Can Brenly Really Be This Clueless?
 

In the NLDS Game 4 in Washington, Cardinal Pitcher Kyle Lohse was attempting to bunt. When a pitch missed the strike zone and Lohse pulled away, Bob Brenly said something like, "It really looked like he left the bat out too long. If he keeps the bat in the hitting zone when the ball is there it is a strike." He did not say anything about making an attempt to bunt the pitch.

The saddest thing about hearing things like this is that the casual fan thinks someone with Brenly's baseball experience knows what they are talking about. I would hope that when he was a player or manager, he did not argue with umpires with statements like the one above.

Yes, he can be this clueless.

Maybe he coaches a daughter who plays softball? ;)

NCAA Softball, no one else.

FWIW and for the sake of accuracy...

Other softball sanctioning bodies have mimicked the NCAA ruling that holding the bat in the strike zone equates to an offer at the pitch. NFHS and USSSA are two of them (I'm fairly certain that there are others, just not sanctioning bodies I deal with on a regular basis).

So, "NCAA Softball, no one else" is not a true statement.

We now return you to our our regularly scheduled baseball discussions...:D

NFHS as well. I think ASA is the only major organization that still requires an actual movement of the bat towards the ball to be a bunt attempt.

I just hope those recent rule changes don't find their way to baseball.

LL adopted it too for their softball divisions.

Add NSA

Brenly's obviously not alone. Former players who work as color men in the booth are notorious for butchering the rules.

Remember the play where the umpires sent Nats Michael Morse back to the plate to run out a grand slam after they verified through replay that the ball went over the wall? Nats announcer FP Santangelo mentioned that a runner passing another on a home run is irrelevant. I guess he thought a there were no violations since the ball is dead. Ummm, no, FP, but thanks for playing.