5/1/98: Many of you saw the last play of last night’s game, the Braves turning a 6-5-3 double play on Barry Bonds with the Braves utilizing the extreme shift they usually do against him, winding up with Chipper covering second base. I don’t really understand this shift. When you think about it, it really only takes away singles, and Bonds can have a single any time he wants by bunting down the third base line. Heck, he might have a double. I’ve come to think it’s primarily psychological; Cox is playing with Bonds’ mind, daring him to try to pull the ball. Bonds certainly should have bunted in that situation, because what the Giants needed, down 6-0, was baserunners.