Rounding the Bases and Pitchers Swinging

[WebHamster]

This thread contains comments on Stu Newstat's Article "Rounding the Bases and Pitchers Swinging", which was posted in the Cafe's Point of View section on March 25, 2006. The full article can be read here.

[davidmarver]

Phil Nevin is the biggest walker to play the game of baseball. I'm not sure if he has ever broken a sweat on the basepaths.

[Madison]

Good article.

I agree. It gets old watching guys not run out plays at first. I understand it to a degree though, we are talking about 162 games a year, with some of them coming 10-14 days in a row. Change in weather (say from cold in Boston, to hot in Texas), possible injuries (hamstrings mostly), staying fresh for the field, etc. Lots of reasons to "jog" down the basepaths.

However, you are correct that if the players actually hustled, you never know what would happen. Yes, a runner sprinting flat out to first does in fact put more pressure on the fielders, and very well could result in a bobble or error, which would allow that runner to reach first instead of being thrown out. It's irritating that most hitters don't seem to realize that.

You know what bugs me the worst? How many times last year did you see a guy wind up with a single, yet even the announcers said he would have had a double had he been running all the way? That is very annoying to me.

As to pitchers hitting, I agree and think pitchers should be able to handle themselves in the box. I'm not saying they all should hit .300, or even .250, but they shouldn't look like little leaguers in the box either. You're right that it is fun to watch them run out their hits though. Quite a few of them give it everything they've got, and those are your true players.

Solid topic.

[EugeneStyles]

I love the fact that Carlos Zambrano is a switch-hitter. To me, that's just great. It shows that he gives a crap about his hitting.

Greg Maddux has never been the world's greatest hitter, but you can tell he tries - and is always pretty good at laying down a bunt. I still remember when they used him as a pinch-runner for Jody Davis back in 1986.

[Steve187]

Good choices made, but I was surprised not to see little Davey Eckstein's name in the biggest hustlers to first base .... I don't know how he is with the Cards, but when he was with the Angels, that guy gave 110% everytime he popped up, ground out, flied out etc, just trying to make it to the base, even if it was clear that he stood a 99% chance of getting out. Biggest mistake my Halo's made -- dropping him for Orlando Cabrera.