Get Down!
A note to my former employers as they prepare to face the Pirates
The Pirates are doubting their opponents’ conviction. They’ve dared infielders and walked away with their smiles intact. Intimidation is their identity. Will anyone stop them?
In early April, I saw something new while watching the Orioles play in Pittsburgh. With one out in the bottom of the ninth and Baltimore clinging to a 2-1 lead, a bases-loaded ground ball resulted in a game-ending throwing error. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson made a diving play up the middle to coral the ball. His momentum carried him towards second base, and he slapped the bag to record an out. His relay throw to first, however, was up the line. The Pirates scored two runs on the play. Game over: 3-2, Pirates.
You can watch the play in question by clicking right here or here if you prefer Twitter. If you want the most angles possible, there’s extended video on this game summary page. Or, you can look at my rough attempt to channel Oliver Stone:
I searched online for in-depth analysis. I scoured social media. I watched the replay several times — and several more times since then. All I could find were mentions of Henderson rushing his throw. In all honesty, even a perfect throw may not have gotten the runner, Edward Olivares. That said, turning two wasn’t out of the question.
The key to the play, though, was the baserunner who didn’t score — the one baserunner who was forced out.
Rowdy Tellez, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, is listed at 6’4, 270 lbs. That’s close enough to give you a sense of the size of the runner heading towards second base.
Tellez is about 18 feet from the base when he’s forced out. What comes next?
Tellez pulls up, puts his arms down by his sides, and remains standing. He continues towards the bag at a slower pace and is about six feet (and closing) from Henderson when the shortstop releases the ball. I have to imagine that Henderson expected that the baserunner would slide. I’m also guessing the O’s infielders had never practiced throwing to first base with a runner standing in front of them.
You know what the old school players would say, right? Throw it at his head. He’ll get down real quick.
That’s not the era we’re living in now, though. I’m not sure how many middle infielders would be willing to fire a relay into the face, throat, or chest of an approaching opponent. But what’s the alternative? When players are no longer competing to put food on the table and prevent the opponent from taking what’s theirs, a motivating fear disappears.
Until MLB institutes a rule change, middle infielders playing the Pirates better be prepared. Maybe an NFL quarterback could lend some pointers on hanging in the pocket with a blitzing linebacker approaching unblocked.
Analyzing Tendencies
As I’ve written about before, I love advance scouting. I still believe in the advantage of having a scout in the ballpark, especially today when so many teams aren’t sending evaluators to Major League stadiums. I also love poring over film.
Naturally, I was more than willing to review all plays this season when the Pirates were batting and the first or second out was made via force play at second base. The query on MLB Film Room returned 135 results, not all of which fit the specific type of play I was looking for. Still, there were plenty to review.
My informal findings on Pirates baserunners heading into second base on force plays:
If it’s going to be a close play at the bag, they’ll likely slide.
They seem to be calibrated as a team to slide one step later than usual.
Some who slide late at the bag cover their head with their hands. You don’t see that a lot around baseball.
Some will run through the bag, overrunning it almost into shallow left field. Again, not a common sight.
Certain scenarios, like when there’s a hard-hit ball and the baserunner is out by a mile or when the runner freezes on a soft line drive, lead to nothing of consequence around the base.
Fewer shenanigans have occurred against the Cubs and Phillies. Is there a reason Pirates baserunners might respect those two teams more?
The most common offenders: Andrew McCutchen, Rowdy Tellez, Yasmani Grandal, Connor Joe, Bryan Reynolds.
But really they all do it.
Here is a reel of 10 clips that represent the team’s tendencies on force plays at second. Is this boldness on the bases part of a new identity in Pittsburgh? Is there a new Steel Curtain bearing down on the unwitting second baseman?
The Pirates last finished over .500 in 2018. They last made the playoffs in 2015. Entering play today, the Bucs are 52-50, 1.5 games out of the Wild Card. They’ve got Paul Skenes, last year’s first overall pick in the draft who stormed onto the big-league scene in May and has entered the Cy Young conversation. His starts are must-watch TV. His mere presence has brought gravitas to the organization. Pittsburgh is gaining national exposure. Is MLB prepared for a high-stakes incident at second base?
Where did this come from?
Establish players don’t change the way they go about their business without instruction from above. The Pirates are teaching this, and they seem to have achieved organizational buy-in.
I’ve heard from a few coaches and staff around the game. Nobody outside of Pittsburgh is in favor of the practice.
What I wonder is if anyone within the Pirates organization is opposed to it. The play is legal, but is it in the spirit of the game? No.
What would the response look like if a middle infielder drilled an obstructing baserunner with his throw? Are the Pirates players ready for a fight? Is manager Derek Shelton and his staff prepared to defend this behavior? Do the umpires have a strategy?
That this way of playing the game is legal doesn’t matter to me. The behavior cheapens the game.
Starting Now
Twelve of the Pirates next 18 games are against my two former employers in baseball: the D-backs and the Padres. While my feelings towards both of those organizations were at once complicated, these days I am happy when they succeed. I have friends with both teams, and I hold their best interests at heart.
Guys! Hey, over here! Make sure you don’t get burned when a Pirates player comes in hot at second base. Make sure your infielders are aware. Make them get down.
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What a great article! Impressive!