terrace of the park, where dogs are allowed, she told him, “No (N-word) is going to tell me where to go,” he recounted.

Supervisor Ahsha Safai said, “Then it turned into the N-word. It turned into threats. And the woman said, ‘I am going to make it my job to shut down your organization.’”

Following the threat, state licensing officials visited the park based on an anonymous tip, questioning whether Monroe’s operation was a childcare facility when it is actually an after-school program.

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“People show up saying the music’s too loud. And then today he (Monroe) shows up and there’s spray paint and a noose hanging on the door,” Safai said.

Officials said the incident is a grim reminder that there is still division and hatred, even in a city as diverse as San Francisco.

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“Everyone that doesn’t believe that racism is still alive – and still alive in San Francisco – it absolutely is. But guess what? We’re not going to be broken by it,” the supervisor said.

While no suspects have been publicly identified, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins assured that once the case reaches her office, “We will do everything to make sure the person or persons responsible for this are held accountable.”

Jenkins said, although the messages were abhorrent, the hate beneath the vandalism can’t be ignored.

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“We have to bring attention to it, as much as we don’t want to give what this person did attention, San Francisco has to recognize how much work it still needs to do,” Jenkins said.

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan.

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