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Get Off My Lawn (And the Basepaths)
By Nick Piccone
Published:
Friday night was the dagger for me.
For many others, the dagger came a lot sooner. I can’t blame them.
The Phillies had the first game of a three-game series in Atlanta seemingly in hand before the bullpen once again bullpened, but also because they had chances to tack on some extra runs in the first nine innings and failed to do so.
The most glaring mistake – once again – came on the basepaths during the 9th inning. Bryce Harper led off with a double, but the struggling Luis Arraez again hit a lazy fly ball to the outfield for an out, and – stop me if you’ve heard this before – Alec Bohm sent a grounder right to an infielder. This one was right in front of Harper, who tried to hop over the ball to distract Braves shortstop Mauricio Dubón because he thinks they’re playing in Williamsport for some reason.
It wasn’t the first baserunning blunder for the Phillies this season, and it certainly wasn’t the first Harper’s had this season. Even if the Phillies pull off a miraculous World Series run, and even though there’s probably not a Major League Baseball season next year, I think we’re gonna talk about this season’s baserunning blunders for a long time. They’re a punchline for every other team in the league. And it’s especially embarrassing coming against a division rival that has all but cemented the NL East title.
That’s just the way the game is played today.
Nah. Not that way. We’re not talking about openers or launch angles or moneyball here. We’re talking about the mental aspect of the game that is absent from this team (and has been for a long time) with the exception of the pitchers in the starting rotation. Yeah, they’ve had their struggles like anyone else, but they have kept this team afloat in spite of their mind-absent teammates.
At some point you have to have the self-respect to improve at an aspect of the game you are not good at. This isn’t April or May. It’s an important September series against the Braves. Not only have the Phillies not improved their baserunning, but it’s gotten worse. And it puts more pressure on their teammates to erase those mistakes, which has not happened very frequently lately. My issue with this Phillies team is that they do not have that self-respect to improve in an area that has been at the forefront of their continuing struggles. I don’t care if other teams run the bases poorly. I don’t care if the Phillies are “better” at running the bases than other teams if the stats show that. The ones who watch every single game know exactly how these baserunning blunders cost the team. Less pitches for the opposition. Having to throw a pitcher who was hoping to get a day off. Putting more pressure on the rest of the lineup to deliver. Zero accountability.
The organization is afraid to hold these players to a higher standard because their track record has been mostly good. They’ve been in the playoffs. They’ve made baseball in Philly important again. But if that’s the reason they’re not being benched, then they’re gonna continue the errors that will eventually cost them a chance at a championship. I don’t even know what the answer is at this point. We’ve put our trust in our players because Don Mattingly sure doesn’t have it, nor should he. So as fans, we’re at a loss of how to consume this. We’re in a no-win situation.
John Kruk’s quip during the replay of Harper’s 272nd lapse in judgment this season has reverberated throughout this fanbase.
I guess, uh, at least he didn’t make the first or last out at third, right?
At some point, shouldn’t we wish instead of making those mind-numbing boneheaded decisions on the basepaths, they maybe they simply just not be allowed to run the bases? Either get out or hit a homer. No in between. Get off my basepaths.
Nick Piccone has covered Philly sports and events for over 15 years with various outlets, including PhillyVoice.com and PhillyInfluencer.com. In 2015, he co-launched the Straight Shooters Podcast, focused on covering the professional wrestling industry. He was a producer at Fox Sports Radio Philadelphia and currently produces broadcast and social media content for the Villanova Sports Radio Network. He grew up in South Philadelphia and South Jersey, and is a graduate of Neumann University. Contact: picconenick@gmail.com