The perfect play
It's not often that you see a play that is a credit to everyone who had anything to do with it, but the bunt single by Robert Andino was -- in my humble opinion -- the perfect baseball play. Great opportunistic pushed bunt by Andino. Great defensive play by pitcher Brett Cecil to chase it down, dive for it and shovel it with his glove hand accurately to first base. Great call by first base umpire Fieldin Culbreth, who signaled safe on a bang-bang play that was confirmed by the replay.
Of course, no good deed goes unpunished. Cecil was shaken up after bouncing on the artificial turf and had to be removed from the game.
Comments
Hey Pete,
What happened to Roberts? Why was he pulled?
Posted by: Lance | August 8, 2009 3:27 PM
Pete,
I sure hope TIllman's not injured, but if he's not DT should be fired for pulling him with 2 outs in the 7th. He just got two quick outs and had Mora not been on the line he probably would have made the 3rd out! Flat out overmanaging by an underthinking minor league manager!
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Pete's reply: Keith, have you been watching the game? I normally think you're pretty tuned in, but you've got a guy who has been stretching his back in the dugout between innings and has been confering with the trainers. I doubt he's hurt, per se, but he clearly was stiff. And, to use this particular move as evidence that Dave should be fired is simply ridiculous, especially since pretty much all the Dave bashers have already said that about 95 other pitching moves. I would have pulled him there...maybe sooner. Even if he said he was okay and says so afterward. If I'm the manager and see the erratic velocity and how uncomfortable he looked on the mound, I say to myself, this is one of our best pitching prospects and this is a meaningless game against the Blue Jays. Sure, you want to win every game, but you don't ANY chances with this guy.
Posted by: Keith Rowe | August 8, 2009 3:40 PM
Lance - Roberts hit in shin by ball off his bat. Andino pinch hit for him and stayed in at 2B
Posted by: Lucky Horseshoe | August 8, 2009 3:43 PM
Thanks horseshoe.
Since I haven't lived in Baltimore for a few years it's hard to be able to catch the games. I'm in Dallas and they generally only air out of market games from the west coast.
MLB Package was too expensive for me this season so I keep up with the O's through this blog and just about any other way I can.
Posted by: Lance | August 8, 2009 4:06 PM
Pete,
Per my friends in the MEDIA, Tillman's velocity (updated), it was reported that he was not max throwing because when he max throws his ball is straight. If the stretching was an issue why did he even start the inning. My point is either he's healthy or not (I don't know) but I agree with one point you made, you don't want to take a chance, but he looked fine on the first two outs and he was fit enough to start the inning??????
So putting the tying run on base gets you the hook? You can't have it both ways, either he shouldn't have started the inning or he was capable of finishing the inning and again, either way if DT had any inkling he was hurt Fire him for sending him back out, but if he's not hurt WHY pull him?
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Pete's reply: Keith, you're forgetting that you said Dave "should be fired" for taking him out. That's a lot different than arguing whether he could get one more out or not.
Posted by: Keith Rowe | August 8, 2009 7:57 PM