{"id":76814,"date":"2024-06-15T00:42:52","date_gmt":"2024-06-15T04:42:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=76814"},"modified":"2024-06-15T00:42:52","modified_gmt":"2024-06-15T04:42:52","slug":"brewers-blake-perkins-ill-advised-bunt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/06\/15\/brewers-blake-perkins-ill-advised-bunt\/","title":{"rendered":"Ill-Advised Bunt Provides A Learning Experience For Young Brewers Outfielder"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\">MILWAUKEE &#8212; With how many games the young and inexperienced Milwaukee Brewers have clawed their way back to win this season, it was only a matter of time until that youth and inexperience came back to cost them one. Friday was one of those nights for the Brewers, who saw their ninth-inning rally stifled when, with two outs and the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/p\/perkibl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-06-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blake Perkins<\/a> bunted right back to the pitcher for the final out of a 6-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8220;I think it&#8217;s a young person&#8217;s moment,&#8221; Brewers manager <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/managers\/murphpa99.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pat Murphy<\/a> said. &#8220;Obviously he regrets the decision but we&#8217;ve had so many young players step up this year, (Perkins) included. Over and over, he&#8217;s won games for us, defensively, offensively, and even with the bunt.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Ill-Advised Bunt Provides Learning Experience for Brewers&#8217; Blake Perkins<\/h2>\n<p class=\"p1\">Perkins has indeed been an <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/05\/31\/second-round-pick-hero\/\" target=\"_self\">unsung hero<\/a> this season, and a big reason the Brewers have staked out an early lead over the rest of the National League Central. The former second-round draft pick played his way into an everyday job with a versatile skill set that so far has included a number of highlight-reel catches, clutch hits, and, yes, even timely bunts.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">That deescalated quickly. The Brewers saw the tying run taken off the board upon replay review, and then Blake Perkins pops up a bunt for the final out of a 6-5 loss to the Reds. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WuBnN376SJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/WuBnN376SJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AdamMcCalvy\/status\/1801811817917784158?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Less Is More<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">In this situation, Blake Perkins&#8217; biggest mistake wasn&#8217;t so much the decision to bunt, but the thought process going into it. Or, as Murphy told Perkins, the mistake was actually thinking too much.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8220;Listen, no one is more disappointed in the outcome of the events than me,&#8221; said Perkins. &#8220;I guess the best way to put it is, I know the guys behind me are statistically better hitters and I thought it would be a surprise to them and I thought it would be a higher percentage for me, and just me in general.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8220;We\u2019ve got someone who\u2019s fast at third with a big lead. I just was trying not to be the hero, I guess is the best way to put it, and obviously it was a mistake.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Such mistakes are unfortunate, for sure, but they&#8217;re also the cost of doing business for a roster loaded with players still in their first or second year of big-league service time.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Give Blake Perkins credit for explaining his thought process on his failed bunt attempt: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Tp5wvaHmPT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/Tp5wvaHmPT<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Todd_Rosiak\/status\/1801819508937539726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Murphy is Forgiving<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">For Murphy, it&#8217;s all part of the process and a worthwhile one, because more often than not, his young players have come through in those exact same moments and situations time and time again this season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8220;All these young players have done so much, but there are going to be these moments, these youthful moments, that make no sense,&#8221; Murphy said. &#8220;I love this kid, man. I know it&#8217;s tearing him up inside worse than anyone. But hey, we put ourselves in a position, like we have in most every of the 69 games we&#8217;ve played, with those young guys to compete right down to the end.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">And, he still has plenty of confidence in Perkins to come through the next time he finds himself in such a situation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8220;It&#8217;s not something where you have to correct him,&#8221; Murphy said. &#8220;He knows by now that&#8217;s not the possibility there. He&#8217;ll feel some guilt but you have to bounce back and I think he will. He has all year, he responds. He didn&#8217;t lose the game, that decision might not have been the one anybody else might have picked right there. We had plenty of other opportunities to score runs tonight but didn&#8217;t.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">As for Perkins, he plans to be ready when that time comes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8220;I think I kind of let the moment get a little bit too big for me,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I\u2019ll get \u2018em tomorrow. Tomorrow\u2019s a new day.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Peralta Scuffles Again<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">Right-hander <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/p\/peralfr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-06-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Freddy Peralta<\/a> said he felt good physically after allowing six runs on a career-high 10 hits over 5 1\/3 innings against the Reds, but is still trying to regain the form that produced a 3.61 ERA through his first 11 starts. Peralta has allowed 13 runs (12 earned) over 13 2\/3 innings with a 1.829 WHIP in his last three starts, raising his ERA to 4.38 on the season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8220;This game is about results, and that\u2019s what I am not having right now,&#8221; Peralta said. &#8220;I just have to keep going, keep working. The most important thing for me is that I\u2019m healthy. You have to move forward to the next one.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Peralta said there was no issue physically, which makes his recent struggles all the more flummoxing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8220;I know I have to make some adjustments and all that, but I\u2019m feeling good, everything was working great,&#8221; Peralta said. &#8220;You just move forward and see what\u2019s coming next.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Around the Horn<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">INF <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/o\/ortizjo06.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-06-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joey Ortiz<\/a> &#8212; now sans mustache &#8212; returned to the Brewers lineup after getting a few days to recover from a tweaked hamstring. &#8230; OF <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mitchga01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-06-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Garrett Mitchell<\/a> is now with Triple-A Nashville to begin a minor-league rehab assignment that could lead to him making his season debut by the end of the month. &#8230; Mitchell will be joined in Nashville by right-hander <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/j\/junisja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-06-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jakob Junis<\/a>, who will throw one more controlled scrimmage with the Brewers&#8217; Arizona Complex League affiliate before beginning is his own rehab assignment.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\">Up Next<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\">The series continues Saturday afternoon when Brewers right-hander <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wilsobr02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-06-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bryse Wilson<\/a> (3-3, 4.19 ERA) faces off against Reds lefty <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/abbotan01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-06-15_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andrew Abbott<\/a> (5-5, 3.28).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Photo Credit: \u00a9 Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>MILWAUKEE &#8212; With how many games the young and inexperienced Milwaukee Brewers have clawed their way back to win this season, it was only a matter of time until that youth and inexperience came back to cost them one. Friday was one of those nights for the Brewers, who saw their ninth-inning rally stifled when, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5129,"featured_media":76817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27,28,1071,35],"tags":[28522,2514,28467,645,21201],"class_list":["post-76814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brewers","category-reds","category-mlb","category-news","tag-blake-perkins","tag-freddy-peralta","tag-joey-ortiz","tag-nl-central","tag-pat-murphy"],"modified_by":"Lewis Masella, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5129"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76814"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76814\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}