If I were to say that Cubs’ third
baseman Kris Bryant and right fielder Jayson Heyward collided, you’d likely either
scratch your head in confusion or ask if it happened on the base paths. No, it happened when not one but two players
found themselves in unaccustomed positions.
During the sixth inning of Sunday’s
game against the Reds, Bryant was in right field, with Heyward moved over to
play center; that’s two players out of normal position. Cincinnati’s Eduardo
Suarez hit a fly ball that Heyward might have caught, had he not collided into
Bryant. Bryant was helped off the field
and missed the next two games in Houston.
After the game, Heyward said he
called for the ball, which would mean Bryant didn’t hear him. Or it could mean Bryant doesn’t hear as well
as Albert Almora or Kyle Schwarber, the two outfielders Heyward would be most
accustomed to playing alongside. Or it
could mean calling for a ball in center is different than calling for a ball in
right, Heyward’s normal position.
Or it could mean that, when you
have thirteen pitchers on your roster, stuff like this will happen unless you
never, ever rest your starters. Ah,
baseball for the analytically driven.
You have to love it, or not.
No comments:
Post a Comment