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Simpson took a fastball on the inner half for strike one. Gaddis went back to his four-seamer, this time over the outer half, and Simpson quickly squared and dropped a bunt down the third-base line. This wasn’t a sacrifice attempt, boxscore be damned, this was a bunt for a hit, and it was perfect. The ball bounced on the dirt, hopped on to the grass, and stayed there instead of kicking foul like many bunts do. This one hugged the edge of the turf like an old friend. Given Simpson’s speed, it was as clean a hit as any 450-foot homer.
[Jose Ramirez has entered the chat]
The first thing you notice, when the camera angle changes, is Ramirez sharply changing direction. He’d been playing in on the grass, because with a runner on first and Simpson up, a bunt was likely. Ramirez, though, had been shaded towards the middle of the diamond, so to play this perfect bunt, he had to move to his right. He made that adjustment not in a direct line, the way you might angle towards a fly ball, but with a quick step that resembled a wide receiver’s cut. This one step was critical, because without it, Ramirez would have been moving away from first base when he fielded the ball, and unable to get much on his throw. Instead, Ramirez is able to barehand the ball, plant his leg and throw.
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