Even with roster built for power, Baker is open to bunting

Even with a lineup chock-full of power-hitting potential, Nationals manager Dusty Baker does not shy away from the opportunity to employ small ball.

Even his top slugger, Bryce Harper, has the green light to bunt when the game circumstance is right. Sometimes it's the element of surprise, especially if you have speed and you see the infield playing way back.

"If the situation calls upon it, yeah, that's cool with me," Baker said. "How many home runs you going to hit, 30 or 40? What you going to do with the next 500 at-bats?

Baker believes that bunting is a facet of the game that has to be worked on just like hitting, pitching and defense.

"You got to have a whole bunch of different games in order to win," Baker said. "You got to have a slugging game, you got to have a defensive game, pitching game, you might even have to have a bunting game at some point in time."

Baker remembers working on dropping down bunts while playing with the Dodgers in 1976.

"We all had to bunt at some point in time," Baker said. "You didn't like it, but it's better than making an out. That's a non-at-bat. I'm trying to stress to the guys when you are called upon to do it, we got a point and a purpose. Most of the time, I'll let you hit. I think we all have to be capable of doing it."

And Baker knows that speed guys bunt, but power hitters can sometimes employ the tactic just to change things up or to get something going when hits are hard to come by.

"Same guys bunt now that bunted then," Baker said. "Some of the big guys would bunt if they were in a slump if they needed a hit or you needed baserunners. I believe in bunting, big time. I even got criticized for bunting. That's another weapon that you are going to need sometime during a game.

"Sometimes a bunt will keep that 0-fer off you. Keep that slump off you. When you are counting 0-for-10, 0-for-11, breathe a lot easier. It's when you bunt. I don't like this bunting with runner in scoring position or second base when you have to drive the ball. I don't mind you bunting with guy on third faced with two outs because if they are playing you back (and) we can get a run."

But bunting is not an easy task. As a matter of fact, it can be dangerous.

Just like a pitcher holding runners on base, bunting has to be practiced over and over. And for pitchers in the batter's box, it is a top priority. That's when you see it the most, pitchers looking to sacrifice runners into scoring position.

"People (say) work on your bunting," Baker said. "You do. Bunting, you got to stick your nose in there. Because when you're bunting, your face is probably 18 inches from the ball, two feet from the ball. Now when you're swinging, my arms are 36 (inches) and another (35 inches for the bat) I'm potentially six feet from the ball when I'm swinging at it. So when I'm bunting, I'm right there.

"You got to stick your nose in it. There's a way to bunt. We preach it, we work on it, especially the pitchers. That's (what) their No. 1 job is, to bunt."

Baker is open to the strategy of bunting, regardless of what kind of hitter you are.

He believes a power hitter can bunt to get out of a slump. But when is the ideal time to bunt in a game?

"(A good time is) especially if you are three or four runs down," Baker said. "You can't hit a three-run homer with nobody on base. We need baserunners. Your chances of hitting back-to-back-to-back ain't real good. At some point in time, you need baserunners."