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[Willihammer]

I'm actually more concerned about Sano than Buxton at this point.

 

Sano is chasing some really bad pitches. He just doesn't look as confident at the plate as he did last year. I think the effects of trying to play outfield is a real concern. Baseball is a game of confidence, and struggles in one area always seem to seep in other parts of the game. A lot of it has to do with pitchers having better scouting reports, but will he be able to make the necessary adjustments? I honestly can't say one way r the other at this point. Although, he did look much better last night, IMO (while DHing).

 

Buxton, on the other hand, looks like his approach is much more refined this year. It looks sustainable. He's laying off those tough pitches, like fastballs up and out of zone, and breaking balls that start on the outside corner and break off the plate. When he is swinging, it seems to be a pitch he wants, and he swing with authority. That's just wasn't there last year. The strikeouts will eventually come down as he accumulates at bats.

 

Another note: Dozier really concerns me right now. Pitchers are pounding him away, and he can't seem to figure it out. He could have a rough year. Hopefully they don't keep him in the lead off spot much longer.

Unfortunately, the data disagrees with you.

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=5&season=2016&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=8&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

 

Sano is not chasing at all. He's missing on pitches in the zone. In the upper third especially. He'll adjust.

 

Buxton swings at a quarter of pitches outside the zone.

 

(Oh God, Rosario...)

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Yeah, a fly to the OF, or a groundout to the right side has the same impact as a sac bunt anyways.  I don't have the video but when I watched it, seemed like he was more interested in bringing the third baseman in than taking off to 1B.  I could be wrong though.

Machado wasn't far from the bag, so maybe fake a bunt on the first pitch, get the third baseman to charge in a bit, and let Buxton steal it more easily behind him?  That wouldn't be bad -- but yeah, that's not what Dozier did at all.

 

Both team's announcers called it as a beautiful bunt when Dozier laid it down, but both the pitcher and third baseman were in position to field it and throw him out without too much trouble.  That tells me it was clearly a bad time to try bunting for a hit, he didn't catch anybody unaware.

 

It seems pretty clear Dozier overrated his chances of a hit and/or overrated the importance of a sacrifice there, either case being worth some criticism.