Nice little article on Michael Bourn today, who is working on bunting more accurately, and getting a jump at 1B.
On bunting:
I know, in my own mind, that I messed up a lot of them. I popped up too many, I got out of the box too fast on some. That's something I came here to work on. That's very important to me, because everyone hits slumps. But if I'm in a slump and I really need to get a hit, I have that opportunity any time to lay one down, and maybe get going right there.
On those first three steps at first:
The first three steps are the key, the rest is just holding your speed. You look at the elite base stealers, like Jose Reyes, Carl Crawford, Willy Taveras. They're not just stupid-fast, but they're quick off the jump, and that quickness is what gets it. It's like a point guard in basketball trying to get by somebody. The first three steps are going to determine if he can get by him.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
