Payton on the art of baserunning?!?!?

by mendelbob on May 8, 2006 3:45 AM PDT

(link http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060507&content_id=1442446& ;vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak)

I guess it's too early for the DLD still, and seeing as I should be working now, I'm not going to try to create one, but I had to comment on this article. When I first read the title I thought it had to be a joke. Payton is a good baserunner? According to what definition of good?

Granted, I'm very bitter about yesterday's loss, and granted, we did win the game on Saturday and Payton did score the winning run, but his baserunning was horrid.

His "stolen base" was dumb luck. He (and all of us) were tremendously lucky that the rays' infield was as spaced out as he was. Against any half-way awake team, he gets thrown out on that play.

Then, on the wierd double play, sure, he hustled back to second, but if had played it differntly, we end up with runners on 1st and 2nd with one out instead of runner on second, 2 outs.

I remind myself that we won that game and that my frustration is about yesterday's game, not saturday's, but it seems ridiculous that there is an article praising his head's up hustle when in reality his "instincts" betrayed him twice in that game.

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Lucky-yes, bad not necessarily.

On the stolen base, it was unintentional. I highly doubt Payton would've gone for second if
a) Any TB fielders were paying attention.
b) They were shifted in the DJ shift (2nd in shallow left)
I'd say that SB was opportune and lucky, but not necessarily bad.

As for the DP, the result was also lucky. The ball wasn't high enough to be called an infield fly, so as reported, the fielder 'alertly' dropped the ball.

As for the possible outcomes of that play -
If Payton stayed too close to second, the outcome would've been exactly as it turned out, fielder steps on second to get the sure out (force on DJ) and then gets Payton in a rundown to try to get the second out, while hopefully keeping Scutaro at first (Scutaro alertly continued to ensure someone ended up on second).

If Payton goes too far off 2nd, fielder catches the ball, steps on second (he was pretty uch at the bag) to double Payton, throws to first to double off DJ. And even if DJ wasn't doubled off, it'd be 2 outs, man on first.

So really, there was little likelihood that the play wouldn't end in a double play. Payton was lucky enough to make it back into 2nd and Scutaro kept going to ensure he'd be at 2nd if Payton got tagged out in the rundown.

by Rickeyfan on May 8, 2006 11:42 AM PDT reply actions

take a look at the replay (if you're interested)

it's available at oaklandathletics.com.

when the ball is fielded, payton is basically standing on second. if he stays there and they throw to second, dj is out, payton is safe at second and scutaro is safe at first. if he stays and they throw to third, he is out, dj should be able to make it to second, and scutaro is at first. the ball was way too soft to turn a double play second to first or third to second. instead, with payton standing on second, the ball get's thrown to second, then he has a brain fart and starts running. the more times i watched the replay, the dumber he seemed.

anyway, it's all a moot point. they won the game in the end. the article just rubbed me the wrong way. i was really pissed about the outcome of yesterday's game, and i generally count on the seconday article (notes) to either cheer me up or at least provide some insight. instead i felt like the only "good news" about the a's was the glorification of what, imo, were a couple of bonehead moves.

Zito: You ever think about the space time continuum?
Huddy: Uh... no.

by mendelbob on May 8, 2006 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Nope ...

if he stays at second, they simply tag him, then tag the bag. Second base is no longer a safe position for him, since he is being forced - this also makes a triple play a very decent likelihood.

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by devo on May 8, 2006 1:42 PM PDT up reply actions

interesting

hadn't thought of that.

Zito: You ever think about the space time continuum?
Huddy: Uh... no.

by mendelbob on May 8, 2006 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions

yeah ... it's kind of unfortunate ...

that both Payton and Scooter ran the bases as best they could - Payton being able to get back and Scooter taking the extra base - if only Payton had taken care of business we'd have saved the out ...

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by devo on May 8, 2006 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions