Potentially the most unpredictable Playoffs ever

[BobbyStrawberry]

Horrible baserunning by Walker. Everyone in the park knew not to challenge Garcia there.

[Shoeless Moe]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

Horrible baserunning by Walker. Everyone in the park knew not to challenge Garcia there.

yah how do you run with your head down like that.....and with nobody out just stupid

[Peter_Spaeth]

Did he run through a stop sign? On replay it's hard to tell when the coach changed his mind.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Did he run through a stop sign? On replay it's hard to tell when the coach changed his mind.

+1

[Shoeless Moe]

1. He should know which outfielders to run on.

2. He was running with his head down as he was rounding 3rd, should have been watching the coach, so intentional or unintentional he F'd up not looking or blowing through it.

3. And why risk it, would have been 1st & 3rd nobody out, and 2 batters, one being yourself, just rocked Scherzer. So you are probably scoring from 3rd anyway.

So Walker F'd up one way or the other....or the other.


Watch the 3 min mark, and especially on the reply.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojfJo8x6y_Q

He's not even looking at the coach. Coach had it well up before he was running past him.

[nolemmings]

Perezchica waved him home and then changed his mind– halfway down the third-base line. Ideally Walker would have had his head up and been able to get back to third, but the coach could have handled it better in the first place. It isn’t just knowing the outfielders’ arms– the runner does not know if there was a bobble or a slip and is relying on the coach’s eyes.

As for the game situation, I don’t disagree that the standard call there is to hold him at third. But the Diamondbacks play chaos baseball and try to put pressure on the defense as much as possible by forcing them to make a play. Unfortunately, the ball took a room service hop and was handled cleanly by Garcia right in stride and he made the play. Worst case happened, but it still left a man on second with one out; i.e., in scoring position with a faster replacement runner.

Walker is neither a fast nor a slow runner, so I can understand why he would bear down and not look up once he saw he was being waved home. I assume that if he picked up the stop sign– which again was a change by the coach– he would have made it back to third. Then again, I remember a rookie Joe Mauer facing that same situation in a regular season game and getting hurt when he slammed on the brakes to get back. Hurt as in knee injury and surgery, a 21 year-old hitting .300 with pop and gone for most of the year– thanks a lot coach.

Dbacks looked like they were pressing a bit last night, but they had other chances over the next seven innings. So yeah, Walker can own most of that momentum killer, but he was not alone.

[Peter_Spaeth]

And if he held up and Scherzer got out of the inning people would be complaining they weren't aggressive enough. That's baseball.

[Shoeless Moe]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Perezchica waved him home and then changed his mind– halfway down the third-base line. Ideally Walker would have had his head up and been able to get back to third, but the coach could have handled it better in the first place. It isn’t just knowing the outfielders’ arms– the runner does not know if there was a bobble or a slip and is relying on the coach’s eyes.

I think like you said because of that line drive being a one hopper to Garcia and there was no bobble or anything that is why the coach changed his mind. He was hoping for anything but that, and the tailor made one hop made him change his mind and threw up the stop sign, but loooked to be in plenty of time for Walker to see it. Looking down makes no sense, that's how guys who are not fast run.

And to Peter's point on saying people would complain about not being aggressive, NOT with nobody out. Had there been one or 2 outs then yes you can make that argument. With nobdy out unless you are Carroll or Marte maybe, but don't be aggressive with your 4 hitter.

He stops there you got 1st and 3rd nobody out, Scherzer just got rocked twice. In all liklihood the Rangers are then giving up the runner on third anyway to get the double play. So Walker scores on almost anything the next 2 batters do. And Scherzer ain't the K machine he once was so again know what is going on.

Maybe a little less looking in the dugout, patting yourself on the back, waving your arms (like the Phillies, and basically every team) and how 'bout thinking about the situation and not thinking about your hit.

It changed the game.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Perezchica waved him home and then changed his mind– halfway down the third-base line.

Are you sure about this? I don't recall seeing a replay with a wide enough angle, but it looked to me like Walker wasn't even at third yet when the stop sign came up.

Garcia has one of the strongest arms in baseball, and Walker has to know that. Also, as has been said, Scherzer struggling and nobody out. At least look back or at the coach again before putting your head down and barreling home.