Tejada Is Too Good to Bunt, Clearly

Miguel Tejada has been, by any measurable standards, just terrible in 2011. That he's being paid $6 million to be so bad only exacerbates the problem.

But Sunday night's antics from the would-be shortstop might send Giants fans over the edge, as Tejada nearly refused to bunt in an 11th-inning situation against the Astros (which eventually resulted in a Giants loss, of course).

After being called to the plate to pinch-hit, he certainly tried to not bunt in the situation and eventually caved and did bunt, advancing Aubrey Huff to second, but he wasn't happy about it.

"I shook my head. I was thinking I was sent up to hit. After that, I did my job," Tejada said, per John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. "I put the bunt down. I’m not the only guy who was surprised yesterday to see the bunt sign."

Well, probably not. Or maybe not. Who knows -- there was a slow runner on first (Huff) and a terrible hitter (Tejada) at the plate and it was the bottom of the 11th inning and the Giants needed one single run to win the game and stop their skid and maybe get some momentum heading into the Cubs series.

But, hey, don't blame Miggy. He just works here.

"I just work here," Tejada later said. "Whatever the manager tells me to do, I gotta do. I respect the manager and the team and my teammates. He tells me to do it, I’ll do it.

"If that’s the way I’m going to help the team, I’ll do it."

The best way he could help his team, actually, would be to hit. His .237/.268/.324 (!!!) line doesn't warrant the freedom to shake off a bunt.

And when he's getting more than $1 million per homer (four -- four home runs), there's absolutely no excuse for just doing whatever his manager wants without questioning it in the slightest.

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