The View Frome Home: A-Rod's 7th Inning Baserunning Miscue


Situation: Top of the 7th inning, 1 out, scored tied 3-3.
At Bat: Xavier Nady, 20 hits in his last 45 at bats, 13 RBI

Alex tried to steal third base but was thrown out. This was an interesting play. If he makes it, all the Yankees need is a fly ball and they take a 4-3 lead. If he's out, then it costs the Yanks a runner in scoring position with a red hot batter at the plate. The play was close enough to go either way but A-Rod was called out. Not a bad play in my book because I like the aggressiveness but it's also something you can second guess.

Here's A-Rod's take on the play:
“I’m always looking to make something happen. They have such a great bullpen. You can’t sit around and wait for things happen. … I was safe.”

Joe Girardi's take:
“I believe he was safe, so I don’t have a problem. Alex is a very smart base-runner, he knows exactly what he’s doing. He just didn’t run recklessly, he studied the pitcher. I turned him loose.”

Again, not a bad move by the Yanks, but it led to them losing an important runner in a crucial time in the game. If they get a 4-3 lead, Mariano Rivera comes in to start the 9th in a save situation (if the Yankees held the Angels scoreless in the 8th). I, personally would've held A-Rod at 2nd base. If someone like Jose Molina was up at the plate then I'd let Rodriguez try to swipe 3rd.

The breaks just haven't gone New York's way the last couple weeks.
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